Hope Lange of 'Peyton Place' Dies at 70

Associated Press ^ | 12/28/2003 | AP Staff

[Phsstpok]

Hope Lange of 'Peyton Place' Dies at 70
Dec 22, 8:08 AM (ET)
 

(AP) Actress Hope Lange is seen in this Jan. 1958 file photo. Lange, who starred opposite Hollywood's...
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SANTA MONICA, Calif. (AP) - 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 in 1969 and 1970, both for lead actress in a comedy series for her role in "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir."

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.

[Phsstpok]

I remember her quite well from the TV series version of The Ghost and Mrs. Muir. She also played Charles Bronson's wife in the first Death Wish movie. Her rape and murder and the rape of their daughter was the reason for the whole Death Wish thing. I wonder if she wanted that left out of her filmography or if the writer chose to leave it out for their own reasons?

Not earth shaking, but another part of my childhood passes.

[Maria S]

"Not earth shaking, but another part of my childhood passes."

I know the feeling...I can remember when the novel 'Peyton Place' came out. Somebody at school got a paperback copy, and we ALL got to read the 'good' pages! LOL! Being a bunch of reasonably innocent youngesters (remember, TV and songs were very, very tame compared to now) we thought this was just THE hottest stuff we'd ever read, and we felt terribly daring just reading pages... Aaaah, I'm not telling you exactly WHICH pages!

[dighton]

Related thread.

[billorites]

Remember The Ghost and Mrs. Muir?

Man, I'm getting old when people I had the hots for are dying of old age.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Always loved her as Mrs. Muir.

Ahhhh....that was television.

[IncPen]

She died last night, too.

That thread is here

[wardaddy]

They raped and killed the maid too....quite graphic for back then.

[ValerieUSA]

She played a widowed school teacher to a young bad boy Elvis Presley in a really hot movie that also starred Tuesday Weld. Wish I could remember the name of it --- it was one of Elvis's earliest and best roles.

[mikeb704]

Believe that was Wild in the Country.

[ValerieUSA]

That sounds familiar.

[Phsstpok]

Sorry about the duplicate post. I made an incorrect assumption that this wasn't likely to be posted and just never thought to do a search. My bad.

[CaptRon]

The article left out my favorite role of hers, Queenie in "Pocket Full of Miracles" with Glenn Ford and Bette Davis.

[ValerieUSA]

The previous thread just seems to be about mistaken identity - this one can be about Hope Lange.

[bandleader]

Don't forget"The Young Lions"(1958).She played Monty Clift's wife.

[Steve_Seattle]

I remember her only as Laura Dern's mother in "Blue Velvet." She was pretty much the only normal person in that movie.

[IncPen]

Sorry about the duplicate post. I made an incorrect assumption that this wasn't likely to be posted and just never thought to do a search. My bad.

You are forgiven. As pennance, you must read three Washington Post stories.

Go, and sin no more.

[Oztrich Boy]

Wild in the Country

Elvis was in the that? I don't remember him.

But with Hope Lange and Tuesday Weld, I probably didn't notice him.

[kallisti]

hey, i hear ya.