Upon arriving in Hollywood, she met filmmaker Howard Hawks, who negotiated her release from Universal and signed her to a personal contract.

[6] Walker began modeling in national magazine advertisements for various companies, including a car manufacturer and a garment designer.

[3][4] In 1935, Walker responded to a call for "new faces" by Hollywood filmmaker Cecil B. DeMille, who sought a new actress for his production of Samson and Delilah.

[5] Before the studio cast her in a film, however, Walker and a friend went to visit executives at RKO Pictures, including director Howard Hawks.

[8] Walker made her film debut playing Alice Swallow, the fiancée of Cary Grant's character.

[14] Walker died on December 23, 1946, after a months-long illness and a surgical procedure at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles.