Connections

Hardie Albright and I had a brief connection in 1973 when he was an instructor at UCLA and I was the designer of Acting, The Creative Process, the first of several drama college textbooks he authored. At the time I was unaware of his extensive show business career spanning vaudeville, film, theatre, television, and that he had provided the voice for one of Disney’s most iconic animated characters.

Albright made his stage debut in 1910 at the age of seven traveling throughout the northeast in his parents’ vaudeville act. Pursuing a career in their footsteps, he earned a bachelor of arts degree in drama, joined a repertory company and appeared in eight Broadway productions in the late 1920’s. A talent scout from Hollywood’s Fox Company signed him to a contract launching his film career in 1931 with a leading role in Young Sinners, followed by films with co-stars Joan Bennett, Myrna Loy and George Raft. Albright moved to Warner Brothers in 1932 where he appeared in films with Betty Davis, George Arliss, Barbara Stanwick, William Powell, and Jack Holt. Beginning in 1933, and for nine highly productive years, he appeared in thirty films released by nearly all of Hollywood’s studios, during which time he appeared with many of the industries’ “A” list stars culminating with Gary Cooper in Pride of the Yankees.

Walt Disney Studios tapped Albright in 1942 as a voice actor for their upcoming classic animated feature film where he gave voice to the adolescent title character Bambi, recorded at the company’s new Burbank studios.

Following World War II Albright retired from film acting and became a drama instructor at UCLA, textbook author and occasional movie director. During the 1960’s his acting career was reignited with guest appearances on many television series including The Twilight Zone, Bewitched, Leave it to Beaver, Hazel and Gunsmoke.

We make dozens of connections every day and although “six degrees of separation” may take us to anyone on the earth, we can only imagine where a single degree may lead.