South Pacific actress Mitzi Gaynor has died at the age of 93.
The musical star’s managers, Rene Reyes and Shane Rosamonda, announced on X on Thursday that the actress had died of natural causes.
“As we celebrate her legacy, we offer our thanks to her friends and fans and the countless audiences she entertained throughout her long life. Your love, support and appreciation meant so very much to her and was a sustaining gift in her life,” they wrote about their “caring and loyal” friend.
“We take great comfort in the fact that her creative legacy will endure through her many magical performances captured on film and video, through her recordings and especially through the love and support audiences around the world have shared so generously with her throughout her life and career. Please keep Mitzi in your thoughts and prayers.”
Gaynor, born Francesca Marlene de Czanyi von Gerber, is best known for playing Ensign Nellie Forbush in the 1958 film adaptation of the Rodgers and Hammerstein stage musical South Pacific, in which she sang the famous song I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Out of My Hair. She was nominated for a Golden Globe for her performance.
During her eight-decade career as an entertainer, Gaynor also starred in the movie musicals There’s No Business Like Show Business, Anything Goes and Les Girls and films such as The Birds and the Bees, We’re Not Married! and For Love or Money, which was her final movie role in 1963.
After her film career, Gaynor appeared on TV variety shows and fronted her own specials, entertained audiences with a stage show, and released two albums, Mitzi and Mitzi Gaynor Sings the Lyrics of Ira Gershwin.
The star married agent and producer Jack Bean in 1954 and they remained together until his death in 2006.
