[1] Hanalis was born as Blanche Weiss in Ohio, but grew up in Chicago and graduated from Theodore Roosevelt High School in 1932.
"[3] The family relocated to New York City after her father's candy business failed, and she started working to help support them rather than attend college.
She wrote episodes for numerous television programs, including: My Favorite Martian, The Barbara Stanwyck Show, Family Affair, and The Young Pioneers.
Her work, A Love Affair: The Eleanor and Lou Gehrig Story, was nominated for an Emmy award in 1978 for Outstanding Writing in a Special Program—Drama or Comedy—Adaptation.
[7] Hanalis also contributed to the story of a major motion picture Weddings and Babies, which won the Critic's Award at the 1958 Venice Film Festival.