Background
Like her mother, she became a chorus girl, but then went on to land a starring role in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Pipe Dream.
Like her mother, she became a chorus girl, but then went on to land a starring role in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Pipe Dream.
Born Judith Mae Hess in Milwaukee, she came from a show business family and was encouraged to study dance and acting. Her acting career began as a teenager with regular appearances on Howdy Doody as Princess Summerfall Winterspring from 1950 to 1953. Life did a story on rising Broadway talent with Tyler on the magazine"s cover as one of the up-and-coming stars.
Offered an opportunity in Hollywood, Tyler appeared in the film Bop Girl Goes Calypso (1957), then starred opposite Elvis Presley in Jailhouse Rock (1957).
She made a guest appearance on Perry Mason as Irene Kilby in "The Case of the Fan Dancer"s Horse", which aired on December 28, 1957, nearly six months after her death. While driving through Wyoming on July 3, 1957, they were involved in an automobile accident on United States. Route 287.
A passenger in the other car was killed as well. Police said Lafayette swerved to avoid hitting a car that was towing a trailer, and collided with the other vehicle involved in the crash.