Ann Blyth, who drew a 1946 Oscar nomination for her memorable performance as the spoiled, selfish daughter of Joan Crawford’s hard-working, devoted title character in the classic film “Mildred Pierce,” died Wednesday. She was 98.
KABC’s George Pennachio reported her death.
The dark beauty was also noted for her roles in prison drama “Brute Force” (1947), Mario Lanza vehicle “The Great Caruso” (1951) and 1957’s “The Helen Morgan Story” with Paul Newman.
In an interstitial recorded many decades later for Turner Classic Movies, Blyth recalled shooting “Mildred Pierce” with Crawford and declared that despite their characters’ fraught relationship on screen, she and Crawford got along very well, and it was hard for her to slap Crawford for one of the movie’s pivotal scenes.
Crawford won the best actress Oscar for “Mildred Pierce,” which was also nominated for best picture, among other categories.
