Hyams was born in
Cambridge, Massachusetts, on June 6, 1923, and grew up in nearby
Brookline. While attending
Harvard University, he enlisted in the
United States Army in 1942. He received a
Purple Heart and was awarded the
Bronze Star Medal while serving in the
South Pacific. He later covered the war for
Stars and Stripes, the official newspaper of the United States Armed Forces. He earned bachelor's and master's degrees at
New York University, after returning from military service. In 1951, the
New York Herald Tribune sent him to do an article on
illegal immigration to the United States. He was flown to Mexico on a small airplane and came back into the United States with a group crossing the border illegally. Once the story was complete, his editor told him that a room was waiting for him at
the Beverly Hills Hotel. "Take a break, and if you get a chance to interview any movie stars, go for it." Asked by a man seated at the hotel's pool what he was doing at the hotel, he replied that he was supposed to interview movie stars. "How would you like to interview Humphrey Bogart?" was the reply from what turned out to be Bogart's press agent. When Hyams arrived, Bogart was behind the bar and offered him a drink. Hyams asked for a Coke and Bogart reacted angrily: "I don't trust any bastard who doesn't drink, especially a pipe-smoking newspaperman… or a man who has more hair than I have." At this, Hyams pocketed his notebook and headed for the door. "I don't drink," he said on his way out, "and I certainly have more hair on my head than you do." Bogart liked the courage of the reply and not only granted Hyams an interview, but as soon as it appeared invited him to lunch. In addition to the interview with
Humphrey Bogart, within the week Hyams had interviewed
Lauren Bacall,
Katharine Hepburn,
Frank Sinatra and
Spencer Tracy. The
Herald Tribune had him relocated to Los Angeles. He covered Hollywood as a
syndicated columnist from 1951 to 1964. With
penologist Tom Murton, he wrote
Accomplices to the Crime: The Arkansas Prison Scandal, a 1969 nonfiction account that was the basis for the 1980 film
Brubaker starring
Robert Redford with supporting roles played by
Yaphet Kotto and
Morgan Freeman. In 1991 he wrote the non-fiction work
Flight of the Avenger: George Bush at War. ==Personal life==