Stage Name: Susan Hayward
Birth Name: Edythe Marrenner
Occupation: Factory Worker / Fashion Model / Movie & TV Actress /Pinup Model
Years Active: 1937–1972
Notable Works: As a big Wayne fan I quite enjoy watching her in a couple of her World War Two time projects as leading lady opposite John Wayne, in Reap the Wild Wind (1942) and The Fighting Seabees (1944), she was made first Queen of the Seabees in 1943. Susan Hayward is best remembered by most for her roles in the movies I'll Cry Tomorrow (1955) and I Want to Live! (1958) for which she was awarded the Oscar for Beast Actress in a Leading Role.
Date/Place Birth: June 30, 1917 (1917-06-30); Brooklyn, New York, U.S.A.
Date/Death/Cause: After a long battle with brain cancer Susan Hayward died at her Hollywood home aged only 57 on March 14, 1975, of pneumonia-related complications of the cancer. There has been speculation she may have been affected by radioactive fallout from atmospheric atomic bomb tests while making The Conqueror with John Wayne who also died of cancer as did about half of the cast and crew who worked at the contaminated location. Susan Hayward was cremated and interred at the cemetary of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Roman Catholic Church Carrollton, Georgia in a grave adjacent that of her husband Eaton Chalkley.
Spouse(s) & Children:m. actor Jess Barker (1944–1954 divorced) two children born February 19, 1945, twin sons, Timothy and Gregory Barker; Georgia rancher and businessman Floyd Eaton Chalkley (1957–1966 his death)
Short Biography: 1917 New York Born beauty Susan Hayward was working as a fashion model then in 1937 she traveled to Hollywood in an unsuccessful attempt to get work on the production of Gone With the Wind; she was able to survive and climb the ladder on bit parts and supporting roles developing her acting skills until In 1947 she received the first of five Academy Award nominations as Best Actress in a Leading Role for her performance as an alcoholic nightclub singer in Smash-Up, the Story of a Woman, followed by several years good movie roles which solidified her as one of Hollywood’s best leading ladies. Her other Best Actress in a Leading Role Nominations Oscar nominations were for My Foolish Heart (1949), With a Song In My Heart (1953), I’ll Cry Tomorrow (1956), then finally received the Oscar as the leading lady in I Want to Live!(1958). By this time she had married her second husband Floyd Chalkley a businessman and rancher from rural Georgia where she lived and worked in film and TV only occasionally then after a long battle with cancer she succumbed in 1975. For more biographical information the Susan Hayward biography at Biography.com is an enjoyable read.