Suzan Ball, a second cousin of the renowned Lucille Ball, was born on March 3, 1934, in Jamestown, New York. With her family, she made the move to Hollywood in 1941, where she would later pursue a career in the entertainment industry.
Suzan's early career in Hollywood was marked by her time spent singing with the Mel Baker Orchestra from 1948 to 1953. Her first notable role in a film was as a harem girl in Aladdin and His Lamp (1952) at Monogram Pictures.
In 1952, Suzan caught the attention of the talent department at Universal-International, signing a contract and being proclaimed "The New Cinderella Girl of 1952." She then appeared in the film Untamed Frontier (1952),where she met actor Scott Brady, with whom she had a brief romance and planned to get married.
Suzan's next film was City Beneath the Sea (1953),during which she began a romantic relationship with actor Anthony Quinn, who was still married to Katherine DeMille at the time. This romance was short-lived, lasting only a year due to Quinn's continued love for his wife.
In 1953, Suzan was named one of the most important "New Stars of 1953" by Hedda Hopper, a prominent film columnist. She then appeared in the film East of Sumatra (1953),during which she suffered an injury to her right leg during a dance number.
Suzan's next film was War Arrow (1953),where she was told by doctors that her leg had developed tumors. Later that year, she slipped on some spilled water and broke her leg while at home. She was rushed to the hospital and underwent surgery to remove the tumors, but the operation was not successful.
Doctors informed Suzan that amputation of her right leg would be necessary, and in December of 1953, she became engaged to actor Richard Long. On January 12, 1954, Suzan underwent the amputation surgery, and on April 4th of that year, she married Long in Santa Barbara, California, wearing an artificial limb.
Some notable guests attended Suzan's wedding, including Rock Hudson, Tony Curtis, Janet Leigh, David Janssen, and Jeff Chandler. After her wedding, Suzan embarked on a nightclub tour in May 1955.
However, Suzan's health began to decline, and in July 1955, she collapsed while rehearsing a scene for an episode of Climax! (1954). She was rushed to the hospital, where doctors discovered that the cancer had spread to her lungs.
Suzan Ball passed away on August 5th, 1955, at the age of 21, just six months after her birthday. She had fought her battle with cancer for 16 months before losing her life. Suzan was buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery, and her husband Richard Long was praised for his love and devotion to her throughout her long illness.
