MGM changed Hubbard's professional name to Anthony Allen[1] and cast him in modest feature films and short subjects for one year.

In 1939, Hal Roach signed John Hubbard (under his given name) as one of five promising young actors with "star" potential (the other four were Lon Chaney Jr., Victor Mature, Carole Landis, and William Bendix).

Roach saw something in Hubbard, whose handsome features lent themselves to romantic roles while his dialogue skills allowed him to play farce comedy.

He was showcased in The Housekeeper's Daughter (1939) and Turnabout (1940), but when Roach abandoned full-length features for shorter featurettes, Hubbard found roles elsewhere.

However, most of his television assignments were single appearances in popular network series like Perry Mason, The Green Hornet, Mr. Novak and Adam-12.