Mary Hatcher (June 6, 1929 – April 3, 2018) was an American coloratura soprano[1] and actress whose screen career spanned the years from 1946-51.

[3] By 1944, the Hatcher family had moved to California, and in August that year Paramount Pictures signed Mary to a seven-year contract.

Later in 1947, Hatcher's career received a major boost when Paramount gave her the title role in the all-star revue Variety Girl.

Their adventures on the Paramount lot provided a frame for short cameo performances by practically every player the studio had under contract, including stars like Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Gary Cooper, Paulette Goddard and Burt Lancaster.

Her show business career reached its high point in 1949 when she starred in two pictures, first in The Big Wheel, an auto racing action film with Mickey Rooney and Thomas Mitchell, then opposite Desi Arnaz in the Latin musical frolic Holiday in Havana.

Also in 1949, she appeared on Broadway as Dallas Smith, the female lead in Johnny Mercer's musical Texas, L'il Darlin,[6] which opened to a mixed reception and closed after a medium-length run of 293 performances.

[8] The local press described the formerly brunette Hatcher as "very blond", noting she had recently been singing with Howard Keel in the extended Broadway run of Oklahoma!.