Martha Vickers (1925–1971) was an American actress and model best remembered for her memorable performance as Carmen Sternwood, the unpredictable younger sister of Lauren Bacall’s character in the classic film noir The Big Sleep (1946), starring Humphrey Bogart. Born Martha MacVicar in Ann Arbor, Michigan, she began her career as a model before entering Hollywood, where her striking beauty and spirited screen presence attracted attention. She also appeared in The Time, the Place and the Girl (1946), The Man I Love (1946), and The Burglar (1957). Despite her talent, Vickers never achieved major stardom and gradually retired from acting, making her final film appearance in 1960. She was married to actor Mickey Rooney from 1949 to 1951 and died of cancer in 1971 at the age of 46.