**Martha Vickers (1925-1997)** was an American actress, active primarily in the 1940s and 1950s. She is best known for her role as Carmen Sternwood in the classic film noir *The Big Sleep* (1946), directed by Howard Hawks.

In that film, Vickers played the troubled, rebellious, and dark younger sister, who navigated between apparent innocence and dangerous manipulation. This role defined her on-screen archetype: youthful characters, sometimes fragile or unsettling, with an aura of vulnerability or potential danger.

Although her film career was relatively brief and did not yield many other iconic roles, she also appeared in films such as *The Private Affairs of Bel Ami* (1947) and *Alimony* (1949). Her greatest impact remains inextricably linked to her memorable performance in Hawks' masterpiece.