Susan Hayward facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Susan Hayward
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Hayward in 1953
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| Born |
Edythe Marrenner
June 30, 1917 Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
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| Died | March 14, 1975 (aged 57) |
| Resting place | Our Lady of Perpetual Help Cemetery |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1937–1972 |
| Spouse(s) |
Jess Barker
(m. 1944; div. 1954)Floyd Eaton Chalkley
(m. 1957; died 1966) |
| Children | 2 |
Susan Hayward (born Edythe Marrenner; June 30, 1917 – March 14, 1975) was a famous American film actress. She was well-known for playing strong women in movies, often based on real-life stories.
Before becoming an actress, Susan worked as a fashion model. She went to Hollywood in 1937 hoping to get a big role. She didn't get that specific part, but she did get a movie contract!
Over the years, her acting skills became more recognized. She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress five times. She won the Oscar for her role in the 1958 film I Want to Live!. She also won an award at the Cannes Film Festival for her performance in I'll Cry Tomorrow.
After she got married for the second time and moved to Georgia, she acted less often. Susan Hayward continued to act in films and on TV until 1972. She passed away in 1975 from brain cancer.
Contents
Early Life and School Days
Susan Hayward was born Edythe Marrenner on June 30, 1917, in Brooklyn, New York City. She was the youngest of three children. Her mother had Swedish family roots.
When she was seven years old, Edythe was hit by a car. She broke her hip and legs. This accident caused her to walk with a unique sway later in life.
Susan went to Public School 181 and then graduated from Girls' Commercial High School in 1935. During high school, she loved acting in school plays. Her classmates even voted her "Most Dramatic"!
Becoming an Actress
Susan Hayward started her career as a model. In 1937, she traveled to Hollywood to try out for the main role in the famous movie Gone with the Wind. She didn't get the part, but a movie producer named David Selznick noticed her. He used her for screen tests with other actors. Soon, she got a contract with Warner Bros. Studio.
Starting at Warner Bros.
Her agent changed her name from Edythe Marrenner to Susan Hayward. She started with small parts in movies like Hollywood Hotel (1937). Her first bigger role was with actor Ronald Reagan in Girls on Probation (1938). After her contract with Warner Bros. ended, she moved to Paramount Studios.
Moving to Paramount Studios
In 1939, Paramount Studios signed Susan Hayward. She got her first important role as Isobel in Beau Geste (1939). This movie was a huge success.
She continued to get good roles. She worked with famous actors like John Wayne and Fred MacMurray. She also starred in I Married a Witch (1942). This film later inspired the 1960s TV show Bewitched.
Big Roles and Awards
After World War II, Susan Hayward's career really took off. She signed a big contract with producer Walter Wanger. Her first film with him was Canyon Passage (1946).
In 1947, she received her first of five nominations for an Academy Award for her role in Smash-Up, the Story of a Woman. This movie was very popular and made her a big star.
She continued to make many successful films. She starred in House of Strangers (1949) and earned another Oscar nomination for My Foolish Heart (1949).
Susan Hayward then starred in three huge hit movies:
- David and Bathsheba (1951) with Gregory Peck. This was the most popular film of that year.
- With a Song in My Heart (1952), where she played singer Jane Froman. This role earned her another Oscar nomination and a Golden Globe award.
- The Snows of Kilimanjaro (1952), again with Gregory Peck.
Winning the Oscar
In 1955, MGM hired Susan Hayward to play Lillian Roth in I'll Cry Tomorrow. This movie was based on a best-selling book. She won an award at the Cannes Film Festival for this role, and the movie was a big success.
Susan Hayward's most famous role was in I Want to Live! (1958). She played a character accused of a serious crime. This film was a huge success with both critics and audiences. For this powerful performance, Susan Hayward won the Academy Award for Best Actress. Many people consider it one of the greatest acting performances ever.
Later Career
After her Oscar win, Susan Hayward continued to act. She made films like Thunder in the Sun (1959) and Ada (1961).
In 1967, she joined the cast of Valley of the Dolls. This movie was very popular at the box office. She also performed in a stage musical called Mame in Las Vegas.
Susan Hayward continued acting until the early 1970s. Her last film role was in the TV movie Say Goodbye, Maggie Cole (1972). This movie was meant to be the start of a TV series, but it wasn't made because Susan's health was getting worse. Her very last public appearance was at the Academy Awards in 1974, where she presented an award despite being very ill.
Personal Life
During World War II, Susan Hayward helped the war effort by volunteering at the Hollywood Canteen. There, she met her first husband, actor Jess Barker. They married in 1944. In 1945, they had twin sons named Gregory and Timothy. They later divorced in 1954.
In 1957, Susan married Floyd Eaton Chalkley, a successful rancher and businessman from Georgia. They had a very happy marriage. They lived on a farm near Carrollton, Georgia. Susan became a well-liked person in the area. Sadly, Eaton Chalkley passed away in 1966. Susan was very sad and didn't act much for several years after his death. She later moved to Florida.
On her birthday in 1966, Susan Hayward became a Catholic. She was baptized at a church in Pittsburgh.
Death
In March 1972, doctors found a lung tumor in Susan Hayward. In April 1973, she was diagnosed with brain cancer. She passed away on March 14, 1975, at her home in Beverly Hills, California, at the age of 57.
Her funeral was held in Carrollton, Georgia, and she was buried in the church cemetery there.
Susan Hayward has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6251 Hollywood Boulevard, honoring her contributions to film.
Images for kids
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Hayward in 1953
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Susan Hayward in Smash Up (1947)
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Hayward receiving an Oscar for Best Actress in I Want to Live (1958)
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Drawing of Hayward in character after winning an Oscar for I Want to Live, by artist Nicholas Volpe
See also
In Spanish: Susan Hayward para niños
