Celebrated television host Mary Hart is a former high school English teacher from South Dakota. Photo Credit: South Dakota Hall of Fame

There are many talented individuals in Hollywood who were originally classroom teachers. One of these is Mary Hart, a television personality known best or her role on Entertainment Tonight. She was once a high school English teacher in South Dakota.

Mary Hart was born Mary Johanna Harum in Madison, South Dakota, on Nov. 8, 1951. As a young woman in 1970, she entered a beauty pageant, where she was named Miss South Dakota. She subsequently became one of the top ten contestants for the Miss America Pageant. During the pageant, Mary was interviewed for national television, and that was when she discovered her passion for broadcasting.

Two years later, Mary earned her Bachelor’s degree from  Augustana College in Sioux Falls. Once she earned her degree, she accepted a position teaching English at Washington High School in Sioux Falls. But she never forgot her aspirations for broadcasting. During the years she worked in the classroom, Mary moonlighted as a host on a local cable show.

Before long, Mary relocated from South Dakota to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to accept a position as a broadcaster there. In Iowa her repertoire expanded, encompassing both television and radio shows. By 1976, Mary was a household name in Iowa, where she co-hosted a talk show called Dannysday. In 1979, Mary moved to Los Angeles, where she a secured position hosting PM Magazine and worked with Regis Philbin on The Regis Philbin Show. But it was her appearances on Entertainment Tonight (ET) that made her a household name nationwide. She worked on the television show for 29 years, and by the time she retired from the show in 2011, she had set a Guinness World Record for the longest-serving entertainment news host.

In addition to her work as a television host, Mary hosted the Tournament of Roses Parade from 1984 to 1989, and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1987. She received Emmy nominations for both. In 1989, the former English teacher was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She has also been inducted into the South Dakota Hall of Fame.

In addition to her work in broadcasting, Mary is committed to numerous charitable projects. For example, she is an advocate for women’s issues, personal achievement, and improving children’s lives. In fact, she has worked tirelessly for the Children’s Miracle Network Telethon.

Mary Hart: A true Chalkboard Champion.