Bernadene Hayes

Hayes was born at 3855 Lindell Boulevard in St. Louis, Missouri, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. B. F. Hayes.[3] She had three brothers and three sisters. She began performing in amateur productions when she was 9 years old.[4] When she was in high school, she worked in a department store during vacation breaks.[5] She graduated from Yeatman High School and attended Washington University for one semester.[4]

Hayes first sang professionally when, at the age of 18, she filled in as a singer at Loew's State Theatre in St. Louis.[5] A contract soon resulted,[6] and she performed with Teddy Joyce and his band on a vaudeville tour.[7] When she performed at an exhibition in St. Louis, the manager of the radio station KMOX heard her, which led to her becoming a performer on its staff. A year later, she moved to WWJ in Detroit.[6] She joined the staff of the radio station WBBM as a singer in the fall of 1929, performing both on local programs and on CBS network broadcasts.[8] As an actress, in 1930, she portrayed the village matron Frances Nichols in The Quilting Party and Lib, a mountain girl, on Market Day; both programs were on CBS.[9] On May 6, 1930, she returned to singing as she was featured in the weekly O'Cedar Time program.[10] In September 1930 she was named the most beautiful radio performer in America.[11]

After working in Chicago, Hayes moved to Los Angeles, where she sang with bands at The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel and acted,[12] beginning her work in films as an extra at $10 per day.[13] Films in which she appeared included Absolute Quiet, Idiot's Delight, Living in a Big Way,[12] This Gun for Hire, Great Guy, The Emperor's Candlesticks, King of Chinatown, Woman in the Night,[13] The Judgement Book,[14] Trigger Tom,[15] Along Came Love,[16] Bunco Squad,[17] That's My Story,[18] and The Accusing Finger.[19] She portrayed the sassy saloon girl Faro Annie in North of the Rio Grande, and starred in the musical comedy Idiot's Delight in 1939. Her later screen appearances included a role as Longshot Lillie in 1947's Dick Tracy's Dilemma.

On Broadway, she had the roles of Mayme Speer in Mother Sings (1935), Hilda Zanhiser in Mid-West (1936), Gladys Cay in Aries Is Rising (1939, Mazie Stoner in Blind Alley (1940), Dean Baxter in School for Brides (1944),[20] and Mona Gilbert in Make Yourself at Home (1945).[21] She also acted in summer stock theatre[3] and on stage in local productions in the Los Angeles area.[13] She performed in several Little Theatre productions, notably at the Pasadena Playhouse.[4]

Hayes appeared on television in episodes of The Lineup,[22] The Doctor[23] and Boston Blackie.[24]

Hayes's work on stage included being featured in Make Yourself At Home at the Barrymore Theater in New York City in 1945.[25]

On January 29, 1943, Hayes married the actor William Leicester in Chicago. She petitioned for divorce on July 7, 1948.[26]

On August 29, 1987,[12] Hayes died in her sleep[2] of heart problems[13] at the age of 75 in her home in the Westchester area of Los Angeles. Services were held at St. Jerome's Catholic Church, and she was buried at Holy Cross Cemetery.[12]

• Pitts, Michael R. Western Movies: A Guide to 5,105 Feature Films. McFarland, 2012.

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• Bernadene Hayes at IMDb