Gwynne was born in Waco, Texas, the daughter of Pearl (née Guinn) and Jefferson Benjamin Trice, an apparel manufacturer.

[1] She had a brother Jefferson Jr. After her family moved to St. Louis, Missouri, she attended Stephens College, where she studied drama.

[2] While accompanying her father to a convention in Los Angeles, Gwynne obtained a job modeling for Catalina Swimwear.

[4] Gwynne was a television pioneer, appearing in TV's first filmed series, Public Prosecutor (1947–48); she was a member of the regular cast, playing Pat Kelly, the district attorney's secretary.

[citation needed] Gwynne died March 31, 2003, of a stroke following surgery at the Motion Picture Country Hospital in Woodland Hills, California.