Susan Ker Weld, born on August 27, 1943, in New York City, was destined for a life of responsibility at a young age. Following the untimely death of her father, Lathrop Motley Weld, at the age of 49, just three years after her birth, the once innocent and cute little girl, now known as Tuesday, was forced to take on the role of the family breadwinner.
As a child model, Tuesday posed for advertisements and mail-order catalogs, but her success in this field only led to a sense of estrangement from her mother, Aileen, and her two elder siblings. The burden of responsibility weighed heavily on her young shoulders, causing her to experience a nervous breakdown at the age of nine, followed by heavy drinking and love affairs at the age of ten and eleven, respectively. This tumultuous period culminated in a suicide attempt at the tender age of twelve.
In 1956, Tuesday made her film debut in the low-budget exploitation movie Rock Rock Rock! and subsequently decided to pursue a career in acting. After numerous television appearances in New York, she made the move to Hollywood in 1958, where she was cast in Rally 'Round the Flag, Boys!, a breakthrough role that marked the beginning of her journey as Hollywood's queen of teen.
Throughout the 1960s, Tuesday continued to play precocious sex kittens, her wild private life adding to the entertainment of her fans. Critics acknowledged her talent, directors approved of her professionalism, and by the mid-1970s, she had managed to outgrow her child/woman image, taking on more demanding roles.
Despite her impressive range and versatility, Tuesday Weld failed to achieve first-magnitude stardom. Perhaps she was simply unlucky with her selection of roles, turning down iconic films such as Lolita, Bonnie and Clyde, True Grit, and Cactus Flower. Alternatively, her independence-loving mind may have instinctively recoiled from the restraints of superstardom.
In the early 1980s, Tuesday began to focus more on made-for-TV movies, which was ironic given that the most successful films of her career, including Once Upon a Time in America and Falling Down, came her way during this period.
