Haila Stoddard was born on November 14, 1913, in Great Falls, Montana. She spent the first eight years of her life in Montana before moving to Los Angeles, California, where she spent the remainder of her childhood. Stoddard's interest in acting developed at a young age, and she pursued her passion by earning a bachelor's degree in speech from the University of Southern California.
After completing her education, Stoddard began her acting career in San Francisco and Los Angeles. She made her mark in the theater world with performances in Stephen Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along. Stoddard's talent and dedication to the craft soon caught the attention of producers and directors, leading her to opportunities in both theater and television.
Stoddard is perhaps best known for her iconic role as Pauline Rysdale on the long-running CBS soap opera The Secret Storm. Her nearly two-decade portrayal of the character endeared her to audiences and solidified her as a talented actress in the soap opera genre.
Aside from her success in the world of soap operas, Stoddard also made a name for herself as a theater producer. Her company, Bonard Productions, was behind several successful Broadway productions, including the Tony-winning musical A Thurber Carnival and the Drama Desk Award-winning play Catholic School Girls. Stoddard's passion for theater extended beyond production, as she also wrote plays such as A Round With Ring and Zellerman, Arthur.
Stoddard's personal life was marked by marriages and motherhood. Her first marriage to Jack Kirkland produced two children before ending in divorce in the late 1940s. She went on to marry Harold Bromley, with whom she had a third child. Stoddard's final marriage was to Whitfield Connor, whom she was married to until Connor's passing in the late 1980s.
Haila Stoddard's contributions to the world of entertainment, both on stage and on screen, have left an indelible mark. Her talent as an actress, producer, and playwright will be remembered for generations to come.
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