 He began his U.S. acting career at the Pasadena Playhouse, while running two gas stations in order to pay his expenses.Dantine was spotted by a talent scout from Warner Bros, who signed him to a contract.Dantine had uncredited parts in "International Squadron" (1942) and "To Be or Not to Be" (1942), before his first credited role in MGM's "Mrs. Miniver" (1942), playing a downed German pilot captured by the title character (played by Greer Garson).