Diana Hyland


Diana Hyland was an American stage, film and television actress.

Early years

Hyland was born Diana Gentner in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Gentner.

Career

She made her acting debut in 1955 at age 19 in an episode of Robert Montgomery Presents. Over the next decade she appeared often in guest and supporting roles in various television series, including Naked City, The Eleventh Hour, The Fugitive, The Invaders and The Twilight Zone as well as cast in the feature film The Chase with Marlon Brando, Jane Fonda, and Robert Redford.
In 1959, she originated the role of Heavenly Finley in Tennessee Williams' Sweet Bird of Youth on Broadway, appearing with Geraldine Page and Paul Newman. In 1966, she co-starred in the movie Smoky in which she played Julie Richards, owner of the Rockin' R Ranch, who falls in love with Clint Barkeley, owner of Smokey, a black stallion turned cutting horse. The same year she appeared in an episode of the TV series The Man from U.N.C.L.E. titled "The Candidate's Wife Affair", and in another episode titled "The Nowhere Affair". From 1958 to 1963, Hyland was a regular on the NBC soap opera Young Doctor Malone, playing Gig Houseman, wife of the younger Dr. Malone.
Hyland's debut in a feature film was in One Man's Way. She had a continuing role as Susan Winter in the prime-time soap opera Peyton Place from 1968 to 1969. She appeared in the 1976 television movie The Boy in the Plastic Bubble, for which she won a posthumous Emmy Award. The following year, she co-starred with Dick Van Patten in the series Eight Is Enough, but appeared in only four episodes before her death, and her character, Joan Bradford died as well.

Personal life

Hyland dated actor Joe Goodson briefly before they were married on April 24, 1969. Their son Zachary Goodson was born in July 1973. They divorced in August 1974.
She began a romantic relationship with actor John Travolta, 18 years her junior, in 1976 after meeting him when she played his mother in the television movie The Boy in the Plastic Bubble.

Death

Hyland was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1977, and underwent a mastectomy. However, the cancer spread and her health deteriorated. Hyland and Travolta remained together until her death on March 27, 1977 in Los Angeles.

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
1955Robert Montgomery PresentsJudyEpisode: "Second Chance"
1956Star TonightLouiseEpisode: "Two Windows"
Episode: "Will Power"
1960Play of the WeekMabelEpisode: "Climate of Eden"
1961Play of the WeekEpisode: "No Exit/The Indifferent Lover"
Episode: "A Cool Wind Over the Living"
1961–1962Young Doctor MaloneGig Houseman MaloneTV series
1962'Mary DiFalco RobinsonEpisode: "The Unwanted"
1962'Episode: "Wanted: Someone Innocent"
1962Alcoa PremiereLiza LaurentsEpisode: "The Voice of Charlie Pont"
1962Sam BenedictDonna HeistandEpisode: "The Bird of Warning"
1963Ben CaseyGreta BauerEpisode: "Rigadoon for Three Pianos"
1963Stoney BurkeEileen FowlerEpisode: "To Catch the Kaiser"
1963The DuPont Show of the WeekEllen GrahamEpisode: "The Shark"
1963Naked CityVivian NorthEpisode: "Stop the Parade! A Baby Is Crying!"
1963Wagon TrainKitty PryerEpisode: "The Kitty Pryer Story"
1963Dr. KildareDr. Lilith McGrawEpisode: "Love Is a Sad Song"
1963Alfred Hitchcock PresentsJanet NelsonEpisode: "To Catch a Butterfly"
1964Alfred Hitchcock PresentsGrace RenfordEpisode: "Beyond the Sea of Death"
1964Twilight ZoneAnne HendersonEpisode: "Spur of the Moment"
1964'Madelyn MarnerEpisode: "A Full Moon Every Night"
1964Kraft Suspense TheatreLaura DeLinda Stevenson / Laura MurdochEpisode: "The Sweet Taste of Vengeance"
1964'Carol HollisterEpisode: "When the Bough Breaks"
1965'Stella SavanoEpisode: "Set Fire to a Straw Man"
1965Dr. KildareMarguerite WilliamsEpisode: "Please Let My Baby Live"
1965Burke's LawCeleste MartelEpisode: "Run for the Money"
1965'Dr. Mai LindEpisode: "The April Thaw of Doctor Mai"
1965Hercules and the Princess of TroyPrincess DianaTV movie
1965ConvoyLt. Katya KatrovichEpisode: "Katya"
1965'Margaret CochranEpisode: "The Sisters"
Episode: "I'm Dreaming of a Wide Isthmus"
1965Run for Your LifeEllen HendersonEpisode: "The Girl Next Door Is a Spy"
1966Run for Your LifeDiana HaysEpisode: "I Am the Late Diana Hays"
1966Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler TheatreMrs. CollierEpisode: "Guilty or Not Guilty"
1966ScalplockMarta GrenierTV movie
1966'Nancy PruittEpisode: "An Unfamiliar Tune"
1966Iron HorseMarta GrenierTV movie
1966I SpyMarisa TerizcuEpisode: "So Coldly Sweet"
1966'Attorney Claudia BromleyEpisode: "Give 'Em Enough Rope"
1966Twelve O'Clock HighHeidi VossEpisode: "Practice to Deceive"
1966'Mara
Miranda Bryant / Irina
Episode: "The Nowhere Affair"
Episode: "The Candidate's Wife Affair"
1966Felony SquadCloris HarteEpisode: "Killer with a Badge"
1966'PennyEpisode: "The Devil's Disciples"
1967'Alison PriestleyEpisode: "Dossier on a Diplomat"
1967'Marie-Louise Karn
Virginia Lamberth
Episode: "The Hostage"
Episode: "Overload"
1967TarzanDiana RussellEpisode: "The Fanatics"
1967'Sherri Vikor
Ellie Markham
3 episodes
1968Judd, for the DefenseJessie TreeEpisode: "Fall of a Skylark: Part 1 - The Trial"
Episode: "Fall of a Skylark: Part 2 - The Appeal"
1968–1969Peyton PlaceSusan Winter56 episodes
1969'Lisa AdrianEpisode: "The Perfect Image"
1970Ritual of EvilLeila BartonTV movie
1970Bracken's WorldMary DraperEpisode: "The Mary Tree"
1971IronsideHrûska PazoureckEpisode: "From Hrûska, with Love"
1971'WriterEpisode: "Casualty"
1971Marcus Welby, M.D.Cynthia CrowleyEpisode: "Cynthia"
1971Alias Smith and JonesClara PhilipsEpisode: "Return to Devil's Hole"
1971Dan AugustPhyllis HendricksEpisode: "Days of Rage"
1971Medical CenterSusanEpisode: "Suspected"
1971'Joanne KensterEpisode: "The Stalking Horse"
1972'Pat LanerEpisode: "Arrangement with Terror"
1972BanyonJulia EganEpisode: "The Graveyard Vote"
1973SearchAnjeanette Marie ShanahanEpisode: "Let Us Prey"
1973GunsmokeDallas FairEpisode: "Shadler"
1973'Lita ColemanEpisode: "Final Semester"
1973'Episode: "The Things I Never Said"
1974HawkinsJennifer PearsonEpisode: "Candidate for Murder"
1974Medical CenterPat LondeanEpisode: "Three-Cornered Cage"
1975Marcus Welby, M.D.Janet TrentEpisode: "Dark Fury: Part 1"
Episode: "Dark Fury: Part 2"
1975Harry OSandra DawesEpisode: "The Confetti People"
1975MannixJanice GrahamEpisode: "A Ransom for Yesterday"
1975S.W.A.T.Joanna BishopEpisode: "Kill S.W.A.T."
1975CannonNedra CameronEpisode: "The Melted Man"
1976KojakCleo DonatelloEpisode: "A Grave Too Soon"
1976Barnaby JonesNora BradfordEpisode: "Deadly Reunion"
1976Mickey LubitchTV movie
1977Happy DaysAdrianna PrescottEpisode: "Fonzie's Old Lady"
1977Eight Is EnoughJoan BradfordMain cast, 4 episodes