Margaret Hayes (born Florette Regina Ottenheimer; December 5, 1913 – January 26, 1977) was an American film, stage, and television actress.

Early years

Hayes was born in

Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...

(some sources say

Pottsville, Pennsylvania Pottsville is the county seat of Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 13,346 at the 2020 census, and is the principal city of the Pottsville, PA Micropolitan Statistical Area. The city lies along the west bank of th ...

) into a Jewish family. Her father was Jack Lewis Ottenheimer, a "musician, theatrical man, and joke-book writer." (Some sources say that he was a real estate broker.). While a student at Forest Park High School, she joined the Emerson Cook Stock Company to gain more acting experience. She entered

Johns Hopkins University Johns Hopkins University (Johns Hopkins, Hopkins, or JHU) is a private research university in Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1876, Johns Hopkins is the oldest research university in the United States and in the western hemisphere. It consi ...

to become a nurse, but stuck to her dramatic ambitions. At the school, she joined "The Barnstormers", a theatrical organization, becoming the first female member of that group.

Changing names

Using the name "Dana Dale", Hayes found work as a model, "featured in the best cigarette, auto, and fashion advertisements". Her screen test for the role of Scarlett O'Hara in ''

Gone with the Wind Gone with the Wind most often refers to: * ''Gone with the Wind'' (novel), a 1936 novel by Margaret Mitchell * ''Gone with the Wind'' (film), the 1939 adaptation of the novel Gone with the Wind may also refer to: Music * ''Gone with the Wind'' ...

'' was unsuccessful, but she received a movie contract, anyway. Publicists at her studio recommended "Dana Edwards" as a better name for movies, so she began using it. Eventually, she changed to Margaret Hayes for public purposes, and was called Maggie by her friends.

Film

Hayes' initial contract was with

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...

Having little success there, she signed with Paramount Pictures. Hayes was often billed as Maggie Hayes in her film credits. She is perhaps best known for her role as Lois Judby Hammond in the 1955 film ''

Blackboard Jungle ''Blackboard Jungle'' is a 1955 American social drama film about an English teacher in an interracial inner-city school, based on the 1954 novel ''The Blackboard Jungle'' by Evan Hunter and adapted for the screen and directed by Richard Brooks. I ...

'', which starred

Glenn Ford Gwyllyn Samuel Newton "Glenn" Ford (May 1, 1916 – August 30, 2006) was a Canadian-American actor who often portrayed ordinary men in unusual circumstances. Ford was most prominent during Hollywood's Golden Age as one of the biggest box-offi ...

. In 1956, she guest-starred as Dora Hand in three episodes of ''

The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp ''The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp'' is the first Western television series written for adults, premiering four days before '' Gunsmoke'' on September 6, 1955. Two weeks later came the Clint Walker western ''Cheyenne''. The series is loosely ...

''. She appeared in the episode "The San Saba Incident" (October 18, 1957) of '' Trackdown'', playing a female convict, named Abby Lindon. Hayes' films included ''

The Glass Key ''The Glass Key'' is a novel by American writer Dashiell Hammett. First published as a serial in '' Black Mask'' magazine in 1930, it then was collected in 1931 (in London; the American edition followed 3 months later). It tells the story of a ga ...

'', ''

Sullivan's Travels ''Sullivan's Travels'' is a 1941 American comedy film written and directed by Preston Sturges. A satire on the film industry, it follows a famous Hollywood comedy director (Joel McCrea) who, longing to make a socially relevant drama, sets out to ...

'', and '' Good Day for a Hanging''. In 1958, in the film ''Damn Citizen'', Hayes appeared opposite Keith Andes in the role of a real person, Dorothy Maguire Grevemberg, the wife of the crusading

Louisiana State Police The Louisiana State Police (French: Police d’Etat de Louisiane) is the state police agency of Louisiana, which has jurisdiction anywhere in the state, headquartered in Baton Rouge. It falls under the authority of the Louisiana Department of P ...

superintendent

Francis Grevemberg Francis may refer to: People *Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State and Bishop of Rome * Francis (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters *Francis (surname) Places * Rural ...

. She made four guest appearances on CBS's ''

Perry Mason Perry Mason is a fictional character, an American criminal defense lawyer who is the main character in works of detective fiction written by Erle Stanley Gardner. Perry Mason features in 82 novels and 4 short stories, all of which involve a c ...

'', including as defendant Sybil Granger in 1957 episode "The Case of the Nervous Accomplice". She co-starred on Tombstone Territory season 1 episode 24 'Cave-In' which aired March 26, 1958. In 1961, she portrayed Mrs. North in the episode "Incident of the Night on the Town" on CBS"s '' Rawhide''. In the same year, she also guest-starred in an episode of '' Bonanza'', "The Countess", as Lady Linda Chadwick.

Journalism

After marrying Herbert Bayard Swope in 1946, Hayes temporarily retired from acting and turned to journalism, eventually becoming assistant fashion editor for ''

Life Life is a quality that distinguishes matter that has biological processes, such as Cell signaling, signaling and self-sustaining processes, from that which does not, and is defined by the capacity for Cell growth, growth, reaction to Stimu ...

''.

Radio

In her later years, Hayes lived in Palm Beach, Florida, and was the host of a daily radio talk show on

WPBR WPBR (1340 kHz) is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Lantana, Florida and serving the West Palm Beach area. The station airs a Haitian Creole talk and contemporary hits radio format. It is owned by Palm Beach Radio Group LLC. In add ...

Personal life

Hayes had her first child, a daughter Nan (born 1937), from her brief first marriage to Charles DeBuskey. The couple divorced in 1939, and Hayes subsequently married actor Leif Erickson on June 12, 1942, eloping with him to Minden, Nevada. They separated 28 days later, and Hayes received a divorce on October 2, 1942. She married a third time, to producer Herbert B. Swope, Jr. (son of three-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Reporting, journalist Herbert Swope), in 1947. The couple had a daughter, actress Tracy Brooks Swope, and a son, Herbert Swope III. Swope and she divorced in 1973.

Death

Hayes died January 25, 1977, aged 63, in Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach, Florida.

Partial filmography

*''

The Man Who Talked Too Much ''The Man Who Talked Too Much'' is a 1940 American drama film directed by Vincent Sherman and written by Walter DeLeon and Earl Baldwin. Starring George Brent, Virginia Bruce, Brenda Marshall, Richard Barthelmess, William Lundigan, George Tobia ...

'' (1940) - Governor's Secretary *'' Ladies Must Live'' (1940) - Chorus Girl *''

Money and the Woman ''Money and the Woman'' is a 1940 American drama film directed by William K. Howard and written by Robert Presnell Sr.. The film stars Jeffrey Lynn, Brenda Marshall, John Litel, Lee Patrick, Henry O'Neill and Roger Pryor. The film was release ...

'' (1940) - Depositor (uncredited) *''

City for Conquest ''City for Conquest'' is a 1940 American epic drama film directed by Anatole Litvak and starring James Cagney, Ann Sheridan and Arthur Kennedy. The picture is based on the 1936 novel of the same name by Aben Kandel. The supporting cast features ...

'' (1940) - Sally - Irene's Friend (uncredited) *'' Tugboat Annie Sails Again'' (1940) - Rosie *''

In Old Colorado ''In Old Colorado'' is a 1941 American Western film directed by Howard Bretherton and written by J. Benton Cheney, Russell Hayden and Norton S. Parker. The film stars William Boyd, Russell Hayden, Andy Clyde, Margaret Hayes, Morris Ankrum, S ...

'' (1941) - Myra Woods *'' Henry Aldrich for President'' (1941) - Miss Patterson (uncredited) *''

New York Town ''New York Town'' is a 1941 American romantic comedy film directed by Charles Vidor and starring Fred MacMurray, Mary Martin, Akim Tamiroff, and Robert Preston. The film was written by Lewis Meltzer and an uncredited Preston Sturges based on a ...

'' (1941) - Lola Martin (uncredited) *''

Skylark ''Alauda'' is a genus of larks found across much of Europe, Asia and in the mountains of north Africa, and one of the species (the Raso lark) endemic to the islet of Raso in the Cape Verde Islands. Further, at least two additional species are ...

'' (1941) - Blake's Receptionist (uncredited) *'' The Night of January 16th'' (1941) - Nancy Wakefield *''

'' (1941) - Secretary *''

Louisiana Purchase The Louisiana Purchase (french: Vente de la Louisiane, translation=Sale of Louisiana) was the acquisition of the territory of Louisiana by the United States from the French First Republic in 1803. In return for fifteen million dollars, or app ...

'' (1941) - Louisiana Belle *'' The Lady Has Plans'' (1942) - Rita Lenox *''

Saboteur Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening a polity, effort, or organization through subversion, obstruction, disruption, or destruction. One who engages in sabotage is a ''saboteur''. Saboteurs typically try to conceal their identiti ...

'' (1942) - Henry's Wife in Movie (uncredited) *''

Take a Letter, Darling ''Take a Letter, Darling'' is a 1942 American romantic comedy film directed by Mitchell Leisen and starring Rosalind Russell. It was nominated for three Academy Awards; Best Cinematography, Best Score and Best Art Direction ( Hans Dreier, ...

'' (1942) - Sally French *''

'' (1942) - Eloise Matthews *''

Scattergood Survives a Murder ''Scattergood Survives a Murder'' is a 1942 American mystery film directed by Christy Cabanne from a screenplay by Michael L. Simmons, based on the series of short stories about "Scattergood Baines", penned by Clarence Budington Kelland. Cast ...

'' (1943) - Gail Barclay * '' Stand By All Networks'' (1942) - Lela Cramer *'' One Dangerous Night'' (1943) - Patricia Blake Shannon *''

They Got Me Covered ''They Got Me Covered'', also known as ''Washington Story'' and ''The Washington Angle'', is a 1943 comedy film directed by David Butler and starring Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour. Otto Preminger appears in a supporting role. Plot In mid 1941, a ...

'' (1943) - Lucille *''

'' (1955) - Lois Judby Hammond *''

Violent Saturday ''Violent Saturday'' is a 1955 American film noir crime film directed by Richard Fleischer and starring Victor Mature, Richard Egan and Stephen McNally. Set in a mining town, Bradenville, Arizona, the film depicts the planning of a bank rob ...

'' (1955) - Mrs. Emily Fairchild *''

The Bottom of the Bottle ''The Bottom of the Bottle'' is a 1956 CinemaScope American drama film based on the The Bottom of the Bottle (novel), novel written by Georges Simenon during his stay in Nogales, Arizona. The novel was adapted for film by Sydney Boehm and directe ...

'' (1956) - Lil Breckinridge *''From the Desk of Margaret Tyding'' (1956) *''

Omar Khayyam Ghiyāth al-Dīn Abū al-Fatḥ ʿUmar ibn Ibrāhīm Nīsābūrī (18 May 1048 – 4 December 1131), commonly known as Omar Khayyam ( fa, عمر خیّام), was a polymath, known for his contributions to mathematics, astronomy, philosophy, an ...

'' (1957) - Queen Zarada *'' Damn Citizen'' (1958) - Dorothy Grevemberg *'' The Case Against Brooklyn'' (1958) - Lil Polombo née Alexander *'' Girl in the Woods'' (1958) - Bell Cory *'' Fräulein'' (1958) - Lt. Berdie Dubbin *'' Good Day for a Hanging'' (1959) - Ruth Granger *'' The Beat Generation'' (1959) - Joyce Greenfield *'' Girls Town'' (1959) - Mother Veronica *''

13 West Street ''13 West Street'' is a 1962 American neo noir crime film directed by Philip Leacock and starring Rod Steiger and Alan Ladd whose own production company produced the film. It was based on the 1957 novel ''The Tiger Among Us'' (1957) by Leigh Brac ...

'' (1962) - Mrs. Madeleine Landry *''

House of Women ''House of Women'' is a 1962 American crime drama directed by Crane Wilbur, starring Shirley Knight and Andrew Duggan. Walter Doniger, who was hired to direct the film, was fired and replaced by Wilbur 10 days into shooting. Plot Erica Hayden ...

'' (1962) - Zoe Stoughton

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Hayes, Margaret 1916 births 1977 deaths American film actresses American stage actresses American television actresses Deaths from hepatitis Jewish American actresses Deaths from liver cancer Actresses from Baltimore Deaths from cancer in Florida 20th-century American actresses Paramount Pictures contract players