Judy Tyler

 Judy Tyler, born Judith Mae Hess (October 9, 1932 – July 3, 1957)

She came from a show business family and was encouraged to study dance and acting. Tyler's acting career began as a teenager, with regular appearances on Howdy Doody as Princess Summerfall Winterspring from 1950 to 1953. Like her mother, Tyler became a chorus girl, and then landed a starring role in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Pipe Dream. Life did a story on rising Broadway talent with Tyler on its cover as one of the up-and-coming stars. Tyler lived with her parents in Teaneck while appearing on Howdy Doody and Broadway. Offered an opportunity in Hollywood, Tyler appeared in the film Bop Girl Goes Calypso (1957), then starred opposite Elvis Presley in Jailhouse Rock (1957). She also made a guest appearance on Perry Mason as Irene Kilby in "The Case of the Fan Dancer's Horse". After filming Jailhouse Rock, Tyler and her second husband, Gregory Lafayette (born Earl Gregory Nisonger Jr.), drove home to New York from Hollywood. While driving through Wyoming on July 3, 1957, they were involved in an automobile accident on U.S. Route 287 near Rock River. Tyler was killed instantly, aged 24, and Lafayette died the next day. Tyler is interred inside the Nisonger family private room at Ferncliff Cemetery and Mausoleum in Hartsdale, New York.