fiction.wikisort.org - Actor

Toni Darnay (born Mercy Mustell,[1] April 11, 1921 – January 5, 1983)[2] was an American actress and dancer.

Toni Darnay
Publicity Photo of Toni Darnay
Born	Mercy Mustell April 11, 1921 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Died	January 5, 1983(1983-01-05) (aged 61) New York City, U.S.
Occupation	Actress dancer
Spouse(s)	Elwood (Bill) Hoffman (1947 - ?) Hobe Morrison (? - 1983, her death)
Children	2

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

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