The Manchurian Candidate Star Leslie Parrish Passed Away at 90

Leslie Parrish, the actress remembered for her roles in The Manchurian Candidate, Li’l Abner, Batman and Star Trek, has died at the age of 90.

Parrish had been living in Washington state and died late last year, although her death was only recently made public.

Born Marjorie Hellen in Massachusetts in 1935, Parrish originally dreamed of pursuing music rather than acting. She studied piano and composition and worked several jobs to help pay for her education.

Her mother eventually encouraged her to try modeling, which led to work with the Conover Agency in New York and eventually brought her to Hollywood.

She became known as Leslie Parrish in 1959 and soon landed a starring role as Daisy Mae in Li’l Abner.

Her career continued with appearances in numerous films and television shows, but one of her most memorable roles came in the 1962 classic The Manchurian Candidate, where she played Jocelyn Jordan alongside Frank Sinatra, Laurence Harvey and Angela Lansbury.

Parrish also appeared in Star Trek as Lt. Carolyn Palamas and in Batman as Glacia Glaze.

Beyond acting, she worked as an associate producer on Jonathan Livingston Seagull and later married author Richard Bach, whose books explored their relationship.

After leaving Hollywood in the late 1970s, Parrish devoted much of her time to activism and causes including civil rights, environmental issues and opposition to the Vietnam War.

She leaves behind a remarkable legacy that stretched far beyond the screen.