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(Courtesy of Bruce Hickey)

Above - Lynne Roberts (billed as "Mary Hart"), Roy Rogers, and Trigger in the title lobby card from SHINE ON HARVEST MOON (Republic, 1938). Lynne was about sixteen years old when this was filmed.



(Courtesy of Jack Tillmany)



(Courtesy of Jack Tillmany)



(Courtesy of Jack Tillmany)


Mary Hart / Lynn Roberts / Lynne Roberts

Real name: Theda May Roberts

1922 - 1978

Special thanks to Lynne's son Bill Samuels, grandson Paul Samuels, and Paul's wife Maggie. Paul provided many photos of his grandmother, Lynne Roberts. Paul was born in December, 1977 and his mother was Peri Margaret Samuels, the daughter of Lynne and Hyman B. Samuels. Peri passed away in August, 1995.

Theda May Roberts was born in El Paso, Texas on November 22, 1922 to Hobart K. Roberts and May Dell Holland. When the 1930 census was taken, the Roberts family was in Los Angeles.

In the late 1930s at Republic - and billed initially as Mary Hart and then Lynn Roberts - this lovely lady was the female lead in seven Roy Rogers films released in 1938 - 1939. She was the heroine in several Three Mesquiteers adventures and a couple of serials, THE LONE RANGER (Republic, 1938) and DICK TRACY RETURNS (Republic, 1938). Lynn also portrayed the daughter in THE HIGGINS FAMILY (Republic, 1938) film and ongoing series which was Republic's low budget competition to MGM's Hardy Family.

Those appearances occurred during her first term players contract(s) at Republic Pictures which ran from January, 1938 through June, 1939. The contract provided her with some security and a regular paycheck but allowed Republic to utilize her as much as they wanted ... and they did.

With a 1922 birth year, she was about sixteen years old when working in those 1938 serials and other releases. She was very young when she did her first movie, a bit part in BULLDOG EDITION (Republic, 1936). To avoid this age issue, her birth year was "adjusted" to 1919.

In mid 1939, Republic opted not to extend her contract, leaving Lynn to search for work at other studios.

One of the films that was shown often on the old AMC movie channel was the 1941 SUN VALLEY SERENADE which starred Sonja Henie and John Payne, but is remembered more as a showcase for Glenn Miller and his Orchestra. Keep on eye out for "pretty ladies doing uncredited bit parts", and you may spot Sheila Ryan and Lynn Roberts as both were under contract to 20th Century Fox at the time. Hint: office receptionist and telephone operator.

While at 20th Century Fox, she had character roles in a few westerns with Cesar Romero and George Montgomery, and also was the leading lady to Montgomery in LAST OF THE DUANES (1941).

She returned to Republic Pictures in the mid 1940s and was under a term player contract(s) from September, 1944 through March, 1948. And she was now billed as Lynne Roberts. A typical, solid, and humorous Roberts performance occurs in Gene Autry's SIOUX CITY SUE (Republic, 1946) which was Gene's first after returning from World War II service. During her second contract period at Republic, she was the leading lady to Autry in ROBIN HOOD OF TEXAS (Republic, 1947) and SADDLE PALS (Republic, 1947); with Monte Hale in THE TIMBER TRAIL (Republic, 1948); and SONS OF ADVENTURE (Republic, 1948) with Russell Hayden. She also did her eighth western with Roy Rogers, EYES OF TEXAS (Republic, 1948).

After exiting Republic for the second time, Lynn free-lanced and can be spotted in outdoor adventures with Gene Autry (at Columbia Pictures), Kirby Grant (Monogram mountie series), and at RKO with Tim Holt. She also worked in various 1950s TV shows including Autry's television program.

In her early thirties, Lynn retired around 1955 to devote time to her family and personal activities.

Les Adams has her identified in 64 films. Of that number, 21 are westerns and 2 are serials.

Lynn was married four times and had two children:

On December 16, 1977, Lynne Roberts sustained severe head injuries when she fell in the bathroom of her home. She lapsed into a coma and passed away April 1, 1978 at the USC Medical Center in Los Angeles.

  Although some of the data is incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) has information on Mary Hart / Lynn Roberts / Lynne Roberts: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0731376/

In the early - mid 1930s, Lynne and her brother John Roberts were students at the Viola F. Lawlor School in Los Angeles. Lawlor catered to show business children and later became the Mar-Ken School in Sherman Oaks, California. Alan Simon's Mar-Ken School website has info and photos of:
Theda Roberts: http://www.mar-ken.org/biosmr/robertst.html
her brother Johnny Roberts / John Sydney Roberts (1920 - 1988): http://www.mar-ken.org/biosmr/robertsjoh.html

Family Search (free) has information on Lynn/Lynne Roberts / Mary Hart:




(Courtesy of Scott Groll)
Left is the marker for Lynne Roberts Sebastian at Forest Lawn - Hollywood Hills.

At the time of her passing, Lynne was separated from her husband, former pro wrestler Don Sebastian.



(Courtesy of Bruce Hickey)

Have never seen an autographed photo of Lynn ... but Bruce Hickey had one. The salutation reads: "To More Laughs, Lynn"


In the movies



(From Old Corral collection)

Above - heroine Lynn Roberts points the way for Chief Thunder Cloud/Victor Daniels (Tonto) and Lee Powell (the Lone Ranger) in the Republic's 1938 THE LONE RANGER serial.



(From Old Corral collection)

Above from left to right are Stanley Andrews, George Cleveland, Charlie King (background wearing hat), Lynn Roberts, and John Merton in a scene from the cliffhanger, THE LONE RANGER (Republic, 1938). Andrews was the head villain in this serial and Merton was a henchman. Tidbits: George Cleveland was a screen veteran, but is probably best remembered as "Gramps" in the first TV series of LASSIE (with Tommy Rettig). Andrews also did TV work and is recalled as "the Old Ranger" who introduced stories on DEATH VALLEY DAYS.



(Courtesy of Ed Phillips)

Above - Lynn Roberts (as Mary Hart), Roy Rogers, and the original Trigger in BILLY THE KID RETURNS (Republic, 1938).



(From Old Corral collection)

Above are Roy Rogers and Lynn Roberts (as Mary Hart) in a lobby card from Roy's SOUTHWARD HO (Republic, 1939).



(From Old Corral collection)

Above from L-to-R are Sterling Holloway, Lynne Roberts and Gene Autry in a lobby card from ROBIN HOOD OF TEXAS (Republic, 1947). Lynne did three other post World War II films with Autry: SIOUX CITY SUE (Republic, 1946), SADDLE PALS (Republic, 1947), and THE BLAZING SUN (Columbia, 1950). She also appeared in a couple of Gene's TV shows.



(From Old Corral collection)

L-to-R in the above lobby card: Richard "Chito" Martin has his gun on the crowd while Tim Holt and Lynne Roberts give a helping hand to veteran actor Regis Toomey in DYNAMITE PASS (RKO, 1950). This was one of her last movie roles. She did do some 1950s television work.


At home



(Courtesy of Lynne's grandson, Paul Samuels)

One of Lynne's hobbies was raising, breeding, and showing Kerry blue terriers. The above photo appears to be late 1940s - early 1950s and this is probably the backyard of Lynne's home in Van Nuys, California. For more info on the Kerry blue terrier, go to: http://www.uskbtc.com/ and http://www.kerryblues.info/



(Courtesy of Lynne's grandson, Paul Samuels)

Lynne loved dogs of all types and her son Bill Samuels adds: "The cocker spaniel's name was "Buddy". The picture was taken in early 40's when I was around 1 - 1 1/2 yrs old. We lived on Kilkea St. in L.A."



(Courtesy of Lynne's grandson, Paul Samuels)

Above are Lynne and daughter Peri Margaret Samuels (who was born in 1955). Lynne retired from movie and TV work in the mid 1950s.



(Courtesy of Lynne's grandson, Paul Samuels)

The above photos are probably from the early 1960s and Lynne would have been in her early forties.


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