Toni Darnay
Toni Darnay | |
|---|---|
| Born | Mercy Mustell April 11, 1921 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | January 5, 1983 (aged 61) New York City, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation(s) | Actress dancer |
| Spouse(s) | Elwood (Bill) Hoffman (1947 - ?) Hobe Morrison (? - 1983, her death) |
| Children | 2 |
Toni Darnay (born Mercy Mustell,[1] April 11, 1921 – January 5, 1983)[2] was an American actress and dancer.
Early years
Darnay was born in Chicago, Illinois.[2] Her father, Robert R. Mustell,[3] was a doctor, and her mother had acted in silent films[4]: 71 and on stage in theaters owned by Darnay's grandfather, Landon Gates.[5] She attended College Prep High School in Chicago,[6] and at the Chicago Art Theatre she studied acting, dancing, and singing.[4]: 71 As a youngster, she danced in clubs, including The Palmer House and Chez Paree[5] and performed in vaudeville, repertory theater, and summer stock but often found her ventures ended by her father.[7] After taking night classes for a year at Northwestern University (often dashing from the campus to a night club to dance), she went to New York, looking for work on Broadway at age 19.[4]: 71
Career
In Chicago in 1940, Darnay was a member of Winnie Hoveler's Dancing Darlings, performing in the floor show at Harry's New Yorker.[8]
Darnay acted in stock theater companies at Oconomowac Walk, Wisconsin, and Bridgehampton, Long Island, among other places.[5] She toured with a company of Arsenic and Old Lace, as the ingenue lead, and acted in Black Narcissus, The Duenna, and Name Your Own Poison.[9] On Broadway, Darnay danced in Sadie Thompson (1944), was an understudy in The Women (1973), and was both a performer and an understudy in Molly (1973), The Heiress (1976), and Vieux Carre (1977).[2] Other stage productions in which she performed included The Heiress, Life with Father, Molly, and The Women.[1]
While Darnay was in an out-of-town opening for her first Broadway play, she auditioned for, and won, the title role in the radio serial The Strange Romance of Evelyn Winters,[4] which ran on CBS from November 20, 1944, to November 12, 1948.[10] She also acted on other radio soap operas, including starring as Nona Dutell on Nona from Nowhere,[10]: 257 and playing Sylvia Field in When a Girl Marries,[10]: 351-352 Libby Allen on Stella Dallas,[11] and Nancy on Just Plain Bill.[12] She was also heard regularly on Aunt Jenny's Real Life Stories on radio[13] and appeared frequently on television programs.[14] Her work on TV included Eleanor and Franklin, nine Hallmark Hall of Fame programs,[1] and several soap operas, including running roles in The Edge of Night and Search for Tomorrow.[15]
Darnay also appeared in films, including The Exorcist, Pendulum, and The Swimmer.[1]
Personal life
In March 1947, Darnay married writer Elwood (Bill) Hoffman. They had two children.[4] She later married theatrical columnist Hobe Morrison, and they remained wed until her death.[1]
Death
On January 5, 1983, Darnay died of lung cancer at her home in Manhattan at age 61.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d e f "Toni Darnay, 61". The Herald-News. New Jersey, Passaic. January 8, 1983. p. 7. Retrieved April 16, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c "Toni Darnay". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. Archived from the original on April 15, 2020. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
- ^ "15 Republicans in Campaign for Coroner and Recorder Jobs". Chicago Tribune. Illinois, Chicago. March 15, 1940. p. 6. Retrieved April 16, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d e Darnay, Toni (August 1952). "My life is simply perfect" (PDF). Radio-TV Mirror. 38 (3): 32–33, 71. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
- ^ a b c "Introducing Toni Darnay" (PDF). Radio Romances. 24 (4): 77. September 1945. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
- ^ "Toni Darnay Leads Top Dramatic Role". The Jackson Sun. Tennessee, Jackson. July 22, 1951. p. 32. Retrieved April 16, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Toni Darnay" (PDF). Radio-TV Mirror. 40 (2): 17. July 1953. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
- ^ "Dancing darling Darnay". Chicago Tribune. Illinois, Chicago. January 14, 1940. p. 51. Retrieved April 16, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Carson, Jim (June 1, 1946). "Listen!". The Atchison Daily Globe. Kansas, Atchison. p. 3. Retrieved April 16, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c Terrace, Vincent (1999). Radio Programs, 1924-1984: A Catalog of More Than 1800 Shows. McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 319–320. ISBN 978-0-7864-4513-4.
- ^ Steinhauser, Si (March 9, 1945). "Radio Comics Establish Youth Foundation". The Pittsburgh Press. Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh. p. 37. Retrieved April 16, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Stage-Struck Toni Darnay Clicks on Air". Detroit Free Press. Michigan, Detroit. December 17, 1951. p. 41. Retrieved April 16, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Lackmann, Ron (2000). The Encyclopedia of American Radio (PDF) (Updated ed.). New York, New York: Checkmark Books. p. 24. ISBN 0-8160-4137-7. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
- ^ "Bill's Daughter" (PDF). Radio-TV Mirror. 39 (2): 17. January 1953.
- ^ "Toni Darnay, radio and TV performer; had 'Exorcist' role". The New York Times. New York, New York City. January 8, 1983. Archived from the original on April 16, 2020. Retrieved April 16, 2020.