This Actress Once Gave Elvis Presley His First On-Screen Kiss But Left Hollywood At Her Prime Because God ‘Called’ Her

Jan 12, 2024 by apost team

Hollywood can turn a person’s life upside down. No one can actually dictate how fame, power, and influence in show business go, but people are trying hard to manage it as best as they can. 

A celebrity or actress’ career is also volatile in the sense that external and internal factors play out that would drive a person to their next project or not. For some celebrities, it might be sickness, family, addiction, or even, death. However, for this actress, it was divine intervention that altered the course of her life. 

Growing up, this bombshell actress displayed a natural affinity for the performing arts, and her talent caught the attention of industry professionals early on. At the tender age of 19, she earned critical acclaim for her role in the 1957 film “Loving You,” where she starred alongside the King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley. 

This marked the beginning of a promising career for this woman, who went on to establish herself as a talented actress in the late 1950s and early 1960s, appearing in a series of successful films such as “King Creole” in 1958 and “Where the Boys Are” in 1960.

Her filmography is a huge testament to her versatility as an actress. Throughout the late 1950s and early 1960s, she starred in a variety of genres, including musicals, comedies, and dramas. Her on-screen presence and acting prowess were widely acknowledged, even earning her a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year for her role in “Where the Boys Are.” 

However, at the height of her career, she decided to undergo a very transformative change in her life. Read on to learn more about this actress’ journey and why she did it. 

This actress’s career had already taken off, and she was Hollywood’s next big thing. But in 1963, she chose to leave Hollywood and entered the Abbey of Regina Laudis in Connecticut, a Benedictine monastery. 

The actress, Dolores Hart, turned the heads of everyone in the entertainment industry and the public because of her complete turnaround. 

Hart already had a reputation in Hollywood. Saying Hart was big in Hollywood at the time would be an understatement, as she was the first person to give Presley his first on-screen kiss in the 1957 film “Loving You.” 

Speaking to Fox News in 2021, Hart revealed that she didn’t know who the King of Rock and Roll was back then. 

“In fact, when I first met him, I asked him what he did. I remember him being very courteous. He was an absolute gentleman and would call me “Miss Dolores.” And then I learned what a talented singer he was. By the time we did our second film, we couldn’t walk down the street because there were so many people waiting for him, just wanting to touch him,” she said at the time. 

Hart also confirmed the rumors that she made Presley blush on their scene. 

“We both had to do a kissing scene, for [1957’s] “Loving You,” which is a riot in itself. It’s the last scene of the film, but when you walk in on set, you’re told, “This is the first thing you’re going to do.” I remember I had to put my arms around him and kiss him. There were about 100 people on the soundstage. Seconds into it, the director, Hal Kanter, yells “Cut!” I thought, “Oh no, how can I kiss wrong?” she recalled.

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At one point, Hart also recalled Presley genuinely asking her about the Bible, which she was very fascinated about. 

“I never expected a fellow actor, in particular, to have that kind of genuine curiosity. He wasn’t trying to set up anything. There were no flashbulbs around to take pictures of us. He did it because it was in his heart,” she told Fox News. 

For many, it is completely mind-boggling for Hart to quit her career at her prime. However, her reasons for going to the monastery were profound. 

“I think it’s important for anyone to understand that it was a dramatic change. It wasn’t something I planned on. I thought I would go through my time in Hollywood,” she explained her decision. “However, this vocation showed me my life’s purpose. Then I started to ask myself, “What am I doing in Hollywood? Where is this going to take me?” The realization became clear and really, it’s a gift. I was so lucky. God called me.”

In 1962, Hart dropped everything and broke off her engagement to Don Robinson. She entered the Abbey of Regina Laudis monastery in Connecticut, a sanctuary she discovered when she was going on a retreat from New York to contemplate her next steps in life at the time. 

When Hart discovered how “peaceful” the place was, she settled:

“I found inner certitude. I felt like this was where I belonged. It became more than just a retreat. It’s the kind of feeling you get when you meet the person you’re going to marry. The more I came to visit the more it came calling to me. And the more I knew God was present to me in a very special way that I couldn’t deny.” 

What can you say about Dolores Hart? Do you think she made a great decision to leave Hollywood for God? Do you know someone who also pursued the same path? Let us know, and pass this on to your family, friends, and other loved ones out there!