Majoring in French and German,[3] she was a cum laude graduate of Hunter College (now part of City University of New York) and a member of Phi Beta Kappa Society.

After being heard by a scout while appearing on Bing Crosby's radio program, Cagney had a film test with RKO Pictures.

Cagney briefly played the title role in the radio soap opera The Romance of Helen Trent.

[6] Most of her other work on radio was as a guest in dramatic programs such as the following: In 1954, Cagney made a television pilot for a mystery series, Satan's Waiting, but it apparently was not sold.

[16] She married Jack Morrison, a faculty member in theater arts at UCLA,[15] on June 6, 1953;[17] they had two daughters, Mary and Terry.