Susan Oliver

Oliver started on Broadway in 1957, appearing in Small War on Murray Hill and replacing Mary Ure in Look Back in Anger. She soon moved to Hollywood and appeared in numerous television shows, including Climax!, Wagon Train, and Father Knows Best. In 1957, she was chosen for the title role in her first motion picture, The Green-Eyed Blonde. Her second Broadway play, Patate, had a short run but earned her a Theatre World Award.

She took on a variety of television roles throughout the 1960s, including appearances in The Twilight Zone, Route 66, and The Fugitive. One of her most memorable performances was as Vina in the original Star Trek pilot, 'The Cage,' which was later reused in 'The Menagerie.' In that episode, she was covered in green makeup, an image that later became famous. She also starred in Your Cheatin' Heart (1964) and The Disorderly Orderly, and had a continuing role on Peyton Place.

As acting opportunities declined in the late 1970s, Oliver turned to directing. She was among the first 19 women admitted to the American Film Institute's Directing Workshop for Women. She wrote and directed the short film Cowboysan in 1977 and directed episodes of M*A*S*H and Trapper John, M.D. Her last onscreen appearance was in 1988 on Freddy's Nightmares. She amassed 58 television credits in her career.