Diana Bourbon (born Ruth Hunt; August 28, 1900 – March 19, 1978) was an American actress, journalist, producer, director, and writer. She wrote for ''The'' ''New York Times'' from 1923 to 1927.

Early life

Diana Bourbon was born Ruth Hunt in New York City, the daughter of John Wesley Hunt and Mary Ellen Hunt. Her father was a newspaper editor. She studied ballet, and was educated in Paris, and at

Oxford University Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

. As a young woman in

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, she drove an ambulance and worked in a canteen.

Career

Bourbon began her career as a stage actress, and appeared in one

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

show, in the original cast of

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's '' Loyalties'' (1922–1923). She also starred in Edith Millbank's ''Tancred'' in London in 1923. Later in life, she returned to the stage in Los Angeles, in ''Music in the Distance'' (1960). Bourbon wrote articles for ''The New York Times'' from 1922 to 1927, usually on cultural topics while she was based in London and Paris, such as a 1924 interview with

Emma Goldman Emma Goldman (June 27, 1869 – May 14, 1940) was a Russian-born anarchist political activist and writer. She played a pivotal role in the development of anarchist political philosophy in North America and Europe in the first half of the ...

in exile, a 1924 interview with

Amelita Galli-Curci Amelita Galli-Curci (18 November 1882 – 26 November 1963) was an Italian coloratura soprano. She was one of the most popular operatic singers of the 20th century, with her recordings selling in large numbers. Early life She was born as Am ...

about feminism, and a 1926 interview with

H. G. Wells Herbert George Wells"Wells, H. G."
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Cosmopolitan Cosmopolitan may refer to: Food and drink * Cosmopolitan (cocktail), also known as a "Cosmo" History * Rootless cosmopolitan, a Soviet derogatory epithet during Joseph Stalin's anti-Semitic campaign of 1949–1953 Hotels and resorts * Cosmopoli ...

'', and ''

Harper's Bazaar ''Harper's Bazaar'' is an American monthly women's fashion magazine. It was first published in New York City on November 2, 1867, as the weekly ''Harper's Bazar''. ''Harper's Bazaar'' is published by Hearst and considers itself to be the st ...

''. Bourbon was a writer, producer, and director in radio, including

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's ''

Hollywood Hotel The Hollywood Hotel was a famous hotel, society venue of early Hollywood, and landmark, formerly located at 6811 Hollywood Boulevard, on the north side, extending from Highland Avenue to Orchid Avenue, in central Hollywood, Los Angeles, Califor ...

,'' the game show ''Double or Nothing'' (1940–1954), the drama anthology '' The Campbell Playhouse'' (1940), the comedy ''

The Judy Canova Show ''The Judy Canova Show'' is an American old-time radio comedy-variety program. It was broadcast on CBS July 6, 1943 – June 27, 1944, and on NBC January 13, 1945 – June 30, 1951, and December 29, 1951 – May 28, 1953. Each version differed from ...

'' (1943–1944), ''

Club Fifteen ''Club Fifteen'' is a radio program in the United States that featured popular music. It was broadcast weeknights (except for a two month hiatus each summer) 30 June 1947 – 21 December 1951. Then, it aired Monday, Wednesday, and Friday nights unt ...

'' (1947–1953), and the soap operas ''

Brenda Curtis Brenda Curtis is an old-time radio soap opera in the United States. It was broadcast on CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial br ...

'' (1939–1940) and ''Life Begins'' (1940). She also acted on radio, in ''The Vanishing Lady'' (1957). For the screen, she co-wrote ''

Born That Way ''Born That Way'' is the second and final studio album, and third overall album, by the American country music band Boy Howdy. Their final album before disbanding, it was issued in 1995 via Curb Records. It includes the singles "True to His Word" ...

'' (1936), and co-wrote the stories adapted as ''

Atlantic Adventure ''Atlantic Adventure'' is a 1935 American comedy mystery film directed by Albert S. Rogell and starring Nancy Carroll, Lloyd Nolan and Harry Langdon.Nemcek p.211 Premise A newspaper reporter and his photographer stow away aboard an ocean liner ...

'' (1935) and ''

Roaming Lady ''Roaming Lady'' is a 1936 American comedy action film directed by Albert S. Rogell and starring Fay Wray, Ralph Bellamy and Thurston Hall.Kinnard & Crnkovich p.147 Main cast * Fay Wray as Joyce Reid * Ralph Bellamy as Daniel S. 'Dan' Bailey * ...

'' (1936). She had three television acting credits, for roles in episodes of '' Thriller'' (1961), '' The Fugitive'' (1963), and '' Mission: Impossible'' (1968).

Personal life

Bourbon married English writer and editor K. Norman Hillson in 1928; they later divorced. She died in 1978, aged 77 years, in Los Angeles.

References

External links

* *
A portrait of Diana Bourbon
by photographer E. O. Hoppe
A photograph of Diana Bourbon directing
the cast of ''Life Begins'' (1940) for

CBS Radio CBS Radio was a radio broadcasting company and radio network operator owned by CBS Corporation and founded in 1928, with consolidated radio station groups owned by CBS and Westinghouse Broadcasting/Group W since the 1920s, and Infinity Broadc ...

; at

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A telegraph sent by Diana Bourbon
to H. G. Wells in 1935, from the Charlie Chaplin Archive {{DEFAULTSORT:Bourbon, Diana 1900 births 1978 deaths 20th-century American women journalists American stage actresses American radio producers American women screenwriters American radio directors Women radio directors American women in World War I Actresses from New York City American television actresses American radio writers Women radio writers Screenwriters from New York (state) 20th-century American actresses 20th-century American screenwriters 20th-century American journalists Women radio producers