Diana Lynn

Early years

Lynn was born Dolores Eartha Loehr in Los Angeles, California. Her father, Louis Loehr, was an oil supply executive, and her mother, Martha Loehr, was a concert pianist. Lynn was considered a child prodigy. She began taking piano lessons at age 4, and by the age of 12 was playing with the Los Angeles Junior Symphony Orchestra.

Film career

Dolores Loehr made her film debut playing the piano in They Shall Have Music and was once again back at the keyboard, accompanying Susanna Foster, in There's Magic in Music, when it was decided that she had more potential than she had been allowed to show. Paramount Pictures changed her name to "Diana Lynn" and began casting her in films that allowed her to show her personality and developed her skills as an actress.

Her comedic scenes with Ginger Rogers in The Major and the Minor were well received, and in 1944 she scored an outstanding success in Preston Sturges' The Miracle of Morgan's Creek. She appeared in two Henry Aldrich films, and played writer Emily Kimbrough in two films Our Hearts Were Young and Gay and Our Hearts Were Growing Up both co-starring Gail Russell.

After a few more films, she was cast in one of the year's biggest successes, the comedy My Friend Irma with Marie Wilson as Irma, and Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis in their film debuts. The group reprised their roles for the sequel My Friend Irma Goes West, and five years later Lynn was reunited with Martin and Lewis for one of their last films, You're Never Too Young.

During the 1950s, Lynn acted in a number of films, portraying Spencer Tracy's daughter in the crime drama The People Against O'Hara and the female lead in the much lampooned Bedtime for Bonzo opposite Ronald Reagan. She also had many TV leading roles during the 1950s, particularly in the middle years of the decade. As a solo pianist, she released at least one single on Capitol Records with backing by the Paul Weston orchestra.

Stage

In 1964, Lynn had a six-month stint on Broadway, replacing Barbara Bel Geddes in Mary, Mary. In the early 1950s, she starred with Maurice Evans in The Wild Duck on Broadway.

She also starred in runs of The Moon Is Blue in the United States and England.

Recordings

In 1947, a three-record album of Lynn's piano playing included Mozart's Rondo, Laura, and Body and Soul.

Later years

She acted frequently in television guest roles throughout the 1960s. By 1970, she had virtually retired from acting and had relocated to New York City, where she was running a travel agency. She appeared in Company of Killers, a film made for television. Paramount then offered her a part in a new film, Play It as It Lays, and after some consideration, Lynn accepted the offer and moved back to Los Angeles.

Death

Before filming started on Play It as It Lays, Lynn suffered a stroke and died December 18, 1971, at age 45, Lynn was cremated. A funeral service was held at Church of the Heavenly Rest in New York City, and a memorial service was held at All Saints Episcopal Church in Beverly Hills, California. She was survived by her husband and four children, Matthew, Dorothy, Mary, and Margaret.

Recognition

In 1942, Parents magazine named Lynn "the most talented juvenile actress." She has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame: for motion pictures, at 1625 Vine Street, and for television, at 6350 Hollywood Boulevard.

Family

Lynn married architect John C. Lindsay December 18, 1948; they divorced in June 1953. Lynn was then married in 1956 to Mortimer Hall, son of New York Post newspaper publisher Dorothy Schiff.

Lynn's daughter Dolly Hall is a film producer.

Another daughter, Susan, a.k.a. Daisy Hall, who bears a striking resemblance to her great-grandfather, Jacob Schiff, is an alumna of the Emma Willard School for Girls in Troy, New York, and as an actress herself, has starred in numerous French- and lesser known American-produced films, during the 1980s, '90s and 2000s.