William Hayward on AllMovie

The talented and versatile yet deeply troubled scion of a dysfunctional Hollywood family, Bill Hayward was born to actress Margaret Sullavan and theatrical agent Leland Hayward on March 27, 1941. Hayward and his sister Brooke found themselves shuttled off to boarding schools and then mental institutions during their adolescent years, but in time attained success in spite of personal difficulties. Brooke eventually established herself as a much-sought-after actress and model, and Bill moved into production work, achieving one of his earliest credits by producing the 1969 counterculture hit Easy Rider (on which he collaborated with Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda).

Thereafter, Hayward worked as an entertainment lawyer for many years, only intermittently returning to production duties. Subsequent credits included The Hired Hand (1971), High Ballin' (1978), and (on a deeply personal note) Haywire (1980) -- a telemovie adapted from Brooke Hayward's memoir about the beleaguered family's personal history, which dramatizes the alleged suicides of Sullavan and one of her daughters. Bill Hayward endured a serious motorcycle accident in early 2003 that caused substantial injuries and mental difficulties. Five years later, he ended his life at the age of 66 with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.