Frances Marion Neal was born on June 27, 1920 in Carrollton, Mississippi. The daughter of Homer Neal, an army surgeon, and his wife, Charlotte (nee Server) Neal, she grew up in Texas. She began a modeling career at age 15 and landed a part in "George White's Scandals of '40" on Broadway.

After moving to Los Angeles, Neal was signed by RKO and made her debut in a small part in "Citizen Kane." She became the second wife of actor Van Heflin on May 16, 1942, and was the mother of Kate, Vana, and Tracy Heflin. She and Heflin divorced in 1967 after 25 years of marriage.