McAllister was born in Los Angeles, California, and started her acting career at the early age of 6, starring opposite Edna Mayo and William Burns in the 1915 film Despair.

As a child actor she would star in thirty six films by the time she reached the age of 18.

In 1927 she was one of thirteen girls selected as "WAMPAS Baby Stars", alongside Sally Phipps, Martha Sleeper and Frances Lee, among others.

After fifteen years in the business as an actress and a total of 43 films to her credit, her career was over at the age of 21.

She eventually settled in Del Mar, California, where she was living at the time of her death on May 1, 1991, aged 82.