Lynne Marta, 78, known for her roles in films including "Joe Kidd" and "Footloose" as well as many TV shows, died Jan. 11 at her home in Los Angeles after a battle with cancer, her friend Chris Saint-Hilaire told The Hollywood Reporter.
Born Oct. 30, 1945, in Somerville, New Jersey, Marta kickstarted her career on the teen dance program "The Lloyd Thaxton Show" before appearing on episodes of "Gidgit" and "The Monkees" as well as "Love, American Style," for 18 episodes, NME noted.
In 1972, she gained recognition with her role in "Joe Kidd," directed by John Sturgess, appearing alongside Robert Duvall and Clint Eastwood.
Marta also made frequent appearances on television, featuring in popular shows such as "Starsky & Hutch," "Charlie's Angels," and "Columbo."
Her television work extended to series like "Then Came Bronson," "Gunsmoke," "Kojak," "Medical Center," "Marcus Welby, M.D.," "The Rockford Files," "Knight Rider," "Designing Women," and "Law & Order."
Additionally, she contributed to soap operas like "Passions," "The Young and the Restless," and "Days of Our Lives."
Other film credits include "Red Sky at Morning," "Help Me … I'm Possessed," "Blood Beach" and "Three Men and a Little Lady" in 1990.
In July 1989, Marta witnessed the murder of young actor Rebecca Schaeffer, with her testimony revealed by the Los Angeles Times.
"The door shook, the wall shook. The cat went up into the air. I fell to my knees and crawled into the bedroom. Then, I heard Rebecca's first scream," Marta said.
"She was still screaming while I was talking to 911. By the time I got to the door, she was wailing. I opened the small hatch in my door. There was a smell I'll never forget: the smell of gunfire. It was quiet except for light moaning."
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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