Date of Birth

1 September 1930, Kansas City, Missouri, USA

Birth Name

Jo Ann Heckert

Spouse

David P. Mannhalter (5 August 1958 - present)

Arnold Stanford (16 June 1951 - 31 October 1955) (divorced)

First husband, Arnold ("Dok") Stanford, 16 years her senior, was a songwriter. Upon their divorce in 1955, she was awarded half interest in the songs he had written or would write within a year. She has been married over 50 years to her second husband David P. Mannhalter, a real estate broker.

Appeared on CBS' "Good Morning" show with Will Rogers Jr. for a year as a talk show host and singer. Barbara Walters was her assistant producer at the time.

Became a Jehovah's Witness in 1954, and later worked in the organization's main office in Brooklyn.

Starred in a 1954 stage production of "The Seven Year Itch" at the Pasadena Playhouse in the Marilyn Monroe role.

Had a seven-year contract with Universal but the studio dropped her option after five years.

Discovered by Elizabeth Taylor's agent, Herb Brenner for Universal Pictures.

Won several beauty contests, including "Miss KTLA-TV" and "Miss Southern California" of 1949.

Attended Hollywood High School and then went to UCLA for two years.

Had a stage mother who started her performing, dancing and singing, at the age of three. She and her mother moved to Hollywood after her parents' divorce.

1950s blonde, alluring leading lady of "B" horror and crime drama, a former Universal starlet.