One of the most popular cult movies of all time continues to be “Attack of the 50 Foot Woman,” from 1958 starring actress Allison Hayes as Nancy Archer.

While there have been a few remakes, one with Daryl Hannah in 1993, the original is still the one that many fondly remember.

Speaking of Hayes and besides “Attack,” she is mostly known for other bad-girl roles in various B-movies, including “The Undead” (1957), and “Zombies of Mora Tau” (1957).

A DIFFERENT NAME

The brunette beauty known for her deep sultry voice, and big brown eyes, was born Mary Jane Hayes in Charleston, W.Va. on March 6, 1930, to William Edward Hayes and Charlotte M. Gibson Hayes.

According to Mary Johnson at the West Virginia Archives and History, Hayes’s connection to West Virginia appears to have been fairly short.

“In 1930, her father worked at the Naval Ordnance Plant in South Charleston as a master mechanic (1930 census), but he was a native of Connecticut. His wife was from D.C., as were her older brother and sister (William E. Jr. and Cathryn E.). It appears they were half-siblings; her parents having been married three years at the time and William E. Jr. and Cathryn E. being 20 and 19 years of age respectively,” she said.

Johnson said William and Charlotte were married in Kanawha County on May 11, 1927.

By 1940, Mary Jane and her parents were in Washington, D.C. She added that in 1949, Hayes at 5 feet 8 inches tall had entered the Miss America Pageant.

HELLO, HOLLYWOOD

Although unsuccessful at taking home a grand prize in the beauty pageant, the opportunity gave Hayes the chance on local television in Washington before she moved on to Hollywood in 1954.

Her first movie was “Francis Joins the WACs” (1954), in which she played the second tier to a mule. Her next role, that of Iloico in “Sign of the Pagan” (1954) opposite Jack Palance was a major role for her, but it didn’t get her noticed for better films.

When she was filming “Sign of the Pagan,” she suffered several broken ribs, and then while filming “Foxfire” (1955), she sued Universal Studios for her injuries; Universal fired her and finished the movie minus Hayes. She went on to sign with Columbia Pictures.

In various online reports Hayes said her second film with Columbia was her best, “Count Three and Pray” (1955), but her costar, Joanne Woodward was the one noticed.

After breaking her arm in a fall from a horse during the filming of “Gunslinger” (1956), Hayes turned to television roles.

In 1958, she played the leading role in “Attack of the 50-Foot Woman,” a film that didn’t bring her any A-list movies, but it did gain a cult classic following.

From 1963-1964, Hayes landed the recurring role of Priscilla Longsworth in the soap opera “General Hospital,” but at this stage in her career, things were ending.

Some say she was funny especially when she appeared opposite Dean Martin in “Who’s Been Sleeping in My Bed?” (1963), and then with Elvis Presley in “Tickle Me” (1965), however, besides those two appearances, she was not noticed for her comic ability.

TV AND HEALTH ISSUES

Hayes stayed in the TV business and continued having guest appearances on the small screen’s “Perry Mason,” but she had severe health problems. Some reports state she could walk only with a cane, thus it was hard for her to get to work.

She eventually learned the cause of her health problems as acute lead poisoning, from a calcium supplement her physician had prescribed for her.

According to some websites, Hayes “began a campaign to have the FDA monitor the sale of dietary supplements, but they remain mostly unregulated.” She was only partially successful in getting some imported supplements regulated and her health deteriorated.

Known also as a gifted concert pianist and at one time a model for Frederick’s of Hollywood, Hayes was eventually diagnosed with leukemia in 1976.

Hayes died in La Jolla at age 46 on Feb. 27, 1977, as the lead poisoning had deteriorated her kidneys, heart, and blood vessels.

Hayes is buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City; her plot is located in the Mother of Sorrows, Lot 681, Section N, Grave 1.

SEE THE FLICK

If you haven’t watched the original “Attack of the 50 Foot Woman” starring Hayes from 1958 don’t miss her as Nancy Archer, an abused heiress who becomes a giant-sized woman after her encounter with aliens. She decides to get revenge on her cheating husband played by William Hudson and others who annoy her. The 66-minute film was directed by Nathan Hertz and had a budget of 65,000-$89,000 and brought in $480,000 in 1958 at the box office.