Allison Hayes (1930-1977)

biography

Born Mary Jane Hayes in Charleston, West Virginia, on March 6, 1930, actress Allison Hayes grew up to become Miss Washington D.C. in 1949. Hayes took jobs in early television in Washington before moving to California in 1953 to begin an acting career. From 1954 to 1965, she starred in a string of B movies and was a supporting player in a few "A" films. One of her earliest films was the Universal series entry Francis Joins the WACS (1954; with Mamie Van Doren). She counted among her friends Raymond Burr and Nancy Kulp, working with Burr five times on his Perry Mason series. In addition, Hayes made many other guest appearances on popular TV programs in the 1950s and 1960s, including Bat Masterson and Surfside 6.

Always in demand, Hayes' busiest period came in the late 1950s when she was cast in numerous B film roles, such as Gunslinger (1956; with Beverly Garland and John Ireland), The Unearthly (1957; with Tor Johnson and Sally Todd), The Disembodied (1957; with Paul Burke); Attack of the Fifty-Foot Woman (1958; with Yvette Vickers), and The High Powered Rifle (1960). After 1960, Hayes began taking on more television roles and made films only sporadically thereafter. In her last film, she appeared alongside Elvis Presley in Tickle Me (1965; with Merry Anders and Julie Adams). Hayes is featured in the beginning of Tickle Me as a drunken bar patron who lunges as Elvis as he performs. Viewers will note that she looks thin and gaunt in this, her only scene in the film. For years, Hayes had taken a doctor-prescribed calcium supplement with extreme levels of lead---so extreme that she contracted lead poisoning. After the onset of her illness in the mid 1960s, she was simply too ill to work and was housebound for long periods of time.

the films of allison hayes

Double Jeopardy (1955)

Chicago Syndicate (1955)

Count Three and Pray (1955)

Gunslinger (1956)

The Steel Jungle (1956)

Mohawk (1956)

The Disembodied (1957)

Zombies of Mora Tau (1957)

Attack of the 50 Ft. Woman (1958)

Wolf Dog (1958)

Counterplot (1959)

Pier 5, Havana (1959)

The High Powered Rifle (1960)

The Hypnotic Eye (1960)

later years

Sadly, the original 50-foot woman passed away just a few days before her 47th birthday on February 27, 1977, following a 13-year illness that forced her into retirement. Jack Randall Earles writes: Her lead poisoning and subsequent leukemia were the direct result of a health food supplement that was sold to her over a period of many years. Its contents gave her lead poisoning. Her efforts at reform caused the FDA to reexamine its policy on health food supplements. Hayes is buried in Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California.

the allison hayes gallery

allison hayes films available from movies unlimited

TELEVISION
Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.: The Fourth Season [DVD](1967) DVD
All 30 episodes from season four--including "A Visit from Aunt Bee," "To Watch a Thief," "Gomer Goes Home," "Sergeant Iago," and "Friendly Freddy, The Gentleman's Tailor"--are collected in a five-disc set. 12 1/2 hrs. total. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono. **30 episodes on 5 discs. 12 1/2 hrs.**
Perry Mason: 50th Anniversary Edition [DVD] DVD
Twelve of the series's best episodes--including "The Case of the Wary Wildcatter," "The Case of the Treacherous Toupee," "The Case of the Counterfeit Crank," "The Case of the Shoplifter's Shoe," and "The Case of the Final Fade-Out"--have been collected in this four-disc set. Also included is "Perry Mason Returns" (1985), the TV movie that finds the legal eagle (Raymond Burr), now a judge, stepping down from the bench to defend former secretary Della Street (Barbara Hale) when she's accused of murder. 12 hrs. total. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; featurette; interviews; photo gallery; TV spots; screen tests; more.

FILM
Mohawk [DVD](1956) DVD
A peace-loving federal agent (Scott Brady) and an Indian woman (Rita Gam) work together to prevent a range war, only to fall in love in the process and face rejection from both their peoples. Western drama also stars Neville Brand, Lori Nelson. 80 min.
The Great American Western, Vol. 8 [DVD] DVD
Susan Hayward is an Oklahoma cattleman's daughter out for revenge against the oil company she blames for her father's death, in "Tulsa" (1949). With Robert Preston. A peace-loving federal agent (Scott Brady) and an Indian woman (Rita Gam) work together to prevent a range war and fall in love in the process, in "Mohawk" (1956). Dennis Hopper is a gunslinger in 1848 California whose murder trial tests the newly formed state's justice system, in "The Young Land" (1959). Dan O'Herlihy, Yvonne Craig co-star. Finally, a young man must stop a con artist out to cheat his uncle, in "Fair Play" (1972). Paul Ford, Paul Glaser star. 5 1/2 hrs. total.
A Lust To Kill [DVD](1957) DVD
After his kid brother is slaughtered by law officers, a bandit gets even more ornery, escaping the law with help from his gal pal and seeking revenge on his former partner, whom he holds responsible for the killing. Jim Davis, Don Megowan and Allison Hayes star.
Sam Katzman: Icons Of Horror Collection [DVD] DVD
This collection of four chill-packed classics from prolific producer Sam Katzman begins with "Creature with the Atom Brain" (1955), as a down-and-out mobster enlists the aid of a wicked German scientist to create an army of murderous zombies to serve as his personal squad of assassins. Michael Granger, Angela Stevens star. Next, an amnesiac man (Steven Ritch) goes from a guinea pig to "The Werewolf" (1956), suffering the after-effects of an experimental serum coursing through his veins. With Joyce Holden and Don Megowan. Eager treasure hunters have their work cut out for them when a sunken ship off the African coast is found to be loaded with a fortune in diamonds...as well as the "Zombies of Mora Tau" (1957)! Gregg Palmer, Allison Hayes, Morris Ankrum star. AKA: "The Dead That Walk." Then, look, up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a puppet! It's "The Giant Claw" (1957)! Can Jeff Morrow and Playboy Playmate Mara Corday stop the ferocious, big-beaked alien fowl before it destroys the world? Ankrum, Louis Merrill also star. 4 3/4 hrs. total on two discs. Standard/Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English; bonus shorts "Terror Faces Magoo" (1959), "Midnight Blunders" (1936); theatrical trailers.
The Disembodied (Remastered Edition) [DVD](1957) DVD
A photographer is sent deep into the jungle on assignment and finds himself tempted by a beautiful voodoo priestess who wants his help with her sinister plot to kill her husband, the local village doctor. Will the shutterbug's refusal make him next on her list of victims? Paul Burke, Allison Hayes, John Wengraf star in this creepy supernatural thriller. 73 min. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono.
Cult Camp Classics, Vol. 1: Sci-Fi Thrillers [DVD] DVD
Three-disc set includes "Attack of the 50-Foot Woman" (1958), "Queen of Outer Space" and "The Giant Behemoth."
Attack Of The 50-Foot Woman [DVD](1958) DVD
A suspicious wife gets the upper hand (literally) on her philandering husband when a stranded alien zaps her with a "growth ray." Allison Hayes cuts several fine figures as the beauteous behemoth in this classic sci-fi turkey. With Yvette Vickers, William Hudson. 66 min. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English (SDH), French; audio commentary.
Counterplot [DVD](1959) DVD
Fast-paced crime thriller stars Forrest Tucker as Brock Miller, a man on the run from the cops for a murder he didn't commit. Miller heads down to Puerto Rico to lay low while trying to find the real killer and clear his name, but soon learns that the lawyer he trusted means to double-cross him. With Allison Hayes, Gerald Milton, Jackie Wayne. 77 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English.
The Hypnotic Eye (Remastered Edition) [DVD](1960) DVD
When apparently unrelated beautiful women suffer horrific self-inflicted injuries, the police begin an investigation that leads them to a stage hypnotist. Is the mesmerist responsible for this insidious campaign of mind control, or is he simply a charlatan in a fancy tux? Chills and thrills galore mark this B-movie delight starring Jacques Bergerac, Allison Hayes, and Lawrence Lipton as "King of the Beatniks." 78 min. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono.

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allison hayes photos and posters available

filmography

FILM
Tickle Me (1965) with Elvis Presley, Julie Adams, Bill Williams, and Merry Anders
The Crawling Hand (1963) with Kent Taylor, Peter Breck, Richard Arlen, and Alan Hale Jr.
Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed? (1963) with Elizabeth Montgomery and Dean Martin
The High Powered Rifle (1960) with Willard Parker
The Hypnotic Eye (1960) with Merry Anders, Jacques Bergerac, and Marcia Henderson
Counterplot (1959) with Forrest Tucker
A Lust to Kill (1959) with Jim Davis and Rickie Sorenson
Pier 5, Havana (1959) with Cameron Mitchell
Wolf Dog (1958) with Jim Davis
Attack of the 50 Foot Woman (1958) with William Hudson and Yvette Vickers
Hong Kong Confidential (1958) with Gene Barry
The Disembodied (1957) with Paul Burke
The Undead (1957) with Richard Garland, Bruno VeSota, and Dick Miller
The Unearthly (1957) with Sally Todd, Tor Johnson, Myron Healey, and John Carradine
Zombies of Mora Tau (1957) with Gregg Palmer, Autumn Russell, Joel Ashley, Morris Ankrum, and Ray 'Crash' Corrigan
The Gunslinger (1956) with Beverly Garland, John Ireland, Bruno VeSota, Jonathan Haze, and Dick Miller
Mohawk (1956) with Lori Nelson, Scott Brady, Neville Brand, John Hoyt, and Mae Clark
The Steel Jungle (1956) with Beverly Garland and Gregory Walcott
The Prodigal (1955) with Lana Turner and Edmund Purdom
The Purple Mask (1955) with Colleen Miller, Tony Curtis, and Gene Barry
Chicago Syndicate (1955) with Dennis O'Keefe, Abbe Lane, and Xavier Cugat
Count Three and Pray (1955) with Van Heflin, Joanne Woodward, Philip Carey, Raymond Burr, and Myron Healey
Francis Joins the Wacs (1954) with Mamie Van Doren, Julie Adams, and Zasu Pitts
Double Jeopardy (1954) with Robert Armstrong, Rod Cameron, and Jack Kelly
Sign of the Pagan (1954) with Jeff Chandler, Jeff Morrow, and Jack Palance
So This Is Paris (1954) with Tony Curtis, Corrine Calvet, and Mara Corday

TELEVISION SERIES
General Hospital, 1963-present ABC daytime drama. Hayes portrayed Priscilla Longsworth from 1963 to 1964
Ripcord, 1962-1963 TV series. Also featured on the series were Larry Pennell and Ken Curtis
Acapulco, 1961 TV series. Also featured were Ralph Taeger, Telly Savalas, and Bobby Troup

TELEVISION GUEST SHOTS
Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., episode A Child Shall Lead Them, originally aired October 27, 1967
Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., episode Gomer Says 'Hey' to the President, originally aired October 20, 1967
The Iron Horse, episode Death by Triangulation, originally aired March 20, 1967
The F.B.I., episode The Contaminator, originally aired December 4, 1966
Perry Mason, episode The Case of the Laughing Lady, originally aired September 12, 1965
Perry Mason, episode The Case of the Deadly Debt, originally aired April 1, 1965
Perry Mason, episode The Case of the Bogus Books, originally aired September 27, 1962
Kraft Mystery Theater, episode Change of Heart, originally aired September 12, 1962
77 Sunset Strip, episode The Parallel Caper, originally aired February 23, 1962
Bachelor Father, episode Summer Love, originally aired February 20, 1962
Ripcord, episode Para-Nurse, originally aired February 1, 1962
Perry Mason, episode The Case of the Captain's Coins, originally aired January 13, 1962
Surfside 6, episode Prescription for Panic, originally aired December 4, 1961
Laramie, episode The Fatal Stop, originally aired October 24, 1961
Zane Grey Theater, episode Jericho, originally aired May 18, 1961
The Case of the Dangerous Robin, episode Design for Death, originally aired May 8, 1961
Bat Masterson, episode Murder Can Be Dangerous, originally aired November 3, 1960
The Untouchables, episode The Rusty Heller Story, originally aired October 13, 1960
Bat Masterson, episode The Elusive Baguette, originally aired June 2, 1960
Bat Masterson, episode The Reluctant Witness, originally aired March 31, 1960
Tombstone Territory, episode Memory, originally aired March 25, 1960
Perry Mason, episode The Case of the Singing Skirt, originally aired March 12, 1960
Men Into Space, episode Moon Cloud, originally aired February 17, 1960
Bat Masterson, episode Deadly Diamonds, originally aired February 11, 1960
Richard Diamond, Private Detective, episode Dead to the World, originally aired January 11, 1960
The Alaskans, episode Starvation Stampede, originally aired November 1, 1959
Rawhide, episode Incident at the Buffalo Smokehouse, originally aired October 30, 1959
Tombstone Territory, episode The Writer, originally aired October 30, 1959
World of Giants, episode The Pool, originally aired October 24, 1959
Tombstone Territory, episode Red Terror of Tombstone, originally aired October 9, 1959
Mike Hammer, episode Mere Maid, originally aired October 5, 1959
Captain David Grief, episode The Little White Church on Goboto, originally aired September 20, 1959
Markham, episode Vendetta in Venice, originally aired June 27, 1959
Bat Masterson, episode The Secret Is Death, originally aired May 27, 1959
Bat Masterson, episode License to Cheat, originally aired February 4, 1959
The Rough Riders, episode An Eye for an Eye, originally aired January 15, 1959
Bat Masterson, episode Dude's Folly, originally aired November 26, 1958
Tombstone Territory, episode A Bullet for an Editor, originally aired November 13, 1957
The Web, episode The Gambler, originally aired July 21, 1957
The Millionaire, episode The Dr. Alan March Story, originally aired April 3, 1957
Death Valley Days, episode Lady Engineer, originally aired April 1, 1957
The Ford Television Theatre, episode Fate Travels East, originally aired March 13, 1957
Warner Brothers Presents, episode Deep Freeze, originally aired May 8, 1956
Four Star Playhouse, episode Here Comes the Suit, originally aired November 17, 1955

allison hayes links

The Real Allison Hayes
Allison Hayes has a super fan in Jack Randall Earles. Read his in-depth biography of Allison Hayes at this site.

Cult Sirens: Allison Hayes
Visit Cult Sirens to read a bio of Allison Hayes.