Entertainment
Actress and activist Leslie Parrish dies at 90
Known for her roles in Li'l Abner, The Manchurian Candidate, and classic television series, she was also an antiwar organizer and land conservationist.
The short version
- Actress Leslie Parrish died in Washington state at the age of 90 late last year.
- She was widely recognized for playing Daisy Mae in the 1959 film Li'l Abner, Jocelyn Jordan in 1962's The Manchurian Candidate, and guest roles on Star Trek and Batman.
- Beyond acting, Parrish engaged heavily in antiwar activism during the 1960s and co-established major environmental conservation easements in Washington state.
Key facts
- Leslie Parrish died late last year in Washington state at age 90, according to family and the Spring Hill Wildlife Sanctuary.[The Hollywood Reporter]
- Her prominent film roles included Daisy Mae in the 1959 musical adaptation of Li'l Abner and Jocelyn Jordan in John Frankenheimer's 1962 thriller The Manchurian Candidate.[The Hollywood Reporter]
- She made notable television guest appearances in 1967, portraying Carolyn Palamas on Star Trek and ice skater Glacia Glaze on Batman.[The Hollywood Reporter]
- Parrish actively protested the Vietnam War, co-founded Speakers and Talent Organized for Peace (STOP!), and demonstrated at the 1968 Democratic National Convention.[The Hollywood Reporter]
- Together with her former husband, author Richard Bach, Parrish donated conservation easements protecting 168 acres of forest and wildlife habitat on Orcas Island in Washington.[The Hollywood Reporter]
What remains uncertain
- The exact date and cause of Parrish's death were not specified in reports, which noted only that she died late last year.[The Hollywood Reporter]
Sources
- Leslie Parrish, Actress in ‘Li’l Abner’ and ‘The Manchurian Candidate,’ Dies at 90The Hollywood Reporter metered