Brooke Hayward (born July 5, 1937) is an American stage, film and
television actress. She is the author of Haywire, a best-selling
memoir about her family.Born in Los Angeles, Hayward is the eldest of
three children born to agent turned film, television, and stage
producer Leland Hayward and actress Margaret Sullavan. Brooke Hayward
is a great-granddaughter of Monroe Hayward, former U.S. Senator from
Nebraska, and the granddaughter of Colonel William Hayward, who led
the United States' 369th Infantry Regiment, aka the "Harlem
Hellfighters", the first regiment composed entirely of
African-American soldiers during the First World War. She is also a
descendant of Mayflower passenger William White, and pilgrim Robert
Coe. Hayward had a younger sister Bridget (born in 1939) and a brother
William "Bill" (born in 1941).When Hayward was 7 years old, the family
moved to a farm in Brookfield, Connecticut. Hayward's parents divorced
in April 1948. The following year, Hayward's father married Nancy
"Slim" Hawks (later known as Slim Keith). After his divorce from Slim
Hawks, Leland Hayward married Pamela Harriman. Her mother married
importer and producer Kenneth Wagg in 1950. Margaret Sullavan died of
an accidental drug overdose on January 1, 1960. Nine months later, on
October 17, 1960, Hayward's younger sister Bridget was found dead of a
drug overdose in her apartment in New York City. Bridget left what was
described as an "incoherent note", the contents of which never were
made public. Her death was ruled a suicide. Hayward's brother Bill
also committed suicide by gunshot on March 9, 2008.
television actress. She is the author of Haywire, a best-selling
memoir about her family.Born in Los Angeles, Hayward is the eldest of
three children born to agent turned film, television, and stage
producer Leland Hayward and actress Margaret Sullavan. Brooke Hayward
is a great-granddaughter of Monroe Hayward, former U.S. Senator from
Nebraska, and the granddaughter of Colonel William Hayward, who led
the United States' 369th Infantry Regiment, aka the "Harlem
Hellfighters", the first regiment composed entirely of
African-American soldiers during the First World War. She is also a
descendant of Mayflower passenger William White, and pilgrim Robert
Coe. Hayward had a younger sister Bridget (born in 1939) and a brother
William "Bill" (born in 1941).When Hayward was 7 years old, the family
moved to a farm in Brookfield, Connecticut. Hayward's parents divorced
in April 1948. The following year, Hayward's father married Nancy
"Slim" Hawks (later known as Slim Keith). After his divorce from Slim
Hawks, Leland Hayward married Pamela Harriman. Her mother married
importer and producer Kenneth Wagg in 1950. Margaret Sullavan died of
an accidental drug overdose on January 1, 1960. Nine months later, on
October 17, 1960, Hayward's younger sister Bridget was found dead of a
drug overdose in her apartment in New York City. Bridget left what was
described as an "incoherent note", the contents of which never were
made public. Her death was ruled a suicide. Hayward's brother Bill
also committed suicide by gunshot on March 9, 2008.
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