Piper Laurie
Piper Laurie was born Rosetta Jacobs in Detroit, Michigan to parents of Russian and Polish ancestry. Piper had been studying acting with Benno and Betomi Schnider for three years when she auditioned for Universal Studios, who signed her to a long term contract. They made more than twenty films starring the teenage girl opposite such actors as Tony Curtis, Rock Hudson and Tyrone Power. Disgusted with the lack of serious roles, Laurie finally broke her lucrative Hollywood contract, moved to New York, lived on a budget, worked on live television and theater, and within two years changed her life and her career.