Arden was born in St. Louis, Missouri, but moved to New York City at the age of 12 to attend an art school.

Mary Arden's best known role is that of model Peggy Peyton in Mario Bava's Blood and Black Lace.

Aside from acting in the film, Arden was also responsible for writing its English dialogue, as she seemed the original translated screenplay to be too stilted.

In the 1960s, she also worked in the United States as a member of the June Taylor Dancers, on the televised Jackie Gleason show.

After living and working in Italy for eight years, she returned to the United States in 1979, and performed in only a couple of more roles, before retiring completely from the cinema.