Unsettling Facts About Tuesday Weld, The Teenager Who Survived Hollywood
Hollywood is filled with stories of child actors who grew up too fast, but Tuesday Weld might just be the ultimate one. Weld's penchant for scandal made people uncomfortable, but she still managed to become a star in her own right. Before that day, however, she was a verifiable hot mess. Let’s sink our teeth into these facts, and see what turned Tuesday Weld into an unlikely Hollywood survivor.
1. She Didn't Have It Easy
Actress Tuesday Weld was born Susan Ker Weld and it was not, as you might expect, on a Tuesday. It was Friday, August 27, 1943—a fateful day in the middle of Manhattan. But before you get images in your head of a privileged Manhattan upbringing, think again. While Weld’s father’s family had a lot of money, her father didn’t. Weld's family lived a precarious existence—one that could tumble at any moment.
2. She Carried His Baggage
Weld’s father, Lathrop Motley Weld, was the black sheep of the family. He had some serious baggage: addiction and a scandalous romantic history. After all, Weld's mother was her father's fourth wife. It could be that the only thing good about Lathrop was his ability to access his parents’ money. If that tap were ever to dry up, Weld would be in a heap of trouble.
3. She Faced An Early Tragedy
Just before she turned four, Susan Weld faced her very first crisis. Her small family became even smaller: Lathrop passed suddenly and left them in a terrible financial position. Weld’s mother, Yosene Balfour Ker, had her hands full with three kids and no source of income. What could she do? She needed a guardian angel. However, what she got was something altogether different.
4. She Lived In A Slum
Weld, her mother, and her siblings were living in a shabby, cold-water flat in a Manhattan slum—and still barely making rent. Weld’s father’s wealthy family saw the difficult position that Weld and her family were in.
They lived up in Tuxedo Park—which was about as fancy as it sounds—and could easily help out the family with some much-needed cash.
Out of the goodness of their hearts, they offered a home and education to the kids. They did, however, have one completely cruel stipulation.
