Brooke Hayward is an American stage, film and television actress.
Background
Brooke Hayward is a great-granddaughter of Monroe Hayward, former United States Senator from Nebraska, and the granddaughter of Colonel William Hayward, who led the United States" 369th Infantry Regiment, aka the "Harlem Hellfighters", the first regiment composed entirely of African-American soldiers during the First World War. She is also a descendant of Mayflower passenger William White, and pilgrim Robert Coe.
Career
Born in Los Angeles, Hayward is the eldest of three children born to agent turned film, television, and stage producer Leland Hayward and actress Margaret Sullavan. When Hayward was 7 years old, the family moved to a farm in Brookfield, Connecticut. Hayward"s parents divorced in April 1948.
The following year, Hayward"s father married Nancy "Slim" Hawks (later known as Slim Keith).
After his divorce from Slim Hawks, Leland Hayward married Pamela Harriman. Her mother married importer and producer Kenneth Wagg in 1950.
Margaret Sullavan died of an accidental drug overdose on January 1, 1960. Nine months later, on October 17, 1960, Hayward"s younger sister Bridget was found dead of a drug overdose in her New York City apartment.
Bridget left what was described as an "incoherent note", the contents of which were never made public.
Her death was ruled a suicide. Hayward"s brother Bill would also commit suicide by gunshot on March 9, 2008. Hayward attended Vassar College and studied acting with Lee Strasberg at the Actors Studio.
She made her film debut that same year in Burt Balaban"s Mad Dog College
She made a memorable performance in the Twilight Zone episode "The Masks" in March 1964. Also, she played a seaship captain"s daughter in one Bonanza episode.
Over the next 30 years, Hayward appeared in a handful of screen roles. Her last screen appearance was in a small role in John Guare"s 1993 film adaptation of Six Degrees of Separation, with Stockard Channing, Donald Sutherland, and Will Smith.