Martha Hyer

2.1. Early childhood and education

Martha Hyer was born on August 10, 1924, in Fort Worth, Texas, into a wealthy and religious family. Her father, Julien Capers Hyer, was a respected attorney and judge, and her mother was Agnes Rebecca (née Barnhart). Martha was the middle of three sisters, alongside Agnes Ann and Jeanne. The Hyer family was actively involved in the Methodist Church, where her father was a highly regarded Sunday school teacher.

Hyer completed her secondary education at Arlington Heights High School. Following her high school graduation, she pursued higher education at Northwestern University, where she earned a degree in drama. During her time at Northwestern, she was a member of the Pi Beta Phi sorority, where she was a sorority sister with future actress Patricia Neal. After completing her studies at Northwestern, Hyer relocated to California to further hone her acting skills at the renowned Pasadena Playhouse.

2.2. Early career

Soon after her studies at the Pasadena Playhouse, Martha Hyer secured a film contract with RKO Pictures. Her initial foray into the film industry began with uncredited speaking parts, such as her appearance in The Locket (1946). For the next few years, she primarily appeared in uncredited and bit roles, often in B-movies, while also occasionally working in television. Her career trajectory began to shift around 1954, when she started receiving more substantial and prominent roles, leading to her becoming a popular actress in Hollywood for the subsequent decade.

3.1. Film appearances

Hyer's film career began with an uncredited speaking role in The Locket in 1946. She continued to take on uncredited and minor parts in films such as Born to Kill, Thunder Mountain, and The Woman on the Beach in 1947, followed by The Judge Steps Out that same year. In 1948, she appeared in The Velvet Touch and Gun Smugglers. The year 1949 saw her in Rustlers, Roughshod, and The Clay Pigeon.

The early 1950s continued with a steady stream of roles, including Outcast of Black Mesa, Salt Lake Raiders, The Lawless, Frisco Tornado, and The Kangaroo Kid in 1950. She appeared in Oriental Evil (1951), and in 1952, she was seen in Wild Stallion, Geisha Girl, and Yukon Gold.

By 1953, Hyer began to secure more notable supporting roles, including her appearance as Janie Howe in the comedy Abbott and Costello Go to Mars and as Paula Hempel in the drama So Big, which starred Jane Wyman and was directed by Robert Wise. The year 1954 was particularly significant, with roles in Westerns like Wyoming Renegades and The Battle of Rogue River, and the musical comedy Lucky Me, starring Doris Day. That same year, she played Elizabeth Tyson in the Oscar-winning film Sabrina, a socialite who nearly loses her fiancé, portrayed by William Holden, to Audrey Hepburn's character. Other 1954 films included Riders to the Stars, The Scarlet Spear, Down Three Dark Streets, and Cry Vengeance.

In 1955, she starred opposite Donald O'Connor in the comedy Francis in the Navy, and also appeared in Kiss of Fire and Paris Follies of 1956. Her 1956 film credits included Red Sundown and Showdown at Abilene.

Hyer's work in 1957 featured a supporting role in the war story Battle Hymn alongside Rock Hudson, and in the drama Mister Cory with Tony Curtis, directed by Blake Edwards. She also appeared in Kelly and Me, a comedy with Van Johnson, and as Cornelia Bullock in the 1957 remake of My Man Godfrey with David Niven. Other films from this period included The Delicate Delinquent.

The year 1958 was a career highlight for Hyer. She appeared in Paris Holiday with Bob Hope, Once Upon a Horse... with Dan Rowan and Dick Martin, and Houseboat with Cary Grant. Most notably, for her role as Gwen French in the 1958 drama Some Came Running, directed by Vincente Minnelli, Martha Hyer received an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress nomination.

Following her Oscar nomination, she continued to take on significant roles, including The Big Fisherman and The Best of Everything with Joan Crawford in 1959. She started the 1960s with a supporting role in Ice Palace (1960), a drama starring Richard Burton, and Desire in the Dust. In 1961, she was in The Right Approach and The Last Time I Saw Archie, a comedy with Robert Mitchum. Subsequent film appearances included A Girl Named Tamiko (1962), The Man from the Diner's Club (1963), Wives and Lovers (1963), and The Carpetbaggers (1964). Other 1964 films were Pyro... The Thing Without a Face, First Men in the Moon, Bikini Beach, and Blood on the Arrow.

By 1964, as Hyer turned 40, she began to find fewer leading roles and primarily worked in television and in European and American B-films. Despite this, she continued to appear in notable productions. In 1965, she was in The Sons of Katie Elder, a Western featuring John Wayne and Dean Martin, and War, Italian Style. Her 1966 films included The Chase, directed by Arthur Penn and starring Marlon Brando and Robert Redford, as well as The Night of the Grizzly, Cuernavaca en primavera, and Picture Mommy Dead.

In 1967, she appeared in the crime comedy The Happening, The House of 1,000 Dolls, Another's Wife, Some May Live, and Catch as Catch Can. Her later film roles included Once You Kiss a Stranger and the suspense film Crossplot in 1969. Her final film role was in The Day of the Wolves in 1971.

3.2. Television appearances

Martha Hyer's television career ran concurrently with her film work, featuring numerous guest roles and appearances in various series and dramas. She occasionally worked on television during her early career in the late 1940s and early 1950s.

In 1956, she played the lead role of Julie in a televised version of Jezebel for Lux Video Theatre. In 1958, she appeared in a Playhouse 90 televised version of Reunion by Merle Miller, alongside Frances Farmer. In 1959, Hyer played the role of Hannah Haley in the Rawhide episode "Incident West Of Lano" (Season 1, Episode 8).

As her film career began to slow down in the mid-1960s, her television appearances became more frequent. She guest-starred on two episodes of The Alfred Hitchcock Hour: "A Piece Of Action" in 1962 and "Crimson Witness" in 1965. Also in 1965, she guest-starred on the popular series Bewitched as Margaret Marshall, a wealthy and seductive woman. In 1966, she appeared on The Beverly Hillbillies in the episode "The Richest Woman", portraying Tracy Richards, the world's wealthiest woman. In 1967, she guest-starred on Family Affair in the episode "Star Dust", where she played Carol Haven, a movie star. Her final television role was in a 1974 episode of McCloud.

7.1. Career achievements

Martha Hyer's career was marked by a period of sustained popularity and critical recognition in Hollywood. Her most notable professional accomplishment was her Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress nomination for her role as Gwen French in the 1958 film Some Came Running. This nomination solidified her status as a respected actress capable of delivering impactful performances. For over a decade, starting in the mid-1950s, she was a prominent and sought-after actress, appearing in a wide array of films across various genres, from comedies and musicals to dramas and Westerns, often alongside leading stars of the era. Her ability to transition between film and television roles also demonstrated her adaptability and enduring presence in the entertainment industry.

7.2. Lasting influence

Martha Hyer's contribution to cinema is primarily recognized through her extensive filmography, which includes roles in several classic and commercially successful movies of the 1950s and 1960s. Her performances, particularly in films like Sabrina and Some Came Running, remain memorable. As an actress who worked consistently for nearly three decades, she holds a place within Hollywood history as a reliable and elegant performer. Her later foray into screenwriting also highlights a broader engagement with the film industry beyond acting.