Daijiworld Media Network – Los Angeles
Los Angeles, Jun 26: Oscar-nominated actress and acclaimed soprano Ann Blyth, best known for her portrayal of Joan Crawford's scheming daughter Veda in the 1945 classic Mildred Pierce, has died at the age of 98.
Blyth died of natural causes on Wednesday, according to reports.
She earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as the manipulative Veda Pierce opposite Joan Crawford. The role remains the defining performance of her career and established her as one of Hollywood's brightest young stars.
In a later interview, Blyth recalled that Crawford personally supported her casting by appearing alongside her during the screen test, a rare gesture from an actress of Crawford's stature.
While Crawford went on to win the Academy Award for Best Actress for Mildred Pierce, Blyth received the only Oscar nomination of her career.
Shortly after completing the film, Blyth suffered a serious back injury in a sledding accident near Lake Arrowhead in California. The accident left her in a body cast for seven months, followed by several months in a wheelchair. Despite the injury, she attended the 1946 Academy Awards wearing a specially designed gown over her back brace.
Apart from acting, Blyth was an accomplished operatic soprano and enjoyed success in several Hollywood musicals. She introduced the popular song The Loveliest Night of the Year while starring opposite Mario Lanza in The Great Caruso (1951).
Her notable film credits include Brute Force, Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid, Rose Marie, The Student Prince, Kismet, The Buster Keaton Story and The Helen Morgan Story.
Born Anne Marie Blyth on August 16, 1927, in Mount Kisco, New York, she displayed remarkable talent from an early age, performing on radio as a child before making her Broadway debut in Watch on the Rhine. Her performance on stage eventually earned her a contract with Universal Pictures in 1943.
Following a successful film career through the 1940s and 1950s, Blyth gradually stepped away from cinema but remained active through television, theatre productions and nightclub performances. She also became familiar to television audiences through commercials and guest appearances in popular series, including The Twilight Zone, Quincy M.E. and Murder, She Wrote.
In 1953, Blyth married Los Angeles obstetrician James McNulty. The couple remained together until his death in 2007 and had five children.
Remembered for her elegance, powerful singing voice and memorable performances on screen, Ann Blyth leaves behind a legacy spanning more than six decades in Hollywood and American theatre.