The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Cheeseman, Chandler was born in Butler, Pennsylvania.

She took piano lessons from her musician mother and began studying ballet when she was 5.

[3] A founding member of The Actors Studio,[4] Chandler appeared in several feature films, five Broadway plays, and about 12 television programs, such as Studio One and Starlight Theatre.

She was married twice: first to David McKay, with whom she had one daughter; then to Dr. Charles C. Hogan.

[5] Chandler died at age 55 of cancer in New York City.