Darnay was born in Chicago, Illinois. Her father, Robert R. Mustell, was a doctor, and her mother had acted in silent films and on stage in theaters owned by Darnay's grandfather, Landon Gates. She attended College PrepHigh School in Chicago, and at the Chicago Art Theatre she studied acting, dancing, and singing. As a youngster, she danced in clubs, including The Palmer House and Chez Paree and performed in vaudeville, repertory theater, and summer stock but often found her ventures ended by her father. After taking night classes for a year at Northwestern University, she went to New York, looking for work on Broadway at age 19.
Career
In Chicago in 1940, Darnay was a member of Winnie Hoveler's Dancing Darlings, performing in the floor show at Harry's New Yorker. Darnay acted in stock theater companies at Oconomowac Walk, Wisconsin, and Bridgehampton, Long Island, among other places. She toured with a company of Arsenic and Old Lace, as the ingenue lead, and acted in Black Narcissus, The Duenna, and Name Your Own Poison. On Broadway, Darnay danced in Sadie Thompson, was an understudy in The Women, and was both a performer and an understudy in Molly, The Heiress, and Vieux Carre. Other stage productions in which she performed included The Heiress, Life with Father, Molly, and The Women. While Darnay was in an out-of-town opening for her first Broadway play, she auditioned for, and won, the title role in the radio serialThe Strange Romance of Evelyn Winters, which ran on CBS from November 20, 1944, to November 12, 1948. She also acted on other radio soap operas, including starring as Nona Dutell on Nona from Nowhere, and playing Sylvia Field in When a Girl Marries, Libby Allen on Stella Dallas, and Nancy on Just Plain Bill. She was also heard regularly on Aunt Jenny's Real Life Stories on radio and appeared frequently on television programs. Her work on TV included Eleanor and Franklin, nine Hallmark Hall of Fame programs, and several soap operas, including running roles in The Edge of Night and Search for Tomorrow. Darnay also appeared in films, including The Exorcist, Pendulum, and The Swimmer.
Personal life
In March 1947, Darnay married writer Elwood Hoffman. They had two children. She later married theatrical columnist Hobe Morrison, and they remained wed until her death.
Death
On January 5, 1983, Darnay died of lung cancer at her home in Manhattan at age 61.
