Actress Carol Lynley, best known for her role in the 1972 film "The Poseidon Adventure," died Tuesday in her home in the Pacific Palalisades after suffering a heart attack, according to her friend actor Trent Dolan. . She was 77 years old.
Lynley began her career as a child model by covering LIFE magazine at the age of 15, before playing in Disney's "The Light in the Forest" and in the independent film "Holiday for Lovers" . Shortly after, she ensured an escape from her role in the 1958 Broadway "Blue Denim" and her subsequent adaptation to the film, in which she portrayed Janet Willard, age 15, in charge of figuring out how to undergo an illegal abortion after an unwanted pregnancy.
23PICTURES
Carol Lynley
See gallery
Carol Lynley, American actress, dressed in white shorts, an orange sweater, an orange headband and an orange fringe scarf, in an advertising portrait on a blue background , published for the movie 'The Poseidon Adventure', 1972. The Disaster The film, directed by Ronald Neame (1911-2010) and Irwin Allen (1916-1991), featured Lynley in the role of " Nonnie Parry ". (Photo of Silver Screen Collection / Getty Images)
FANTASY ISLAND – "The Devil and Mandy Breem / The Millionaire" – Date aired: October 25, 1980. (Photo of Walt Disney Television via Getty Images Photo Archive / Walt Disney Television via Getty Images)
RICARDO MONTALBAN; CAROL LYNLEY
CULVER CITY, CA – FEBRUARY 26: Actress Carol Lynley and her date attend the premiere of "Foxes" at Culver City on February 26, 1980 at MGM Studios in Culver City, California. (Photo of Ron Galella / Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
Glenn Ford and Carol Lynley at the 13th Focus Awards, Hollywood, CA 29/08/1989 at Director & # 39; s Guild (Photo by Ron Galella / Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES – Actress Carol Lynley (1980) photographed in 1980 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry Langdon / Getty Images)
Actress Carol Lynley attends the "Manhattan Magazine Party" on October 2, 1988 at Canastel Restaurant in New York, New York. (Photo by Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
Actress Carol Lynley on June 15, 1989 on the streets of New York. (Photo by Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
Actress Carol Lynley attending the premiere of "We Are Not Angels" on December 13, 1989 at Loew's 19th Street Theater in New York, New York. (Photo of Ron Galella / Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
Actress Carol Lynley attends the performance given on March 21, 1990 at the Eugene O Neill Theater in New York. (Photo by Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
Actress Carol Lynley, actor Tony Lo Bianco and actress Joey Heatherton attend the evening to celebrate the company's tour of the play Money & # 39; s People & # 39; s Money on March 12, 1990 at Cafe Equense in New York. (Photo by Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
Actress Carol Lynley attends the "Gala" of the American Film Foundation, in tribute to Richard Dreyfuss & # 39; on November 2, 1996 at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
Actress Carol Lynley attends the premiere of "Pecker" in Santa Monica on September 22, 1998 at the Monica 4-plex Laemmle in Santa Monica, California. (Photo by Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
Actress Carol Lynley and actor Dennis Christopher attend the Manhattan Magazine Party on October 2, 1988 at Canastel Restaurant in New York City. (Photo by Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
Actress Carol Lynley and the date Mike Silverman attending the world premiere of "F.I.S.T." on April 13, 1978 at Filmex in Century City, California. (Photo of Ron Galella / Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
Actress Carol Lynley attends the seventh edition of the Lifetime Achievement Awards of the American Film Institute in tribute to Alfred Hitchcock on March 7, 1979 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo of Ron Galella / Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
Actress Carol Lynley attends the Joey Heatherton Opening Party & # 39; May 24, 1975 at the Waldorf Hotel in New York, New York. (Photo of Ron Galella / Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
BEVERLY HILLS – JANUARY 24: Actress Carol Lynley attends the Larry King Heart Foundation Gala at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel on January 24, 2003 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown / Getty Images)
Actress Carol Lynley attends the premiere in New York on December 13, 1989 at Loews 19th Street Theater in New York. (Photo by Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
United States – November 09: Journey to the Unknown – "Eve" 06/23/69 Carol Lynley (Photo of Walt Disney Television via Getty Images Photo Archive / Walt Disney Television via Getty Images)
TV personality, David Frost and actress Carol Lynley attend the 51st Academy Awards on April 9, 1979, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, California. (Photo of Ron Galella / Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
United States – November 09: Journey to the Unknown – "Eve" 06/23/69 Dennis Waterman, Carol Lynley (Photo of Walt Disney Television via Getty Images Photo Archive / Walt Disney Television via Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CA – DECEMBER 29: Actress Carol Lynley attends the screening of the 40th anniversary of "The Poseidon Adventure" at the Egyptian Cinematheque Theater on December 29, 2012 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Paul Archuleta / FilmMagic)
LOS ANGELES, CA – APRIL 20: Actress Carol Lynley attends the Hollywood Show hosted at the Westin LAX Hotel on April 20, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Albert L. Ortega / WireImage)
HIDE CAPTION
SHOW CAPTION
The play, written by James Leo Herlihy, was immediately criticized for her laissez-faire attitude towards abortion, which led to a revised ending of the film in which Janet goes through her pregnancy. Despite the controversy, the role earned him being nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Newcomer in 1959.
The actress continued to play in many Hollywood films, including "Return to Peyton Place," "Under the Yum Yum Tree," "Bunny Lake is Missing," "The Yachtsmen," " Cardinal "and" Poseidon ". Adventure ", in which she performed the award-winning song" The Morning After ". In 2006, she appeared in "Vic", 30 minutes, from Sylvester Stallone.
The Hollywood veteran was also a regular on TV, appearing on shows such as "The Big Valley," "Mannix," "It Takes a Thief," "Night Gallery," "The Invaders," "Kojak "," Hawaii Five-O, "The Night Tracker" and many more.
Lynley was married to journalist Michael Selsman from 1960 to 1964, during which they had a child, Jill Selsman.
RELATED: Death of celebrities in 2019
12PICTURES
Celebrity deaths in 2019
See gallery
HIDE CAPTION
SHOW CAPTION
More than Variety:
Neal Casal, extraordinary guitarist and singer-songwriter, dies at age 50
Rutger Hauer, co-star of Blade Runner, dies at age 75
