Sources including CNN and The LA Times are reporting that actress Heather Menzies-Ulrich passed away on Christmas Eve 2017. The news was confirmed by one of her children, Ryan, who stated that she passed away at her home in Ontario, Canada at age 68. Heather was diagnosed with brain cancer just last month and succumbed to the illness on December 24, 2017. Heather leaves behind a tremendous legacy in film and television, most noticeably with her supporting role as Louisa Von Trapp in 1965’s The Sound of Music. The Sound of Music is heavily regarded as one of the best movies of all time, and it is currently listed as the #3 highest grossing movie in America when adjusted for inflation. It was a 5x Oscar winner.
But, Mrs. Ulrich’s career didn’t stop there. She also earned smaller roles in big pictures including the part of Mercy Bromley in 7x Oscar Nominee Hawaii (1966), How Sweet It Is (1968), drama Hail Hero (1969) and biopic James Dean (1976). On the side of television, she recurred on a couple of hits like “Dragnet 1967” and “Logan’s Run.” In the realm of horror and science fiction, she is most known for co-starring as Kristina Stoner in Sssssss (1973) and as Maggie McKeown in Piranha (1978). Both creature features were breakout hits at the time and have since earned a small cult following. Heather even co-starred as Dr. Wendy Day in the first Captain American feature in 1979.
Heather married fellow acclaimed actor Robert Ulrich in 1975. He also passed away from cancer in 2002, and through his death Heather started The Robert Ulrich Foundation, which raises funds for cancer research. Heather is survived by three children and eight grandchildren. All of us here at HorrorSociety.com send our condolences out to her family, friends and fans. She has left behind a tremendous cinematic legacy, but I hope that her foundation stays open to continue the fight against the disease that took her and her husband’s lives.
R.I.P. Heather Menzies-Ulrich
December 3, 1949 – December 24, 2017
