▁an ▁American ▁film , ▁television , ▁and ▁stage ▁actress ▁best ▁known ▁for ▁her ▁roles ▁in ▁B ▁mov ies . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁and ▁career ▁Hugh es ▁was ▁born ▁ ▁in ▁Al ton , ▁Illinois . ▁Her ' ▁parents , ▁George ▁Joseph ▁Hugh es ▁and ▁Mary ▁Frances ▁Hugh es , ▁separated ▁when ▁she ▁was ▁an ▁infant ▁and ▁divor ced ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 3 . ▁After ▁the ▁divor ce , ▁Hugh es ' s ▁mother ▁moved ▁with ▁her ▁only ▁child ▁to ▁Washington , ▁D . C . ▁Hugh es ' ▁grand m other , ▁Flora ▁F os d ick , ▁was ▁described ▁as ▁a ▁" star ▁of ▁grand ▁opera ▁and ▁drama ▁[ who ] ▁played ▁with ▁Eth el ▁Barry more ▁on ▁the ▁stage ." ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁child ▁Hugh es ▁began ▁acting ▁in ▁stage ▁produ ctions . ▁While ▁acting ▁in ▁a ▁school ▁play ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 3 0 s , ▁her ▁performance ▁caught ▁the ▁attention ▁of ▁Cl iff ord ▁Brown , ▁a ▁re pert ory ▁theatre ▁company ▁owner , ▁who ▁offered ▁her ▁a ▁part ▁in ▁a ▁tour ing ▁production ▁of ▁Alice ▁in ▁Wonder land . ▁While ▁tour ing ▁with ▁another ▁production ▁in ▁Brown ' s ▁company , ▁she ▁was ▁offered ▁a ▁contract ▁from ▁a ▁talent ▁sc out ▁with ▁Ga um ont - B rit ish ▁Studios ▁but ▁decl ined ▁the ▁offer ▁to ▁finish ▁high ▁school . ▁ ▁After ▁gradu ating ▁from ▁high ▁school ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 7 ▁she ▁returned ▁to ▁Brown ' s ▁theatre ▁company , ▁where ▁she