Hope Lange of 'Peyton Place' Dies at 70 (posted 12/21/03)

AP ^ | 12-21-03 | Staff

[veronica]

Hope Lange, Film Star Who Earned Oscar Nomination for 'Peyton Place' in 1957, Dies at 70

SANTA MONICA, Calif. Dec. 21 — Hope Lange, who starred opposite Hollywood's top actors over a decades-long career and earned an Oscar nomination for her supporting role in the 1957 film "Peyton Place," has died, her husband said Sunday. She was 70.

Lange died Friday at Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica after suffering an infection caused by an intestinal inflammation known as ischemic colitis, said her husband, Charles Hollerith.

Lange split her time between homes in Los Angeles' Westwood section and New York City, said Hollerith, a former theatrical producer and vice president of the Actors' Fund of America.

Lange starred in dozens of films and television shows and captured two Emmy awards for her role in the series "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir" in the late 1960s, her husband said.

Her big-screen credits included "The Best of Everything" in 1959 with Joan Crawford, "The Young Lions" in 1958 with Marlon Brando and "Peyton Place" with Lana Turner. More recently, she was in 1986's "Blue Velvet" and 1994's "Clear and Present Danger."

Actor Don Murray, who was married to Lange for several years in the 1950s, said Lange combined good looks and acting prowess.

"She was considered a great beauty who was also a serious and dedicated actor who didn't pay attention to being glamorous," Murray said.

Murray said her looks even intimidated Marilyn Monroe, who wanted Lange's naturally blonde hair dyed light brown in their 1956 film "Bus Stop."

"Marilyn complained about sharing the screen with another blonde," said Murray, who also starred in the movie. "I guess she felt competition because Hope was a young beauty."

Lange is survived by her husband, a son, actor Christopher Murray, a daughter, Patricia Murray, and two grandchildren.

[veronica]

A great actress and a world-class beauty.

[Luke21]

She was Dick Van Dyke's wife on the "New Dick Van Dyke show," and was also in "Death Wish."

[speedy]

Hey, I had forgotten about that "New Dick Van Dyke Show." It was set in Phoenix, as I recall. I think Fanny Flagg was in that too.

[ResistorSister]

Hope Lange

[scan58]

"The Ghost and Mrs. Muir"

That was one of my favorite shows when I was a kid. RIP, Hope Lange.

[Lib-Lickers 2]

Charles Nelson Reilly and Scruffy,,,, Damn just damn!

[xp38]

I remember her in numerous movies and The Ghost and Mrs. Muir. Thanks for the memories. RIP

[xp38]

IMDB lists credits from 1953 to 1998. Not bad. Enjoyed Love is a Ball with Glen Ford too

[Hildy]

She was lovely...The Ghost and Mrs. Muir.

[sauropod]

Seems to me this woman said some anti-American stuff last year or late the year before overseas. Something about being ashamed to be an American (said in France, I believe).

Connected with the WOT.

[ExSoldier]

"Death Wish."

She was wasted (no pun intended that would be heartless and this time it really is unintentional) in Death Wish. I hated her scene that precipitated the rampage of Charles Bronson. Oh, I know it was necessary, but I felt it could have been handled better. Wasn't that scene a priemere (sp?) for some actor that is pretty big now?

[IronJack]

I remember Edward Mulhare as "The Captain" on The Ghost and Mrs. Muir. To show how much TV has changed, I remember the reticent but assertive Mrs. Muir repeatedly admonishing the captain about his language -- presumably picked up from his years at sea. His favorite epithet was "Blast!" pronounced with that New English accent that renders it more like "Blahhhhst!"

And I thought Hope Lange was a beauty even then.

[sinkspur]

You're thinking of Jessica Lange, she of the Jane Fonda school of Foreign Policy.

Great looking woman but totally empty-headed.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

You may be thinking of Jessica Lange. I'll check.

[Cicero]

[MamaB]

Mine, too. It was a good show and she was a good actress!

[Jhensy]

It was Jeff Goldblum who made his screen debut as one of the street punks who brutalize Hope Lange and her daughter in Death Wish. I'm sure he's real proud of that.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

IMDB listing for Hope Elise Ross Lange:

http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0486136/