Tompkins was born in
Chicago,
Illinois on November 16, 1940. Her parents were divorced when she reached the age of five and she took the surname of her stepfather. Her family performed in plays and
vaudeville, and she had an early goal to be a
Hollywood actress. At the age of twelve she was mauled by a dog which left her very self-conscious: "I got my chest scarred up from that. I always wore blouses and sweatshirts to cover myself." Her first acting role was in
Beyond the Time Barrier (1960). She then co-starred opposite
Elvis Presley in
Blue Hawaii (1961). She had a role in
My Six Loves (1963) and played parts in several television shows. Her career was interrupted by her marriage to Larry McFall; they had two sons. She was survived by her third husband and sons. == Filmography ==