Happy Birthday, You Nunnery Bastard

October 20th, Dolores Hart

Mother Dolores Hart O.S.B,

October 20th, 1938

When Elvis died in 1977, I was seven years old. I remember the news on the kitchen radio very clearly, telling us that the 'king of rock and roll' was dead. It was headline news. The TV that night didn't show ranks of crying girls, and there were no concerned-looking, rent-a-quote, nodding dog minor celebrities wheeled on to talk about what a lovely bloke Elvis was and blah-blah-blah ... This was the 1970s, and all TV news consisted of in those days was a dour-looking man with a combover in a beige tie, telling you what the news was. There were no live cut-aways to the gates of Graceland for the 'latest updates', all of which consist of no update whatsoever. It all stands in marked contrast to the recent, tragic death of Liam Payne of One Direction, whoever he was and whoever they are. The majesty of his passing, as Dylan Thomas once put it, has been blasphemed by all sorts of elegies of innocence and youth.

We go live now to the scene where nothing but sadness hangs in the air like his ghost.

But the big people all seemed very upset, and I was dimly aware of who Elvis was, although my parents never played, as far as I can remember, even one note of his music. I remember a lot of Simon and Garfunkel, Harry Nilsson and Glen Campbell instead. Apparently, everyone was very sad. I, being seven, didn't really give two shits.

Wichita Lineman and Everybody's Talking might have been the music of my parent's lives (well, my Mother. My Father, to this day, pretends that he never listened to anything but Vaughan Williams from the day he was born), but the music my sister and I used to listen to was on TV, and we'd rush home from school to catch it. The brand new TV show featured people like Generation X, with a pretty boy called Billy Idol as their lead singer, and Thin Lizzy and, famously, David Bowie. It started on the 24th of August and only ran for six episodes until, after the last one, the dour-looking man with the combover and the beige tie came back on TV to tell us that the show's host, pop star Marc Bolan of T. Rex, had died in a car accident. And that was my particular 'Where were you when you heard that Elvis died?' moment. I cried about that one. Not because I was particularly devastated about Marc Bolan, although my sister and I loved the TV show, but because I was seven.

Dolores Hart was an actress who had starred in two movies with Elvis Presley in the 1950s, most famously in King Creole, and what she thought when she heard the news that Elvis had died, you'd have to ask her about. But I can have a good guess at answering the question about where she was when she heard that Elvis died because by 1977, Dolores Hart was no longer an actor. In 1977, she was Sister Dolores Hart of the Abbey of Regina Laudis.

Dolores Hart, born Dolores Hicks on October 20, 1938, in Chicago, Illinois, grew up surrounded by the allure of Hollywood. Her parents divorced when she was young, and she spent her childhood split between Chicago and California, the latter of which brought her closer to the entertainment industry due to her father’s brief career as an actor. Her uncle was Mario Lanza. Her entry into acting came in her late teens when she changed her surname to Hart, adopting the name of her granduncle, silent film star Antonio Moreno. Her talent and beauty soon captured the attention of Hollywood, leading to her rapid rise in the film industry.

Hart’s big break came in 1957, when she was cast as Elvis Presley’s love interest in Loving You. This role, marking her first leading role, established her career as one of Hollywood's most promising young stars. Her on-screen chemistry with Elvis made her a fan favourite, and their pairing was a significant draw for audiences. She went on to star with Elvis again in King Creole (1958), cementing her status as a leading lady. Working alongside Presley left a lasting impression on Hart, who admired him for his professionalism and kind demeanour despite the frenzy that surrounded his fame.

Following her success with Elvis, Hart continued to build an impressive acting résumé. She appeared in a variety of films throughout the late 1950s and early 1960s, showcasing her versatility as an actress. Some of her notable roles include her performance in Where the Boys Are (1960), a popular coming-of-age comedy, and Francis of Assisi (1961), in which she played Saint Clare of Assisi. This latter role would later prove to be significant in her life, as it was during the filming of this movie that she first encountered the deep spiritual pull that would eventually lead her to a life of religious devotion.

Despite her rising fame and the glamorous life she led as a Hollywood star, Hart felt increasingly unfulfilled. While continuing her acting career, she found herself drawn toward a different path, one that was far removed from the bright lights of the film industry. Her spiritual journey began in earnest during a visit to the Abbey of Regina Laudis, a Benedictine monastery in Bethlehem, Connecticut, in the early 1960s. What started as a respite from her busy career became a life-changing experience.

In 1963, at the height of her acting career, Dolores Hart shocked Hollywood and her fans by leaving the entertainment industry and becoming a nun. She joined the Abbey of Regina Laudis, where she eventually took her final vows and became Mother Dolores. This decision left many in disbelief, as Hart had been engaged to be married and was poised for even greater success in the film industry. However, she found peace and purpose in her religious vocation, feeling that her calling was to serve God rather than continue with her acting career.

Although Hart left Hollywood behind, she maintained connections to the film industry. As a nun, she became an advocate for the arts within the context of faith. Since 1970, she has been a voting member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, allowing her to remain involved in the world of cinema while continuing her spiritual life. In 2011, her unique journey from Hollywood starlet to nun was chronicled in the documentary God Is the Bigger Elvis, which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary (Short Subject).

Dolores Hart’s life is a remarkable tale of fame, faith, and transformation. She was not only a beloved actress who worked with icons like Elvis Presley but also someone who chose to walk away from it all to pursue a higher calling. Today, as Mother Dolores, she continues to serve at the Abbey of Regina Laudis, where her life is dedicated to prayer, service, and the arts.