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Family
FATHER: Julien C Hyer. Jurist, politician. Served as a state senator in Texas; was judge advocate with the US Army and was involved with the post-WWII trials of Nazi war criminals; died in 1974.
MOTHER: Agnes Hyer. Died in 1969.
STEP-SON: Brent Wallis.
Companion
HUSBAND: Ray Stahl. Producer, director. Son of actress Roxanna McGowan and actor Charles Ray; had been adopted by stepfather director John M Stahl; introduced in 1949; became engaged in 1950; married on March 31, 1951; separated and divorced in 1953; died of malignant melanoma in April 1959.
COMPANION: Gene Kelly. Dancer, actor. Dated in 1954.
COMPANION: George Nader. Actor. Had on-again, off-again relationship in the mid- to late 1950s; was her date for the 1959 Academy Awards.
COMPANION: Jeff Richards. Actor. Dated in 1956.
HUSBAND: Hal Wallis. Producer. Born in 1898; first met at a Hollywood party in 1949; remet on a flight in the early 1960s; married from December 31, 1966 until his death in Octoebr 1986.
Milestone
Born and raised in the Fort Worth, Texas, area
1941: After completing high school, moved with family to San Antonio
1945: While studying at Pasadena Playhouse's summer program, spotted by a talent scout from Paramount; auditions but is not given contract
1946: Singer Ella Logan reportedly saw her photograph on her father's desk and Logan contacted her husband, a producer, to test Hyer
Put under contract by RKO
1946: Film debut in uncredited bit role as a party guest in "The Locket"
1947: Had small role as a maid in "Born to Kill"
Appeared in numerous B Westerns with Tim Holt in the late 1940s and early 1950s, like "Gun Smugglers" (1948) and "The Rustlers" (1949)
1951: Contract with RKO ended
1951: After marriage to producer-director Ray Stahl, settled in NYC
1952: Was topbilled in "Geisha Girl", although did not play title character
1953: Had featured role in "Abbott and Costello Go to Mars"
Modeled briefly using the name Martha Lou Spring
1954: Became a blonde for appearance in the Billy Wilder-directed "Sabrina"
1957: Co-starred with Rock Hudson in "Battle Hymn", the fact-based drama about a minister haunted by his actions during WWII
1957: Cast as the witchy older sister Cordelia in the remake of "My Man Godfrey"
1958: Received Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination for playing a prim and proper writing teacher attracted to one of her students (Frank Sinatra) in "Some Came Running"
1959: Portrayed the lusty Herodias in "The Big Fisherman", helmed by Frank Borzage
1963: Played the attractive agent of a best-selling writer in "Wives and Lovers"
1964: Cast as a call girl turned movie star in "The Carpetbaggers", based on the Harold Robbins' novel
1965: Had featured role in "The Sons of Katie Elder", starring John Wayne and Dean Martin
1967: Played the unconcerned wife of a kidnap victim in "The Happening"
1973: Last film, "The Day of the Wolves"
1975: Reportedly did uncredited screenwriting work on "Rooster Cogburn", starring John Wayne and Katharine Hepburn; produced by husband Hal Wallis
1980: Reportedly became involved in the potentially scandalous misuse of money; was in debt to loan sharks; husband called in FBI to investigate and resolve the matter
Education
Northwestern University - Evanston, Illinois
Fairfax Hall Junior College - Waynesboro, Virginia - 1941-1943 - all-girls' two-year school; transferred to Northwestern for junior year
Pasadena Playhouse - Pasadena, California - 1944-1945 - attended summer programs
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