Susan Hayward

Daughter of Walter (1880-1938) and Ellen (née Pearson) Marrenner (1888-1958). Both were born and raised in New York.

Younger sister of Florence (May 29, 1910-May 31, 1996) and Walter Marrenner (November 18, 1911-May 18, 1986).

Susan Hayward was born Edythe Marrener in Brooklyn, New York, on June 30, 1917. Her father was a transportation worker, and Susan lived a fairly comfortable life as a child, but the precocious little redhead had no idea of the life that awaited her. She attended public school in Brooklyn, where she graduated from a commercial high school that was intended to give students a marketable skill. She had planned on becoming a secretary, but her plans changed. She started doing some modeling work for photographers in the NYC area.

By 1937, her beauty in full bloom, she went to Hollywood when the nationwide search was on for someone to play the role of Scarlett O'Hara in Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind (1939). Although she--along with several hundred other aspiring Scarletts--lost out to Vivien Leigh, Susan was to carve her own signature in Hollywood circles.

In 1937 she got a bit part in Hollywood Hotel (1937).

The bit parts continued all through 1938, with Susan playing, among other things, a coed, a telephone operator and an aspiring actress. She wasn't happy with these bit parts, but she also realized she had to "pay her dues".

In 1939 she finally landed a part with substance, playing Isobel Rivers in the hit action film Beau Geste (1939).

In 1941 she played Millie Perkins in the offbeat thriller Among the Living (1941). This quirky little film showed Hollywood Susan's considerable dramatic qualities for the first time. She then played a Southern belle in Cecil B.

DeMille's Reap the Wild Wind (1942), one of the director's bigger successes, and once again showed her mettle as an actress.

Following that movie she starred with Paulette Goddard and Fred MacMurray in The Forest Rangers (1942), playing tough gal Tana Mason.

Although such films as Jack London (1943), And Now Tomorrow (1944) and Deadline at Dawn (1946) continued to showcase her talent, she still hadn't gotten the meaty role she craved.

Gave birth to fraternal twin boys, Timothy Barker and Gregory Barker, on February 19, 1945. The father is first husband Jess Barker.

Returned to work three months after giving birth to her twins sons Timothy and Gregory to begin filming Deadline at Dawn (1946).

In 1947, however, she did, and received the first of five Academy Award nominations, this one for her portrayal of Angelica Evans in Smash-Up (1947).

She played the part to the hilt and many thought she would take home the Oscar, but she lost out to Loretta Young for The Farmer's Daughter (1947).

In 1949 Susan was nominated again for My Foolish Heart (1949) and again was up against stiff competition, but once more her hopes were dashed when Olivia de Havilland won for The Heiress (1949). Now, however, with two Oscar nominations under her belt, Susan was a force to be reckoned with. Good scripts finally started to come her way and she chose carefully because she wanted to appear in good quality productions.

Was the original choice to play Margo Channing in All About Eve (1950), but was dropped from the project after being considered too young. The part was then given to Claudette Colbert before being given to Bette Davis, who went on to receive a Best Actress Oscar nomination for her performance.

A lifelong registered Republican, she endorsed Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1952. She also appeared at the 1953 Republican Rally.

Her caution paid off, as she garnered yet a third nomination in 1953 for With a Song in My Heart (1952).

Later that year she starred as Rachel Donaldson Robards Jackson in The President's Lady (1953). She was superb as Andrew Jackson's embittered wife, who dies before he was able to take office as President of the United States.

After her fourth Academy Award nomination for I'll Cry Tomorrow (1955), Susan began to wonder if she would ever take home the coveted gold statue. She didn't have much longer to wait, though.

Was diagnosed with brain cancer, allegedly the result of being exposed to dangerous radioactive toxins on location in Utah while making The Conqueror (1956). All the leads John Wayne, Agnes Moorehead, John Hoyt, Pedro Armendáriz, Hayward and director Dick Powell died of cancer. The case is still a scandal.

In 1958 she gave the performance of her lifetime as real-life California killer Barbara Graham in I Want to Live! (1958), who was convicted of murder and sentenced to death in the gas chamber. Susan was absolutely riveting in her portrayal of the doomed woman. Many film buffs consider it to be one of the finest performances of all time, and this time she was not only nominated for Best Actress, but won. After that role she appeared in about one movie a year.

Her Best Actress Oscar statuette for I Want to Live! (1958) was presented to her by James Cagney and Kim Novak [6 April 1959 / RKO Pantages Theatre, Hollywood].

Reportedly did not get on at all with Bette Davis during the filming of Where Love Has Gone (1964).

Took over the ballsy role of stage star Helen Lawson in Valley of the Dolls (1967) in 1967 after Judy Garland was fired.

Her first marriage to Jess Barker was a stormy one and ended with a bitter custody battle of her twin sons and a suicide attempt by Susan. Her second to rancher Eaton Chalkley was a long and happy one until he died suddenly of hepatitis nine years later. She left Hollywood for five years in deep mourning, returning in 1971.

In 1972 she made her last theatrical film, The Revengers (1972).

On August 30, 2019, she was honored with a day of her film work during the Turner Classic Movies Summer Under the Stars.