Mason Alan Dinehart Sr. (born Harold Alan Dinehart; October 3, 1889 – July 18, 1944) was an American actor, director, writer, and stage manager.

Biography

Alan Dinehart in The First Hundred Years 05

Dinehart initially studied to be a priest, but he turned to the theater instead. His first acting experience came at Missoula University in Montana. He was active in Vaudeville before moving into other areas of entertainment. He left school to appear on stage with a

repertory company A repertory theatre is a theatre in which a resident company presents works from a specified repertoire, usually in alternation or rotation. United Kingdom Annie Horniman founded the first modern repertory theatre in Manchester after withdrawing ...

and had no screen experience when he signed a contract with Fox in May 1931. He became a

character actor A character actor is a supporting actor who plays unusual, interesting, or eccentric characters.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrieved 7 August 2014, "..a breed of actor who has the ability to b ...

and supporting player in at least eighty-eight films between 1931 and 1944. Earlier, he appeared in more than twenty Broadway plays. Dinehart co-wrote and starred in the Broadway play ''Separate Rooms'', which opened on March 23, 1940 at the Maxine Elliott Theatre and ran for 613 performances. Dinehart's likeness was drawn in caricature by Alex Gard for Sardi's, the

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

theater district restaurant. The picture is now part of the collection of the

New York Public Library The New York Public Library (NYPL) is a public library system in New York City. With nearly 53 million items and 92 locations, the New York Public Library is the second largest public library in the United States (behind the Library of Congress) ...

. Dinehart's second son, Mason Alan Dinehart, was cast in several 1950s

television series A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, or cable, excluding breaking news, advertisements, or trailers that are typically placed be ...

, including the role of a young Bat Masterson in the ABC/ Desilu Studios western, ''

The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp ''The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp'' is the first Western television series written for adults, premiering four days before '' Gunsmoke'' on September 6, 1955. Two weeks later came the Clint Walker western ''Cheyenne''. The series is loosely ...

'', starring Hugh O'Brian in the title role.

Personal life

In 1936, Dinehart had his name legally changed to Mason Alan Dinehart. He had been baptized Harold Alan Dinehart, but his wife explained that the change would permit their son to be legally named Alan Dinehart III.

Death

Dinehart suffered

heart failure Heart failure (HF), also known as congestive heart failure (CHF), is a syndrome, a group of signs and symptoms caused by an impairment of the heart's blood pumping function. Symptoms typically include shortness of breath, excessive fatigue, ...

and died on 17 July 1944. Some reports stated the cause as a

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which ma ...

and the day of death as July 18 at age 54.https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=Fr8DH2VBP9sC&dat=19440721&printsec=frontpage&hl=en The Gazette, Montreal, July 21, 1944, p.3

Selected filmography

*'' The Brat'' (1931) - MacMillan Forrester *'' Wicked'' (1931) - Blake *'' Girls About Town'' (1931) - Jerry Chase *'' Good Sport'' (1931) - Rex Parker *'' Disorderly Conduct'' (1932) - Fletcher *'' Devil's Lottery'' (1932) - American (uncredited) *'' The Trial of Vivienne Ware'' (1932) - Prosecutor *''

Street of Women ''Street of Women'' is a 1932 pre-Code romantic drama directed by Archie Mayo and starring Kay Francis and Roland Young. Plot summary A man's affair complicates his daughter's love life. Cast * Kay Francis as Natalie "Nat" Upton * Roland You ...

'' (1932) - Lawrence 'Larry' Baldwin *''

Bachelor's Affairs ''Bachelor's Affairs'' also known as Fancy Free is a 1932 American Pre-Code film based on the play "Precious" by James Forbes. While its availability for viewing is currently limited, it has been preserved by the UCLA Film and Television Archi ...

'' (1932) - Luke Radcliff *'' Almost Married'' (1932) - Inspector Slante *''

Okay, America! ''Okay, America!'' is a 1932 American Pre-Code film, about a gossip columnist's rise to fame, based closely on the real life of Walter Winchell. Cast * Lew Ayres as Larry Wayne * Maureen O'Sullivan as Sheila Barton * Louis Calhern as Mileaway ...

'' (1932) - Roger Jones *'' Washington Merry-Go-Round'' (1932) - Norton *''

Rackety Rax ''Rackety Rax'' is a 1932 American pre-Code comedy action film directed by Alfred L. Werker and starring Victor McLaglen, Greta Nissen and Nell O'Day. Plot Always looking for an angle, "Knucks" McGloin purchases the mortgage on Canarsie Colle ...

'' (1932) - Counsellor Sultsfeldt *'' The Devil Is Driving'' (1932) - Jenkins *''

Lawyer Man ''Lawyer Man'' is a 1932 American pre-Code drama film directed by William Dieterle, based on the novel by Max Trell. The film stars William Powell and Joan Blondell. It was produced by Warner Bros. By the time of the release, several actors we ...

'' (1932) - Granville Bentley *'' As the Devil Commands'' (1932) - Robert Waldo *'' Sweepings'' (1933) - Thane Pardway *''

Supernatural Supernatural refers to phenomena or entities that are beyond the laws of nature. The term is derived from Medieval Latin , from Latin (above, beyond, or outside of) + (nature) Though the corollary term "nature", has had multiple meanings si ...

'' (1933) - Paul Bavian *'' A Study in Scarlet'' (1933) - Merrydew *'' I Have Lived'' (1933) - Thomas Langley *'' Her Bodyguard'' (1933) - Lester Cunningham *'' No Marriage Ties'' (1933) - 'Perk' Perkins *''The Road Is Open Again'' (1933, short subject, as

George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of ...

) - George Washington *''

Dance Girl Dance ''Dance Girl Dance'' is a 1933 American pre-Code musical film directed by Frank Strayer from an original screenplay by Robert Ellis. The picture stars Alan Dinehart, Evalyn Knapp, and Edward Nugent, and premiered on September 1, 1933. Cast l ...

'' (1933) - Wade 'Val' Valentine *''As the Devil Commands'' (1933) - Robert Waldo *'' Bureau of Missing Persons'' (1933) - Therme Roberts *'' Fury of the Jungle'' (1933) - Taggart *'' The World Changes'' (1933) - Ogden Jarrett *''

The Sin of Nora Moran ''The Sin of Nora Moran'' is a 1933 American pre-code melodrama and proto-noir film directed by Phil Goldstone and based on the short story "Burnt Offering" by W. Maxwell Goodhue. The film is also known as ''Voice from the Grave'' (American reis ...

'' (1933) - District Attorney John Grant *''

Cross Country Cruise ''Cross Country Cruise'' is a 1934 American Pre-Code romance film directed by Edward Buzzell and written by Elmer Blaney Harris. The film stars Lew Ayres, June Knight, Alice White, Alan Dinehart, Minna Gombell, and Eugene Pallette. The film was r ...

'' (1934) - Steve Borden *'' The Crosby Case'' (1934) - Police Inspector Thomas *'' Jimmy the Gent'' (1934) - Charles Wallingham *''

A Very Honorable Guy ''A Very Honorable Guy'' is a 1934 American pre-Code comedy film directed by Lloyd Bacon, written by Earl Baldwin, and starring Joe E. Brown, Alice White, Robert Barrat, Alan Dinehart, Irene Franklin and Hobart Cavanaugh. It was released by Wa ...

'' (1934) - The Brain *'' The Love Captive'' (1934) - Roger Loft *'' Baby Take a Bow'' (1934) - Welch *''

The Cat's-Paw ''The Cat's-Paw'' (1934) is a comedy film starring Harold Lloyd and directed by Sam Taylor. It was Lloyd's seventh and final collaboration with Taylor and the fourth of his seven starring roles in sound. ''The Cat’s Paw'', a novel by Clarence ...

'' (1934) - Mayor Ed Morgan *''

Lottery Lover ''Lottery Lover'' is a 1935 American comedy film directed by Wilhelm Thiele and written by Franz Schulz and Billy Wilder. The film stars Lew Ayres, Pat Paterson, Peggy Fears, Sterling Holloway, Walter Woolf King and Alan Dinehart. The film was ...

'' (1935) - Edward Arthur 'Tank' Tankersley *'' $10 Raise'' (1935) - Fuller *'' Dante's Inferno'' (1935) - Jonesy *''

Redheads on Parade ''Redheads on Parade'' is a 1935 American musical film directed by Norman Z. McLeod and written by Don Hartman and Rian James. The film stars John Boles, Dixie Lee, Jack Haley, Raymond Walburn, Alan Dinehart and Patsy O'Connor. The film was re ...

'' (1935) - George Magnus *'' The Payoff'' (1935) - Marty *'' Thanks a Million'' (1935) - Mr. Kruger *'' In Old Kentucky'' (1935) - Slick Doherty *''

Your Uncle Dudley ''Your Uncle Dudley'' is a 1935 American comedy film directed by Eugene Forde and written by Allen Birkin, Joseph Hoffman and Dore Schary. The film stars Edward Everett Horton, Lois Wilson, John McGuire, Rosina Lawrence, Alan Dinehart and ...

'' (1935) - Charlie Post *''

It Had to Happen ''It Had to Happen'' is a 1936 American drama film starring George Raft and Rosalind Russell. The movie was written by Kathryn Scola, and Howard Ellis Smith, and directed by Roy Del Ruth. It is based on the 1909 short story "Canavan, the Man Who ...

'' (1936) - Rodman Dreke *''

Everybody's Old Man ''Everybody's Old Man'' is a 1936 American drama film directed by James Flood and written by Patterson McNutt and A.E. Thomas. The film stars Irvin S. Cobb, Rochelle Hudson, Johnny Downs, Norman Foster, Alan Dinehart, Sara Haden, Donald Meek an ...

'' (1936) - Frederick Gillespie *'' The Country Beyond'' (1936) - Ray Jennings *''

Human Cargo ''Human Cargo'' is a 2004 Canadian television miniseries. The series won seven Gemini Awards and two Directors Guild of Canada Awards. It premiered on CBC Television on January 4, 2004 and starred Kate Nelligan, Cara Pifko, Bayo Akinfemi and Ni ...

'' (1936) - Lionel Crocker *'' Parole!'' (1936) - Richard Mallard *'' The Crime of Dr. Forbes'' (1936) - Prosecuting Attorney *'' Charlie Chan at the Race Track'' (1936) - George Chester *'' Star for a Night'' (1936) - James Dunning *'' King of the Royal Mounted'' (1936) - Frank Becker *''

Reunion Reunion may refer to: * Class reunion * Family reunion Reunion, Réunion, Re-union, Reunions or The Reunion may also refer to: Places * Réunion, a French overseas department and island in the Indian Ocean * Reunion, Commerce City, Colorado, US ...

'' (1936) - Philip Crandell *''

Born to Dance ''Born to Dance'' is an American musical film starring Eleanor Powell and James Stewart, directed by Roy Del Ruth and released in 1936 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The score was composed by Cole Porter. Plot summary While on leave, sailor Ted ...

'' (1936) - McKay *''

Woman-Wise ''Woman-Wise'' is a 1937 American crime film directed by Allan Dwan and written by Ben Markson. The film stars Rochelle Hudson, Michael Whalen (actor), Michael Whalen, Thomas Beck (actor), Thomas Beck, Alan Dinehart, Douglas Fowley and George Ha ...

'' (1937) - Richards *'' Step Lively, Jeeves!'' (1937) - Hon. Cedric B. Cromwell *'' Midnight Taxi'' (1937) - Philip Strickland *'' This Is My Affair'' (1937) - Doc Keller *'' Fifty Roads to Town'' (1937) - Jerome Kendall *'' Dangerously Yours'' (1937) - Julien Stevens *'' Danger – Love at Work'' (1937) - Allan Duncan *''

Ali Baba Goes to Town ''Ali Baba Goes to Town'' is a 1937 musical film directed by David Butler and starring Eddie Cantor, Tony Martin, and Roland Young. Cantor plays a hobo named Aloysius "Al" Babson, who walks into the camp of a movie company that is making the ...

'' (1937) - Boland *'' Big Town Girl'' (1937) - Larry Edwards *'' Love on a Budget'' (1938) - Charles M. Dixon / Uncle Charlie *''

The First Hundred Years ''The First Hundred Years'' is the first ongoing TV soap opera in the United States that began as a daytime serial, airing on CBS from December 4, 1950 until June 27, 1952. A previous daytime drama on NBC, '' These Are My Children'', aired in 19 ...

'' (1938) - Samuel Z. Walker *''

Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm ''Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm'' is a classic American 1903 children's novel by Kate Douglas Wiggin that tells the story of Rebecca Rowena Randall and her aunts, one stern and one kind, in the fictional village of Riverboro, Maine. Rebecca's jo ...

'' (1938) - Purvis *'' Up the River'' (1938) - Warden Clarence Willis *'' Fast and Loose'' (1939) - Dave Hilliard *'' King of the Turf'' (1939) - Nick Grimes *'' Second Fiddle'' (1939) - George 'Whit' Whitney *'' The House of Fear'' (1939) - Joseph Morton *''

Hotel for Women ''Hotel for Women'' (or ''Elsa Maxwell's Hotel for Women'') is a 1939 American drama film directed by Gregory Ratoff and starring Ann Sothern, Linda Darnell, and James Ellison. It was Darnell's screen debut. Plot When she is jilted by her boyfr ...

'' (1939) - Stephen Gates *''

Two Bright Boys ''Two Bright Boys'' is a 1939 American drama film directed by Joseph Santley, written by Val Burton and Edmund Hartmann, and starring Jackie Cooper, Freddie Bartholomew, Alan Dinehart, Melville Cooper, Dorothy Peterson and J. M. Kerrigan. It was ...

'' (1939) - Bill Hallet *'' Everything Happens at Night'' (1939) - Fred Sherwood *''

Slightly Honorable ''Slightly Honorable'' is a 1939 American film directed by Tay Garnett. The film was based on the 1939 novel ''Send Another Coffin'' by Frank Gilmore Presnell, Jr. (1906–1967).Frank Gilmore Presnell, Jr. (24 June 1906 (Torreon, Coahuila, Mexico ...

'' (1939) - Commissioner Joyce *'' Girl Trouble'' (1942) - Charles Barrett *'' It's a Great Life'' (1943) - Collender Martin *''

Fired Wife ''Fired Wife'' is a 1943 comedy film directed by Charles Lamont and starring Robert Paige, Diana Barrymore and Louise Allbritton. It was produced and distributed by Universal Pictures. This was one of the final films in Barrymore's short-lived Un ...

'' (1943) - Jerry Donohue *''

Sweet Rosie O'Grady ''Sweet Rosie O'Grady'' is a 1943 Technicolor musical film about an American singer who attempts to better herself by marrying an English duke, but is harassed by a reporter. Directed by Irving Cummings, it stars Betty Grable and Robert Young. ...

'' (1943) - Arthur Skinner *''

The Heat's On ''The Heat's On'' (1943) is a musical movie starring Mae West, William Gaxton, and Victor Moore, and released by Columbia Pictures. Plot Broadway star Fay Lawrence (West) is a temperamental diva who is reluctantly persuaded by a Broadway produ ...

'' (1943) - Forrest Stanton *'' What a Woman!'' (1943) - Pat O'Shea *'' The Whistler'' (1943) - Gorman *''

Moon Over Las Vegas ''Moon Over Las Vegas'' is a 1944 American musical comedy film directed by Jean Yarbrough and starring Anne Gwynne, David Bruce and Barbara Jo Allen.Taylor & Jackson p.271 Plot Beautiful wife Marion Corbett (Anne Gwynne) heads for Las Vegas hop ...

'' (1944) - Hal Blake *'' Seven Days Ashore'' (1944) - Daniel Arland *''

Johnny Doesn't Live Here Any More ''Johnny Doesn't Live Here Anymore'' is a 1944 American comedy/romance film starring Simone Simon, James Ellison, William Terry, and featuring Robert Mitchum in an early role. Produced by King Brothers Productions, it was co-written by Philip Y ...

'' (1944) - Judge *'' Minstrel Man'' (1944) - Lew Dunn *'' Oh, What a Night'' (1944) - Detective Norris *''

A Wave, a WAC and a Marine ''A WAVE, a WAC and a Marine'' is an American 1944 musical comedy film directed by Phil Karlson (in his directorial debut) for low-budget Monogram Pictures. Plot Sally Eilers runs a talent agency and sets out to put a couple of Broadway stars ...

'' (1944) - R. J., the Producer (final film role)

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Dinehart, Alan American male film actors American male stage actors Male actors from Saint Paul, Minnesota 1889 births 1944 deaths Male actors from Los Angeles Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale) 20th-century American male actors Vaudeville performers Broadway theatre directors