Diana Hyland

Diana Hyland

Born

January 25, 1936

Died

March 27, 1977 (41 years old)

Known For

Acting

Place of Birth

Cleveland Heights, Ohio, USA

Diana Hyland, a striking, knowing beauty with a confident air about her, was born Diane Gentner on January 25, 1936, in Ohio and appeared on stage in summer stock as a teen before graduating from Cleveland Heights High School. Moving to New York in 1955 to test her acting mettle, the slim-faced, honey-blonde actress began to find TV roles almost immediately (one of her first being a "Robert Montgomery Presents" episode) in between supplementing her income as a switchboard operator. Initially billed Diane Gentner, she changed it to Diana Hyland (taking her mother's maiden name). Following a tour of the play "Look Back in Anger," she broke through quite impressively on the Broadway boards as the neurotic ingénue in the acclaimed 1959 Tennessee Williams production of "Sweet Bird of Youth" starring Paul Newman and Geraldine Page. Her role of Heavenly Finley could have made her a film star had she been allowed to take it the big screen, but Shirley Knight was given that honor. In the early 60s, Diana focused on the small screen with strong, emotional roles on such soaps as "Young Dr. Malone" (1958) and "Peyton Place" (1964) (in a particularly showy role as a minister's alcoholic wife). She also scored well in a series of guest parts, notably "The Twilight Zone," "The Fugitive," "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour" and "Alcoa Presents," the last for which she received an Emmy nomination. She was a particularly sought-after presence on medical shows as well, spicing up such popular tearjerkers as "Ben Casey," "Dr. Kildare," "The Doctors and the Nurses," "Medical Center" and "Marcus Welby, M.D.". Strangely, Diana made noticeably few films during her career, her best showcase being that of the unconventional minister's wife opposite Don Murray's Rev. Norman Vincent Peale in One Man's Way (1964). In addition to a small, downbeat supporting turn in The Chase (1966) starring Marlon Brando, Robert Redford and, Jane Fonda, she also co-starred with Fess Parker in the routine western yarn Smoky (1966). Remaining focused on TV, Diana continued to brightened up the TV medium into the 1970s with an emphasis on crime ("Kojak, "Harry O", "Cannon," "Mannix," etc.). IMDb Mini Biography By: Gary Brumburgh / gr-home@pacbell.net

Eight Is Enough

Eight Is Enough

Joan Bradford · (9 episodes)

6.0

1977

The Boy in the Plastic Bubble

The Boy in the Plastic Bubble

Mickey Lubitch

5.6

1976

S.W.A.T.

S.W.A.T.

(1 episode)

7.0

1975

Harry O

Harry O

(1 episode)

4.6

1974

Happy Days

Happy Days

(1 episode)

7.6

1974

Kojak

Kojak

Cleo Donatello · (1 episode)

7.0

1973

Hawkins

Hawkins

Jennifer Pearson · (1 episode)

7.2

1973

Banyon

Banyon

(1 episode)

7.0

1972

Search

Search

(1 episode)

6.9

1972

Cannon

Cannon

(1 episode)

6.5

1971

Alias Smith and Jones

Alias Smith and Jones

(1 episode)

6.9

1971

Ritual of Evil

Ritual of Evil

Leila Barton

5.8

1970

Medical Center

Medical Center

(1 episode)

6.1

1969

The Name of the Game

The Name of the Game

Lisa Adrian · (1 episode)

6.8

1968

Jigsaw

Jigsaw

Sarah

6.0

1968

Mannix

Mannix

Janice Graham · (1 episode)

6.7

1967

Judd for the Defense

Judd for the Defense

(2 episodes)

7.5

1967

Ironside

Ironside

(1 episode)

6.8

1967

The Invaders

The Invaders

Sherri Vikor · (27 episodes)

6.8

1967

The Invaders

The Invaders

Ellie Markham · (2 episodes)

6.8

1967

Felony Squad

Felony Squad

(1 episode)

6.4

1966

The Iron Horse

The Iron Horse

Marta Grenier · (1 episode)

6.8

1966

The Green Hornet

The Green Hornet

Claudia Bromley · (1 episode)

7.1

1966

Tarzan

Tarzan

Diana Russell · (1 episode)

6.7

1966

Smoky

Smoky

Julie Richards

5.5

1966

Scalplock

Scalplock

Martha Grenier

6.5

1966

The Chase

The Chase

Elizabeth Rogers

7.1

1966

The F.B.I.

The F.B.I.

Marie-Luise Karn · (1 episode)

5.5

1965

The F.B.I.

The F.B.I.

Virginia Lamberth · (1 episode)

5.5

1965

The F.B.I.

The F.B.I.

Joanne Kinston · (1 episode)

5.5

1965

The F.B.I.

The F.B.I.

Pat Laner · (1 episode)

5.5

1965

Run for Your Life

Run for Your Life

Eileen Henderson · (1 episode)

7.2

1965

Run for Your Life

Run for Your Life

Diana Hays · (1 episode)

7.2

1965

Hercules and the Princess of Troy

Hercules and the Princess of Troy

Princess Diana

5.6

1965

The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

Miranda Bryant / Irina · (1 episode)

7.2

1964

Peyton Place

Peyton Place

Susan Winter · (517 episodes)

6.6

1964

The Rogues

The Rogues

Celeste Martel · (1 episode)

7.2

1964

One Man's Way

One Man's Way

Ruth Stafford Peale

4.0

1964

Kraft Suspense Theatre

Kraft Suspense Theatre

Laura DeLinda Stevenson / Laura Murdoch · (1 episode)

5.3

1963

Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre

(1 episode)

5.7

1963

Burke's Law

Burke's Law

Laurel Peachey · (1 episode)

6.0

1963

The Fugitive

The Fugitive

Stella Savano · (1 episode)

7.2

1963

The Fugitive

The Fugitive

Carol Hollister · (1 episode)

7.2

1963

The Fugitive

The Fugitive

Penny · (1 episode)

7.2

1963

The Fugitive

The Fugitive

Alison Priestley · (1 episode)

7.2

1963

Stoney Burke

Stoney Burke

(1 episode)

5.7

1962

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour

Janet Nelson · (1 episode)

7.8

1962

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour

Grace Renford · (1 episode)

7.8

1962

Sam Benedict

Sam Benedict

(1 episode)

6.0

1962

Alcoa Premiere

Alcoa Premiere

(62 episodes)

5.0

1961

Ben Casey

Ben Casey

(1 episode)

5.6

1961

Dr. Kildare

Dr. Kildare

Dr. Lilith McGraw · (1 episode)

5.5

1961

Dr. Kildare

Dr. Kildare

Marguerite Williams · (1 episode)

5.5

1961

The Twilight Zone

The Twilight Zone

Anne Henderson / Rider in Black · (1 episode)

8.4

1959

Young Doctor Malone

(322 episodes)

3.0

1958

Naked City

Naked City

Vivian North · (1 episode)

5.5

1958

Gunsmoke

Gunsmoke

Dallas Fair · (1 episode)

6.6

1955

Robert Montgomery Presents

Robert Montgomery Presents

Judy · (1 episode)

5.6

1950