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Susan Hayward: Portrait Of A Survivor
For over three decades, she dazzled audiences with her portrayals of tragic, stormy women. Her own life was even more dramatic - overcoming poverty and a childhood accident that left her handicapped, winning the Oscar she deserved after four agonizing failures, finally finding love after the most heartbreaking divorce in Hollywood history. Because Susan Hayward never stopped fighting for happiness in her own life, she portrayed a woman's suffering as no other star before or since.
- GenresBiographyNonfiction
337 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 1980
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
August 19, 2011
Brooklyn-born Susan Hayward possessed what was arguably the greatest combination of drop-dead good looks and sheer acting ability that the silver screen has ever known. She has long been a favorite of mine, having starred in quite a few true cinema classics, as well as any number of admirable lesser films. I had wanted to read a biography of the woman for some time, and am happy to report that Beverly Linet's 1980 work, "Susan Hayward: Portrait of a Survivor," suited my needs quite well. Ms. Linet was a professional acquaintance of Susan's, having worked in Hollywood as a journalist and a publicist in the 1950s and '60s. She was able to interview not only Susan's two twin sons, but also her first husband, Susan's nurse of later days, many of Susan's coworkers, her neighbors and her priest. Many of these interviews were exclusives. Ms. Linet clearly knows and admires her subject, but when she comes to an area that her research has not been able to delve into, she quite rightly admits it. Her biography of this great Hollywood star is written in a seemingly offhand, chatty manner, almost as if the author were telling you Susan's story over drinks in a sitting room. The reader is not burdened down with unnecessary trivia, and the book, at a little over 300 pages in length, moves along briskly. Indeed, there were times when I wished Ms. Linet would linger a while over one or another of my personal favorite Hayward films (such as "Smash-Up," for instance) for some in-depth treatment. Still, I, a Hayward fan of some 25+ years, learned a large amount from Linet's work.
We are told the story of Susan's Brooklyn youth, of her early modeling career, her arrival in Hollywood in 1937, and her slow but steady climb to the top, culminating in her Oscar win (for "I Want to Live") in 1959. But what was most interesting for me was the little-told story of Susan's later years: her second marriage (to a Georgia businessman), her short-lived theatrical career, and her sad final days. Ms. Linet tells Susan's story well; she is a good writer, and arranges her chapters in cliffhanger fashion. She is not averse to telling tales that depict Susan as a prima donna and as a moody recluse. Susan, pro that she was, had her quirks and problems, as do we all, and Linet manages to make her emerge as a well-rounded, complex, but ultimately admirable person. Indeed, Hayward's 27-month fight against cancer will inspire anyone who reads of it. This is one moving biography, indeed.
That being said, I must also report that Ms. Linet and her editors are guilty of some occasional sloppiness and/or poor fact checking throughout this book. I feel a bit churlish in pointing these things out, but feel I must, as they undermine what is otherwise a very well-researched piece of work. To start with, there are sporadic problems concerning dates. Linet tells us in passing that Warner Baxter won his acting Oscar in 1931; that date should be 1929. She tells us that Lex Barker passed away in 1974, whereas he really died in '73. She mentions a Barbara Stanwyck movie called "The Night Walker" and gives its date as 1968; that should be 1964. She says that January 21, 1971 (the date Susan's Ft. Lauderdale apartment caught fire) was a Friday; in reality, 1/21/71 was a Thursday. Susan's first wedding date is said to be July 24, 1944, but later in the book it is said to be July 23, and elsewhere it is said that "July 16, 1953 [was] six days short of her ninth wedding anniversary." HUH? Is it the 24th, 23rd or 22nd? Who knows? Or, if Susan was really born on 6/30/17, wouldn't she be approaching 49 when her second husband died on 1/9/66, not 48, as Ms. Linet tells us? Also, we're told that the March 1975 Georgia funeral march for Susan took place 17 years after the parade for her 1959 Oscar win; shouldn't that be 16? Slips like these can really distract a sharp-eyed reader. There are other goofs, as well. The author tells us that the actress Franciska Gaal was Norwegian, whereas in truth she was born in Budapest. She mentions a "Clausen Ave." near the Brooklyn Museum; that should be Classon Ave. She tells us that the star of the 1924 movie "He Who Gets Slapped" is Lon Chaney, Jr., whereas the date alone should indicate Lon Chaney, Sr.! Hayward's second husband's farm is said to be 40 acres in size; elsewhere, it is said to be 450 acres. An Ellis Air Force Base near Las Vegas is mentioned in the book; that should be Nellis Air Force Base. I could go on, but you get the idea. This book could surely have benefitted from another thorough going-over during the editorial process. Still, it unquestionably reveals much about Susan Hayward that has never been revealed before, and for that reason alone, I highly recommend it to all fans of this great actress, as well as to fans of old-timey movies in general.
We are told the story of Susan's Brooklyn youth, of her early modeling career, her arrival in Hollywood in 1937, and her slow but steady climb to the top, culminating in her Oscar win (for "I Want to Live") in 1959. But what was most interesting for me was the little-told story of Susan's later years: her second marriage (to a Georgia businessman), her short-lived theatrical career, and her sad final days. Ms. Linet tells Susan's story well; she is a good writer, and arranges her chapters in cliffhanger fashion. She is not averse to telling tales that depict Susan as a prima donna and as a moody recluse. Susan, pro that she was, had her quirks and problems, as do we all, and Linet manages to make her emerge as a well-rounded, complex, but ultimately admirable person. Indeed, Hayward's 27-month fight against cancer will inspire anyone who reads of it. This is one moving biography, indeed.
That being said, I must also report that Ms. Linet and her editors are guilty of some occasional sloppiness and/or poor fact checking throughout this book. I feel a bit churlish in pointing these things out, but feel I must, as they undermine what is otherwise a very well-researched piece of work. To start with, there are sporadic problems concerning dates. Linet tells us in passing that Warner Baxter won his acting Oscar in 1931; that date should be 1929. She tells us that Lex Barker passed away in 1974, whereas he really died in '73. She mentions a Barbara Stanwyck movie called "The Night Walker" and gives its date as 1968; that should be 1964. She says that January 21, 1971 (the date Susan's Ft. Lauderdale apartment caught fire) was a Friday; in reality, 1/21/71 was a Thursday. Susan's first wedding date is said to be July 24, 1944, but later in the book it is said to be July 23, and elsewhere it is said that "July 16, 1953 [was] six days short of her ninth wedding anniversary." HUH? Is it the 24th, 23rd or 22nd? Who knows? Or, if Susan was really born on 6/30/17, wouldn't she be approaching 49 when her second husband died on 1/9/66, not 48, as Ms. Linet tells us? Also, we're told that the March 1975 Georgia funeral march for Susan took place 17 years after the parade for her 1959 Oscar win; shouldn't that be 16? Slips like these can really distract a sharp-eyed reader. There are other goofs, as well. The author tells us that the actress Franciska Gaal was Norwegian, whereas in truth she was born in Budapest. She mentions a "Clausen Ave." near the Brooklyn Museum; that should be Classon Ave. She tells us that the star of the 1924 movie "He Who Gets Slapped" is Lon Chaney, Jr., whereas the date alone should indicate Lon Chaney, Sr.! Hayward's second husband's farm is said to be 40 acres in size; elsewhere, it is said to be 450 acres. An Ellis Air Force Base near Las Vegas is mentioned in the book; that should be Nellis Air Force Base. I could go on, but you get the idea. This book could surely have benefitted from another thorough going-over during the editorial process. Still, it unquestionably reveals much about Susan Hayward that has never been revealed before, and for that reason alone, I highly recommend it to all fans of this great actress, as well as to fans of old-timey movies in general.
November 23, 2020
One of our favorite actresses is Susan Hayward. Born Edythe Marrenner, Susan always felt like an outcast, growing up. She was hit by a car, when she was 7, that broke her hip. Her family did not believe in medical care, so she spent weeks in bed recuperating. It left her with one leg shorter than the other, and she was teased about this, and for having red hair and glasses. She moved to Manhattan to become an actress, but was not offered any parts.Undaunted, Susan began attending a drama school and slowly her career began to blossom. Susan had 2 children with Jess Barker, twin boys, Timothy and Gregory that became central in the couples divorce. Jess was awarded the boys weekends, Susan kept the house. Susan eventually re-married and moved to Georgia, but her acting roles became less and less frequent, until 1972. In 1972, Susan was diagnosed with a lung tumor that had metastasized. After a seizure in 1973, she was diagnosed with a brain tumor. She died in her home in Hollywood, at the age of 57, after a seizure. Her death was from brain cancer. This is an informative biography, that was a good read but for me, it was a slow hard read because of the extensive quotes. I would recommend it, however, it includes a great selection of photos.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 9, 2020
I've always been a big fan of Susan Hayward and was thrilled to come across this old biography recently. It begins with some background into her life as a young girl growing up in Brooklyn before moving on to the more exciting time she spent in Hollywood. She had a very tempestuous life with her husband, Jess Barker, which lead to their eventual divorce. Ultimately she achieves the success she has been searching for when she's nominated for an Academy Award for her role as an alcoholic in "Smash-Up". My personal favorite (and the one she eventually wins her Oscar for) will always be “I Want to Live” and I still watch that every few years. She had two children with Barker and eventually found happiness in her personal life with her marriage to Eaton Chalkley.
Susan Hayward was very private but the author does get an opportunity to include photos and interviews from people who have never spoken about their relationship to the actress. Sadly, Susan Hayward died at a very young 56 of brain cancer. Readers won't consider this a hard hitting tabloid like biography but I thought it was an enjoyable read. It makes me think it's time for a Susan Hayward marathon......
Susan Hayward was very private but the author does get an opportunity to include photos and interviews from people who have never spoken about their relationship to the actress. Sadly, Susan Hayward died at a very young 56 of brain cancer. Readers won't consider this a hard hitting tabloid like biography but I thought it was an enjoyable read. It makes me think it's time for a Susan Hayward marathon......
December 24, 2012
Reading this in tandem with "The Bell Jar" and it's surprising how much Susan Hayward is like Esther The Twat from the Plath novel. Susan Hayward is also behaviorally a combo of Helen Lawson and Neely O'Hara. The final verdict: enjoy her movies but don't read about her, you'll be disappointed. What didn't disappoint were the accounts of what a badass punk Robert Mitchum was. Now there's a biography waiting to be read!
October 17, 2022
A wonderful book about a great actress and courageous woman.
February 4, 2011
November 15, 2010 - So far this is a treasure trove of history dealing with Hollywood goings-on surrounding Susan Hayward's beginnings, entry into 'show-business', marriage to Jesse Barker, and behind-the-scenes treatment of her and others she knew, and Hollywood politics. Interesting if you care about such things, and I do, but probably a little boring because the details do slow down the action. I did learn a lot from the inside information, for instance how much a discrepancy in salaries the stars had, and what the studios could do to 'punish' those that didn't conform or that they just plain didn't like. I think at present I am up to Chapter 9, which I think is a little after Susan and Jess separate...
Finished this just after Thanksgiving, probably Nov 28 or 29. I found out a lot about Susan Hayward that I didn't know, especially her early life, but also about her battle with cancer, which I think she tried to keep out of the public eye, and her subsequent death. I appreciated the extent of the research that went into this book, and the style is very easily readable. I don't like it when too much is given away too soon, and this author knew how to treat each segment so that the reader could and would appreciate fully what each twist and turn brought to the fore, with perhaps a subtle warning sometimes to avoid confusion or shock at some of the turn of events.
Hayward's sense of humor comes through in numerous quotes, but also her vindictiveness as shown in the exclusions in her last will and testament, a copy of which is printed at the very back of the book. I was most surprised/enlightened by revelations of the terms of contracts under which Hayward worked, both early on and as she rose to stardom. She had many friends and people she could rely on, but also was used, abused and betrayed by people she thought were friends. Again, I thoroughly appreciated the extent of investigation that went into this book, and plan to read another biography that this author has written about Alan Ladd.
Finished this just after Thanksgiving, probably Nov 28 or 29. I found out a lot about Susan Hayward that I didn't know, especially her early life, but also about her battle with cancer, which I think she tried to keep out of the public eye, and her subsequent death. I appreciated the extent of the research that went into this book, and the style is very easily readable. I don't like it when too much is given away too soon, and this author knew how to treat each segment so that the reader could and would appreciate fully what each twist and turn brought to the fore, with perhaps a subtle warning sometimes to avoid confusion or shock at some of the turn of events.
Hayward's sense of humor comes through in numerous quotes, but also her vindictiveness as shown in the exclusions in her last will and testament, a copy of which is printed at the very back of the book. I was most surprised/enlightened by revelations of the terms of contracts under which Hayward worked, both early on and as she rose to stardom. She had many friends and people she could rely on, but also was used, abused and betrayed by people she thought were friends. Again, I thoroughly appreciated the extent of investigation that went into this book, and plan to read another biography that this author has written about Alan Ladd.
August 28, 2018
Susan Hayward is one of my all-time favorite actresses, and since she always portrayed such strong, self-confident, brazen women on the screen, I was very excited to learn her life story. I was shocked to learn she was actually nothing like her onscreen persona, so if you’re a Hayward fan who would be disappointed to see her differently, you might not want to read up on her personal life.
While Beverly Linet covers the bare-bones of Susan Hayward’s life—her childhood accident that left her crippled, her name change from Edythe Marrener, her marriages and devotion to her twin sons—her writing style is extremely noncommittal. She seems determined not to offend her readers or Miss Hayward’s spirit, but in doing so, she comes across as cautious and unsure. For example, while writing about Susan’s extremely difficult and messy divorce, Linet provides he-said-she-said passages, so the readers are left wondering what exactly happened. Rather than taking a stance and seeing it through, Linet includes transcripts from the divorce trial, which of course is more he-said-she-said arguments.
At the end of the book, I felt that I’d read the synopsis of a Susan Hayward biography, rather than 300 pages of information. It just wasn’t good enough, but thankfully I read another book and learned more about her.
http://hottoastyrag.weebly.com/portra...
While Beverly Linet covers the bare-bones of Susan Hayward’s life—her childhood accident that left her crippled, her name change from Edythe Marrener, her marriages and devotion to her twin sons—her writing style is extremely noncommittal. She seems determined not to offend her readers or Miss Hayward’s spirit, but in doing so, she comes across as cautious and unsure. For example, while writing about Susan’s extremely difficult and messy divorce, Linet provides he-said-she-said passages, so the readers are left wondering what exactly happened. Rather than taking a stance and seeing it through, Linet includes transcripts from the divorce trial, which of course is more he-said-she-said arguments.
At the end of the book, I felt that I’d read the synopsis of a Susan Hayward biography, rather than 300 pages of information. It just wasn’t good enough, but thankfully I read another book and learned more about her.
http://hottoastyrag.weebly.com/portra...
May 16, 2008
i am a sucker for hollywood biographies
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews