▁films . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 8 , ▁L oden ▁was ▁diagn osed ▁with ▁breast ▁cancer , ▁of ▁which ▁she ▁died ▁two ▁years ▁later , ▁aged ▁ 4 8 . ▁ ▁Life ▁and ▁career ▁▁ 1 9 3 2 – 1 9 5 4 : ▁Child hood ▁and ▁early ▁years ▁L oden ▁was ▁born ▁on ▁July ▁ 8 , ▁ 1 9 3 2 ▁in ▁As he ville , ▁North ▁Carolina . ▁Her ▁father ▁was ▁a ▁bar ber , ▁and ▁she ▁described ▁herself ▁as ▁a ▁" hill - b illy ' s ▁daughter ." ▁Upon ▁her ▁parents ' ▁divor ce ▁in ▁her ▁early ▁child hood , ▁L oden ▁was ▁raised ▁by ▁her ▁religious ▁mat ernal ▁grand par ents ▁in ▁the ▁App al ach ian ▁Mountains ▁in ▁rural ▁Mar ion , ▁North ▁Carolina . ▁She ▁described ▁her ▁child hood ▁as ▁em otion ally ▁imp over ished . ▁L oden ▁was ▁described ▁as ▁a ▁sh y , ▁hum ble , ▁stat ues que ▁and ▁soft - sp oken ▁lon er . ▁At ▁age ▁ 1 6 , ▁she ▁moved ▁to ▁New ▁York ▁City , ▁where ▁she ▁began ▁working ▁as ▁a ▁model ▁for ▁detect ive ▁and ▁rom ance ▁mag az ines . ▁L oden ▁found ▁minor ▁success ▁as ▁a ▁pin - up ▁girl , ▁model , ▁and ▁dan cer ▁at ▁the ▁Cop ac ab ana ▁night club ▁before ▁studying ▁at ▁the ▁Act ors ▁Studio , ▁int ending ▁to ▁become ▁an ▁actress . ▁At ▁the ▁time , ▁she ▁prof essed ▁to ▁hate ▁film , ▁saying ,