Martha Vickers, born Martha MacVicar on May 28, 1925, in Ann Arbor, Michigan, was the daughter of James S. and Frances MacVicar.
She began her career as a model for photographer William Mortenson, which caught the attention of David O. Selznick, who signed her to a starlet contract.
Universal Studios took over her contract, and she appeared in various films, including Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man, Captive Wild Woman, and The Mummy's Ghost.
Martha earned WWII pin-up exposure in magazines such as "Yank: The Army Weekly" during this time.
RKO gave her higher-level billing in Marine Raiders and The Falcon in Mexico, but it was Warner Bros. that put her on the map with the film noir classic The Big Sleep.
She played Lauren Bacall's wild sister Carmen and earned celebrity status and a new stage moniker.
Martha continued to appear in "B" roles, including The Time, the Place and the Girl, The Man I Love, and That Way with Women.
She was part of the Hollywood dating scene, marrying producer A.C. Lyles in 1948, but the marriage was short-lived.
Martha married film star Mickey Rooney in 1949, but the marriage was also short-lived and did not advance her career.
She married Chilean polo player-turned-actor Manuel Rojas in 1954 and returned to the screen in The Big Bluff.
Martha moved into TV, performing in dramatic showcases, and had two children with Rojas.
She ended her career with the western Four Fast Guns in 1960 and guest-starred on a couple of episodes of the TV series "The Rebel."
Martha Vickers died of cancer in 1971 at the age of 46 in Hollywood, California.
