SUSAN HENNING BIOGRAPHY

With a father of German-Irish descent and a mother, Gulli, born in Sweden, in awe of "Stars" and "Hollywood" and a grandmother "Mormor" born in Sweden immigrating to U.S.A. with Gulli in tow and finding herself personal assistant to "Billy Burke" and "Mr. Ziegfeld"...Susan was destined to be in show biz.

Named after Susan Hayward and Mr. Ziegfeld's daughter "Patricia", Susan Patricia Henning, at the tender age of six, had her debut in the industry doing a runway modeling job.

Snatched up the first day of modeling, Susan and her four year older sister "Bonita", named after Bonita Grandville, signed with agent Mary Webb Davis in 1953.

Susan, born in North Hollywood, raised in the San Fernando Valley, the blonde, tan, blue eyed California girl epitomized the Healthy All American girl.

Work came easily and it was a frequent occurrence from first grade throughout the next twelve years of schooling for Susan to see her mother's face at her class room door ready to take Susan for a job interview for anything from modeling, magazine, print radio, voice overs, television commercials, TV series or movie work.

 

 

Turning 18 in 1965 terminated Susan's mother's chaperone job, after winning "Miss Teen USA" in 1965, a new freedom in the sixties brought a heyday of opportunities for coveted acting roles and multiple options to enhance an already successful life.

With a show business lifestyle and her "job", Susan was never enamored with her acting peers or fellow celebrities. Susan had a daughter "Courtney" in 1966 with actor Robert Logan that she raised herself. This blessing kept her stabilized and grounded, keeping her nose somewhat clean, in a business of temptation.

Some fond memories are working with Hayley on "THE PARENT TRAP." Yes, I was the other twin, after 50 years the truth can come out. Uncle Walt (Walt Disney) gave me a special "Duckster" for my "Best Unseen Performance by an Actress" in the film and allowing them to keep my role a secret. There are only three Ducksters in the world and I treasure mine. Sharing almost four months of my 12 year old life at the time while we made THE PARENT TRAP with Hayley Mills, Brian Keith, Maureen O'Hara, Leo G. Carrol, Una Merkel and Joanna Barnes, we became like family and stay in touch even today.

Another "fun" show in my youth was "WAGON TRAIN" with Ward Bond. Not just being "Betty Davis's" daughter in this "ELLA LINDSTROM STORY" but, because I was the athletic equestrian, Ward pulled me up onto the back of his horse and we trotted and cantered across acres of the Thousand Oaks set as part of this series show.

Along with acting, dancing was another gift I had that my mother developed through ardent classes in ballet, modern dance and jazz.

This ability opened doors to multiple TV specials. Pat Paulson and I did a great, romantic farce in delicate negligees, running heavenly in flowers and meadows, culminating in embraced passion, rolling down hills in cow pies, ending in the ocean wrapped in sea weed...it was part of the Glenn Campbell Special. Other notable specials were with Frankie Avelon at Easter, dancing and singing through the apple orchard, the Dean Martin show where my often utilized bikini body romped with Dean to a romantic love song, Buddy Greco and of course,

my all time favorite, the 1968 "ELVIS SPECIAL" where Elvis and I came together again igniting our chemistry to thrill the fans.

Many more TV shows, movies, "GNOME-MOBILE" with Walter Brennan and Ed Winn, PICCASSO'S SUMMER with Albert Finney, and LIVE A LITTLE, LOVE A LITTLE with Elvis made for an exciting decade.

The shooting call from THE PARENT TRAP which was under the working title "We Should Be Together."

After 55 years of Hollywood with no plans of curtailing my creative career, I now embrace my Hollywood past as a total enrichment to my development as a woman and an enhancement to a very colorful life in the fast lane, that continues yearly to amaze me how blessed I was to have the life I've led and keep experiencing.

I've captured some thoughts, never before seen photos, and precious memories during my "Elvis Years" for you in my book "68," you will enjoy my intimate memoir.

It was wonderful seeing some of you at ELVIS WEEK. Thank you for saying "hello" at this event in the Cannon Center for the Performing Arts and asking for autographs!

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