 Born in Santa Ana, California, she is the daughter of film star Bette Davis (1908-1989) and artist William Grant Sherry (1914-1995) and was adopted in 1950 by Davis's fourth husband, actor Gary Merrill.She took back her surname Sherry upon turning 16 years old, claiming that she wished to distance herself from Merrill, who was abusive.She appeared briefly (uncredited) as an infant in her mother's film "Payment on Demand" (1951).