Vera Miles

Vera June Miles, born Vera June Ralston on August 23, 1929 is an American retired actress. Recognized for her roles in John Ford's Western films such as The Searchers (1956) and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962), she also featured prominently in Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho (1960) and Richard Franklin's sequel Psycho II (1983). Miles' other film credits include Tarzan's Hidden Jungle (1955), The Wrong Man (1956), A Touch of Larceny (1959), Follow Me, Boys! (1966), Hellfighters (1968), Sergeant Ryker (1968), and Molly and Lawless John (1972). Born in Boise City, Oklahoma, she grew up in Kansas and later in Wichita, working nights as a Western Union operator-typist and graduating from Wichita North High School in 1947. She was crowned Miss Kansas in 1948 and came third in the Miss America contest. Commencing her acting career in the 50s, she was successful both in film and television, and has made iconic appearances in shows such as Gunsmoke, Wagon Train, The Twilight Zone, Ironside, and many more. She was hitched to a five-year personal contract with Hitchcock in 1957, and was widely publicized as the director's potential successor to Grace Kelly. In her later years, she continued to appear in TV films and series as well as in movies and her last acting role was in the film Separate Lives (1995) before her retirement.