Diana Hyland was born on January 25, 1936 in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, USA. Her father was John Gentner and her mother was Mary Gentner. She was a daughter of a German/Dutch, Irish, and Scottish background. After graduating from Cleveland Heights High School, she moved to New York City and began acting. In addition to acting, she worked as a switchboard operator.
After working in small roles in theater and summer stock, she landed her first television role. During her teen years, she appeared on several TV shows, including “Robert Montgomery Presents” and “Young Doctor Malone”. When she turned 19 in 1955, she was cast in the television series “All My Children” as Joanie Bradford. Later in the show’s run, her character was written out.
Despite a brief marriage to Joe Goodson in 1969, she remained focused on her career and was primarily an actress in the TV medium. She made a series of guest appearances, including one in The Twilight Zone, and was nominated for an Emmy award for her performance in the Alcoa Premiere. Although she appeared in a number of films, she was known for her role in the 1976 television movie The Boy in the Plastic Bubble, which starred John Travolta.
In 1977, Diana Hyland was diagnosed with breast cancer. Eventually, she lost her battle. However, she won a posthumous Emmy award for her supporting role in ‘The Boy in the Plastic Bubble’.
Before she died in 1977, Diana was working on the film ‘Eight is Enough’. This movie was based on a true story. She played the role of Joan Bradford, a matriarch in the family comedy-drama. Unfortunately, the film only filmed four episodes.
At the age of 18, she met John Travolta while filming the television movie ‘The Boy in the Plastic Bubble’. They fell in love and were romantically involved. Sadly, they broke up because of Diana’s cancer. But it didn’t affect their careers, as they stayed friends. It was only a matter of time until they realized they had true feelings for each other.
Following their split, John and Diana dated for a year. But, by Christmas, Diana had been diagnosed with breast cancer. As John was busy completing his projects, he had to fly to Ohio to visit her. While there, they planned a trip to Rio, where they would have their last date.
Although Diana and John had a brief relationship, they didn’t end up getting married. By the end of their time together, she had been diagnosed with breast cancer, which killed her.
While she was still alive, she worked on the film ‘The Chase’ with Marlon Brando. Afterward, she went on to have four more film appearances. Finally, she died in 1977 at the age of 41 from breast cancer.
As a talented actress, Diana Hyland left a memorable legacy in the entertainment industry. She was a strikingly beautiful woman who had a passionate and independent personality. Her death is a tragic loss to her family and fans, but she left a lasting mark on the world of entertainment.
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