Born in Oklahoma, Vera Miles (born Vera Ralston, she had to change her name, as Republic Pictures' resident leading lady Vera Ralston got to Hollywood first) attended school in Pratt and Wichita, Kansas. Entering the beauty pageant circuit, she became Miss Kansas in 1948, and went to Hollywood soon soon after. She began landing small roles in minor films and in television. After a few such parts she was cast by John Ford as the spunky ingenue in the Western classic The Searchers (1956). More ...[Read Story]