Cay Forester, born Mila Patricia Crosby in 1921 in Stockton, California, is best remembered for her role in the 1950 cult classic D.O.A., where she plays a married woman who tempts Edmond O'Brien into a dangerous liaison. Her performance captures the film's noir essence, contributing to its status as a staple of the genre. While her career included various minor roles, Forester's work in D.O.A. remains a highlight, showcasing her ability to embody complex characters in a tense narrative. She later ventured into writing and co-starring in the 1961 thriller Door-to-Door Maniac.
D.O.A.
Frank Bigelow goes off to San Francisco for a week's holiday. He's a self-employed accountant and is engaged to his assistant Paula Gibson. He checks into the St. Francis Hotel and is soon partying with a group of salesman who are having a party. He ends up at a jive bar where a mysterious stranger switches drinks with him. He awakens the next morning feeling unwell and after having some medical tests is told that he's been poisoned and there is no cure. He has one week to live. When Paula tells him that a man in Los Angeles had been trying to reach him, he sets off to learn if there might be any connection to his current situation. Unfortunately - and too conveniently - the man committed suicide by jumping off his high rise apartment balcony not long after trying to contact him. He soon learns that some very shady characters are involved but why they might be interested in him is what he really wants to know.
