Reel Character Series

 

Allison Hayes (Mary Jane Hayes 1930-1977) was an American film and television actress often cast either in good or bad women roles. The statuesque brunette was an obvious model candidate and competed in the Miss America pageant in 1949. Like many attractive actresses wanting to get at least a toe through the acting door, her "exposure" led her to Hollywood and Universal Pictures by 1954. She had a small role in the comedy, Francis Joins the WACS, then, via a contract dispute, signed with Columbia Pictures in 1955 with a more significant role in, Chicago Syndicate opposite Dennis O'Keefe. That same year, she was the fiancé of Rod Cameron in, Double Jeopardy She appeared in the 1956 films, Steel Jungle, and Mohawk. That same year she suffered a broken arm after a riding accident during the filming of Gunslinger. After recovering, she began appearing more on television.

In 1958, Hayes' most infamous role—being a blonde notwithstanding—was the female out for revenge in the first woman's lib film, The Attack of The 50 Foot Woman. That same year she was a Communist operative duped by secret agent, Gene Barry, in Hong Kong Confidential and teamed with Barry again for seven episodes of his television series, Bat Masterson. The following year she was the female lead in Counterplot opposite Forest Tucker. It was back to television for five appearances on Perry Mason from 1960-65. She continued her occasional movie bit parts in the 1963 comedy, Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed, and the Elvis Presley musical-comedy, Tickle Me, in 1965. She ended her career with two appearances on, Gomer Pyle: USMC, in 1967.

In spite of the low-budget projects and many secondary roles, she accounted for herself surprisingly well as a professional actress. By the 1970s, Hayes became terminally ill from lead poisoning and was later diagnosed with leukemia. She died at the age of forty-six.