Born at
Mitchel Field, New York, also known as Mitchel Air Force Base, Reed began a career as an actress as a child after attending the
Professional Children's School. She appeared in Broadway productions before acquiring roles in film and television. Her Broadway debut came in
Mrs. McThing with
Helen Hayes. Reed's education included three hours of schooling on the Desilu set. That ended at 12:30, after which she took afternoon classes at a private school in Hollywood. She also took classes two nights a week. She sought anonymity among students at the school by wearing her hair differently from what she did on TV and by adopting Tracy as her first name. Her acting credits end at age 18. == Selected filmography ==