Actress. She is best remembered for her portrayal of the timid Katie Bannon in the film noir "The Big Heat" (1953). The older sister of Academy Award winning actor Marlon Brando, after attaining her degree in theatrical arts from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City, New York, she made her formal debut in "The First Crocus." While performing in the original cast of "Mister Roberts," she was discovered by film director Don Siegel. Impressed by her blonde good looks, slim appearance, and distinctive voice, he arranged for her to begin a career in the film industry beginning with her being under his supervision in "China Venture" (1953). From there, she would go on to enjoy a successful career as a character actress, often typecast as wives, mothers, eccentrics, retail clerks, doctors, nurses, old maids, reporters, businesswomen, aristocrats, eccentrics, clergywomen, kindly neighbors, landlords, snobs, best friends, historical figures, nannies, educators, waitresses, salesladies, white-collared workers, and matriarchs. She appeared in such feature films as "Ten Wanted Men" (1955), "Nightfall" (1956), "Step Down to Terror" (1958), "The Ugly American" (1963), "Bus Riley's Back in Town" (1965), "The Chase" (1966), "Good Luck, Miss Wyckoff" (1979), "Why Would I Lie?" (1980), and "Mommie Dearest" (1981), Dark Night of the Scarecrow (1981), the advent of television, she flourished as a household name appearing in various guest spots on such syndicated sitcoms as "Kraft Theatre," "Love of Life," "Omnibus," "The World of Mr. Sweeney," "Studio 57," "Official Detective," "The Millionaire," "State Trooper," "Lux Playhouse," "M Squad," "Coronado 9," "Markham," "Riverboat," "General Electric Theatre," "Laramie," "Shotgun Slade," "Checkmate," 'The Tall Man," "Alcoa Premiere," "Alfred Hitchcock Presents," "Tales of Wells Fargo," "87th Precinct," "Frontier Circus," "Wagon Train," "Arrest and Trial," "Dr. Kildare," "The Virginian," "My Three Sons," "Little House on the Prairie," "Ironside," "The Tony Randall Show," "Kojak," "Darkroom," and "Dallas." During her career, she was a member of the Screen Actors Guild, was supportive of the Motion Picture and Television Fund, was one of the founding members of the Actors Studio, had been a supporter of the California State Democratic Committee, was a regular parishioner of the Church of Christian Science, had been a theatrical instructor for the Pasadena Playhouse, presided as a chairwoman for her local charters of the American Red Cross and Habitat for Humanity, was a celebrity spokesperson for the St. Joseph Indian Schools, and she was married to actor Don Hanmer from 1946 to 1950 and salesman Eliot Asinof from 1950 to 1955 (both marriages ended in divorce and produced two sons, one from each relationship). In 1983, after appearing in "Starflight: The Plane That Couldn't Land," Brando retired from acting and spent the final years of her life being a regular attendee at autograph conventions, painted in oils, and was a generous benefactor for several state parks, libraries, and hospitals, until her death from the complications of advanced age.