Oscar-nominated actor, best known for her roles in The Hustler and Carrie films, Piper Laurie, died early Saturday at her home in Los Angeles at 91.
Laurie’s manager, Marion Rosenberg, told The Associated Press via email that she died of old age,adding that she was “a superb talent and a wonderful human being.”
The actress arrived Hollywood as Rosetta Jacobs and was quickly given a contract with Universal-International at age 17 with a new name that she hated and a string of starring roles with Ronald Reagan, Rock Hudson and Tony Curtis, among others.
She was nominated for an Oscar for the first movie she starred in upon her return – Carrie.
Born as Rosetta Jacobs, she was born in Detroit, Michigan to parents of Russian and Polish heritage.
However, Laurie became frustrated with the acting industry and being cast in the same roles, and broke her Hollywood contract – moving to New York to pursue other roles.
She later stepped away from the profession on what became a 15-year-break and focused her attentions on the civil rights movement and the Vietnam War.
During that time she also married film critic Joe Morgenstern, and had a daughter.
Laurie also starred in numerous TV shows including Matlock, Murder She Wrote, and played George Clooney’s character’s mother on ER.
|BBC/AP News
