Hayward, Susan (1917–1975)

American actress. Born Edythe Marrener in Brooklyn, NY, June 30, 1917; died in Los Angeles, CA, Mar 14, 1975; dau. Walter (transit worker) and Ellen (Pearson) Marrener; m. Jeffrey (Jess) Thomas Barker (actor), July 23, 1944 (div. 1956); m. Eaton Chalkley (lawyer and businessman), Feb 8, 1957 (died 1966); children: (1st m.) twins, Timothy and Gregory (b. 1955).

Made film debut in Beau Geste (1939), followed by 16 other movies, only 3 of which—Adam Had Four Sons (1941), Reap the Wild Wind (1942), and The Hairy Ape (1944)—are noteworthy; beginning 1945, made a series of pictures with independent producer Walter Wanger, including The Lost Moment (1947) and Smash-Up: The Story of a Woman (1947), the 1st film to showcase her talent in what would become her trademark role as the feisty woman who triumphs over adversity and for which she received the 1st of her 5 Academy Award nominations; received 2nd Academy Award nomination for My Foolish Heart (1950); earned 3 subsequent Oscar nominations, all for roles based on actual women: With a Song in My Heart (1952) recounts the life of Jane Froman, I'll Cry Tomorrow (1956) recalls the downfall of Lillian Roth, and I Want to Live! (1958) details the death of Barbara Graham; won an Academy Award for I Want to Live!; other films include David and Bathsheba (1951), The Snows of Kilimanjaro (1952), The President's Lady (1953), Soldier of Fortune (1955), The Conqueror (1956), The Marriage-Go-Round (1961), Back Street (1961), Valley of the Dolls (1967) and The Revengers (1972).

See also Beverly Linet, Susan Hayward: Portrait of a Survivor (Atheneum, 1980) and LaGuardia and Arceri, Red: The Tempestuous Life of Susan Hayward (Macmillan, 1985); and Women in World History.