Lara Parker, best known for her role as the vengeful witch Angelique Bouchard on the gothic ABC soap opera "Dark Shadows," has died at age 84.
Her daughter Caitlin confirmed the news to The Hollywood Reporter, sharing that Parker died Thursday in her sleep at her home in Topanga Canyon, Los Angeles.
Her 85th birthday was mere days away.
Parker's former co-star Kathryn L. Scott paid tribute to the late actor on Facebook, recalling how they grew to become "friends and confidantes."
"For more than 50 years, our lives were intertwined through our mutual love of literature, writing and acting," she wrote. "While getting on with the ordinary stuff of life, we sought each other out for encouragement, support and a trusted sounding board. We could not have been more unalike, and therein lay the magic of our enduring friendship. My thoughts are with her family in this sad time of grief and remembrance."
Before establishing her career in entertainment, Parker enrolled in Vassar College in New York, according to the New York Post, which noted that she roomed with Jane Fonda.
Following her undergraduate studies at Southwestern in Memphis, now Rhodes College, she went on to earn a master's degree in drama from the University of Iowa.
Within days of her relocating to New York in 1967, she landed an audition for Dan Curtis’ series "Dark Shadows," and ultimately clinched the role of Angelique Bouchard.
She remained on the show for the duration of its six seasons. It was during this time that Parker also starred in a film based on the series, "Night of Dark Shadows," in 1971. A year prior, she appeared alongside Robert De Niro in Brian De Palma’s "Hi, Mom!"
After wrapping up "Dark Shadows," Parker moved to Los Angeles to continue her acting career, appearing in the 1973 drama "Save The Tiger" as well as the hit 1975 film "Race with the Devil."
More recently, Parker made a brief appearance in Tim Burton's 2012 remake of "Dark Shadows," featuring Johnny Depp. She also took on roles in two "Doctor Mabuse" films, in 2013 and 2014.
She is survived by her second husband, Jim Hawkins; children Caitlin, Rick and Andy; daughters-in-law Miranda and Celia; grandson Wesley; and her dog, Pearl.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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