Yvette Carmen Mimieux (January 8, 1942 – January 18, 2022) was an American film and television actress. Her breakout role was in '' The Time Machine'' (1960). She was nominated for three

Golden Globe Awards The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...

during her acting career.

Early life and career

Mimieux was born in

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...

, on January 8, 1942, to René Mimieux, who was French, and Maria Montemayor, who was Mexican. Mimieux had at least two siblings, a sister, Gloria, and a brother Edouardo. Her career was launched after a talent manager, Jim Byron, suggested she become an actress. Her first acting appearances were in episodes of the television shows '' Yancy Derringer'' and ''

One Step Beyond One Step Beyond may refer to: Music * ''One Step Beyond'' (Dungeon album) or the title song, 2004 * ''One Step Beyond'' (Jackie McLean album), 1963 * '' One Step Beyond...'', an album by Madness, or the title song (see below), 1979 * ''One Step ...

'', both in 1959, at the age of 17.

MGM

Mimieux appeared in

George Pal George Pal (born György Pál Marczincsak; ; February 1, 1908 – May 2, 1980) was a Hungarian-American animator, film director and producer, principally associated with the fantasy and science-fiction genres. He became an American citizen after ...

's film version of H. G. Wells's 1895 novel '' The Time Machine'' (1960) starring

Rod Taylor Rodney Sturt Taylor (11 January 1930 – 7 January 2015) was an Australian actor. He appeared in more than 50 feature films, including '' The Time Machine'' (1960), '' One Hundred and One Dalmatians'' (1961), '' The Birds'' (1963), and '' ...

, in which she played the character Weena. It was made for MGM, which put her under long-term contract. However, her first film was ''

Platinum High School ''Platinum High School'' is a 1960 American crime drama romance film directed by Charles Haas and starring Mickey Rooney, Terry Moore and Dan Duryea. It was based on the 1960 novel of the same name by Irving Shulman. Plot Sailing to a coastal ...

'' (1960), produced by Albert Zugsmith for MGM and released two months before ''The Time Machine''. Her performance in ''Platinum High School'' earned her a 1960

nomination for "New Star Of The Year - Actress". Mimieux guest-starred in an episode of '' Mr Lucky'', then was one of several leads in the highly popular teen comedy '' Where the Boys Are'' (1960). MGM put Mimieux in the ingenue role in ''

Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are figures in the Christian scriptures, first appearing in the Book of Revelation, a piece of apocalypse literature written by John of Patmos. Revelation 6 tells of a book or scroll in God's right hand t ...

'' (1961), an expensive flop.

Arthur Freed Arthur Freed (September 9, 1894 – April 12, 1973) was an American lyricist and Hollywood film producer. He won the Academy Award for Best Picture twice, in 1951 for '' An American in Paris'' and in 1958 for '' Gigi''. Both films were musicals. ...

wanted to team her and George Hamilton in a remake of '' The Clock'', but it was not made. Mimieux had a central role in '' Light in the Piazza'' (1962), playing a mentally disabled girl. The film lost money but was well regarded critically. She later said:

"I suppose I have a soulful quality. I was often cast as a wounded person, the 'sensitive' role."Megan Rosenfeld, "The Mystique of Actress Yvette Mimieux", ''The Washington Post'', November 29, 1979, pg. D13.

Mimieux was slated for a role in ''A Summer Affair'' at MGM, but it was not made. Mimieux had a small part in Pal's '' The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm'' (1963), another commercial disappointment. Later that year, she appeared in '' Diamond Head'' (1963) with

Charlton Heston Charlton Heston (born John Charles Carter; October 4, 1923April 5, 2008) was an American actor and political activist. As a Hollywood star, he appeared in almost 100 films over the course of 60 years. He played Moses in the epic film ''The Ten ...

. Mimieux went to

United Artists United Artists Corporation (UA), currently doing business as United Artists Digital Studios, is an American digital production company. Founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, and Douglas Fairbanks, the stu ...

for ''Toys in the Attic'', based on the play by Lillian Hellman and co-starring

Geraldine Page Geraldine Sue Page (November 22, 1924June 13, 1987) was an American actress. With a career which spanned four decades across film, stage, and television, Page was the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Acad ...

and

Dean Martin Dean Martin (born Dino Paul Crocetti; June 7, 1917 – December 25, 1995) was an American singer, actor and comedian. One of the most popular and enduring American entertainers of the mid-20th century, Martin was nicknamed "The King of Cool". M ...

. At MGM, Mimieux guest-starred on two episodes of '' Dr. Kildare'' alongside Richard Chamberlain. She played a surfer suffering from epilepsy, a performance that was much acclaimed and led to a 1965 Golden Globe nomination for "Best Actress In A Television Series". Mimieux made a cameo as herself in '' Looking for Love'' (1964) starring

Connie Francis Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero (born December 12, 1937), known professionally as Connie Francis, is an American pop singer, actress, and top-charting female vocalist of the late 1950s and early 1960s. Called the “First Lady of Rock & Roll” ...

and played Richard Chamberlain's love interest in '' Joy in the Morning'' (1965), a melodrama.

Post-MGM

Mimieux was in a Western with

Max von Sydow Max von Sydow ( , ; born Carl Adolf von Sydow; 10 April 1929 – 8 March 2020) was a Swedish-French actor. He had a 70-year career in European and American cinema, television, and theatre, appearing in more than 150 films and several television ...

for

20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Disn ...

, '' The Reward'' (1965); the Disney comedy ''

Monkeys, Go Home! ''Monkeys, Go Home!'' is a 1967 American comedy film produced by Walt Disney Productions and directed by Andrew V. McLaglen. The movie stars Maurice Chevalier, Dean Jones, and Yvette Mimieux. Aside from contributing to the soundtrack of Disney ...

'' (1967); and a heist film '' The Caper of the Golden Bulls'' (1967). Mimieux did '' The Desperate Hours'' (1967) for TV and was reunited with Rod Taylor in the MGM action movie ''

Dark of the Sun ''Dark of the Sun'' (also known as ''The Mercenaries'' in the UK) is a 1968 British adventure war film starring Rod Taylor, Yvette Mimieux, Jim Brown, and Peter Carsten. The film, which was directed by Jack Cardiff, is based on Wilbur Smith's ...

'' (1968). In 1968, she narrated a classical music concert at

the Hollywood Bowl The Hollywood Bowl is an amphitheatre in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. It was named one of the 10 best live music venues in America by ''Rolling Stone'' magazine in 2018. The Hollywood Bowl is known for its distin ...

. In 1969, Mimieux was top-billed in '' Three in the Attic'' a hit for AIP, and appeared in the critically acclaimed 1969 movie '' The Picasso Summer'' alongside

Albert Finney Albert Finney (9 May 1936 – 7 February 2019) was an English actor. He attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and worked in the theatre before attaining prominence on screen in the early 1960s, debuting with '' The Entertainer'' (1960 ...

. The following year, she was the female lead in '' The Delta Factor'' (1970), an action film.

Television

Mimieux had one of the leads in ''

The Most Deadly Game ''The Most Deadly Game'' is an American television series that ran for 12 episodes from 1970 to 1971. The series was produced by Aaron Spelling Productions, with Aaron Spelling as the executive producer. It stars Yvette Mimieux, Ralph Bellamy, a ...

'' (1970–1971), a short-lived TV series from

Aaron Spelling Aaron Spelling (April 22, 1923 June 23, 2006) was an American film and television producer and occasional actor. His productions included the TV series ''Family'' (1976–1980), '' Charlie's Angels'' (1976–1981), '' The Love Boat'' (1977–198 ...

. She replaced Inger Stevens, who had been slated to star, but committed suicide one month before production began. For this role, Mimieux was nominated for the 1971 Golden Globe Award for Best Television Actress – Drama Series. Around 1971, Mimieux had a business selling Haitian products and studied archeology; she would travel several months of each year. After making the TV movies ''

Death Takes a Holiday ''Death Takes a Holiday'' is a 1934 American pre-Code romantic drama starring Fredric March, Evelyn Venable and Guy Standing. It is based on the 1924 Italian play ''La morte in vacanza'' by Alberto Casella (1891–1957), as adapted in English ...

'' (1971) and '' Black Noon'' (1971), she sued her agent for not providing her with movie work despite having taken her money. Mimieux was an air hostess in MGM's '' Skyjacked'' (1972), starring

and was in the Fox science-fiction film ''

The Neptune Factor ''The Neptune Factor'', also known as ''The Neptune Disaster'', is a 1973 science fiction film directed by Daniel Petrie, featuring underwater cinematography by Paul Herbermann. The film's special effects utilized underwater photography of mini ...

'' (1973). By the early 1970s, Mimieux was unhappy with the roles offered to actresses:

"The women they ale screenwriterswrite are all one dimensional. They have no complexity in their lives. It's all surface. There's nothing to play. They're either sex objects or vanilla pudding."

Mimieux had been writing for several years prior to this film, mostly journalism and short stories. She had the idea for a story about a Pirandello-like theme:

"...the study of a woman, the difference between what she appears to be and what she is: appearance vs reality... he more I thought about the characterthe more I wanted to play her. Here was the kind of nifty, multifaceted part I'd been looking for. So instead of a short story, I wrote it as a film."

Mimieux wrote a thriller, which she took to producers

and Leonard Goldberg, who then produced it for ABC as a television film. It aired as ''

Hit Lady ''Hit Lady'' is a 1974 made-for-TV film that aired on October 8, 1974. Starring Yvette Mimieux as artist and assassin Angela de Vries, it was written by Mimieux and directed by Tracy Keenan Wynn. Plot An artist works part-time as a syndicate as ...

'' (1974). In 1975, Mimieux starred in ''

The Legend of Valentino ''The Legend of Valentino'' is a 1975 American made-for-television biographical film written and directed by Melville Shavelson. It deals with real life events about the actor and sex symbol of the 1920s Rudolph Valentino. It was broadcast by A ...

'' (as

Rudolph Valentino Rodolfo Pietro Filiberto Raffaello Guglielmi di Valentina d'Antonguolla (May 6, 1895 – August 23, 1926), known professionally as Rudolph Valentino and nicknamed The Latin Lover, was an Italian actor based in the United States who starred ...

's second wife,

Natacha Rambova Natacha Rambova (born Winifred Kimball Shaughnessy; January 19, 1897 – June 5, 1966) was an American film costume designer, set designer, and occasional actress who was active in Hollywood in the 1920s. In her later life, she abandoned design ...

), and in the Canadian thriller '' Journey into Fear''. In 1976, Mimieux made a pilot for a TV sitcom based on '' Bell, Book and Candle'', but it was not picked up.

Later movies

Mimieux played a falsely imprisoned woman victimized by a sadistic guard in the film '' Jackson County Jail'' (1976) with

Tommy Lee Jones Tommy Lee Jones (born September 15, 1946) is an American actor and film director. He has received four Academy Award nominations, winning Best Supporting Actor for his performance as U.S. Marshal Samuel Gerard in the 1993 thriller film '' T ...

for

New World Pictures New World Pictures (also known as New World Entertainment and New World Communications Group, Inc.) was an American independent production, distribution, and (in its final years as an autonomous entity) multimedia company. It was founded in 19 ...

, which was a box-office hit. Mimieux appeared in such horror-oriented TV movies as ''

Snowbeast ''Snowbeast'' is a 1977 American made-for-television horror film starring Bo Svenson, Yvette Mimieux, Robert Logan and Clint Walker, and follows the story of a bloodthirsty Bigfoot-like monster terrorizing a ski resort in the Colorado Rockies. It ...

'' (1977), '' Devil Dog: The Hound of Hell'' (1978), and ''

Disaster on the Coastliner ''Disaster on the Coastliner'' is a 1979 American made-for-television action drama film. It was directed by Richard C. Sarafian and starred Lloyd Bridges, Raymond Burr, Robert Fuller, Pat Hingle, E. G. Marshall, Yvette Mimieux, William Shatner, ...

'' (1979). She also appeared in the TV movies '' Ransom for Alice!'' (1977) and '' Outside Chance'' (1978). Later, she co-starred in the first PG-rated

Walt Disney Productions The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October 1 ...

feature, ''

The Black Hole ''The Black Hole'' is a 1979 American science fiction film directed by Gary Nelson and produced by Walt Disney Productions. The film stars Maximilian Schell, Robert Forster, Joseph Bottoms, Yvette Mimieux, Anthony Perkins and Ernest Borgn ...

'' (1979). She had the lead in ''

Circle of Power ''Circle of Power'', also known as ''Mystique'', ''Brainwash'' and ''The Naked Weekend'', is a 1981 film, co-produced by Gary Mehlman, Anthony Quinn and Jeffrey White, and based on the non-fiction book '' The Pit: A Group Encounter Defiled''. It ...

'' (1981). Mimieux appeared in the TV movie '' Forbidden Love'' (1982) and ''

Night Partners ''Night Partners'' is a 1983 American TV movie by director Noel Nosseck starring Yvette Mimieux and Diana Canova. It was based on a true story about a project to help victims of crime in Arizona.TV NOTEBOOK The Globe and Mail 12 Mar 1983: P.5. R ...

'' (1983) and guest-starred on ''

The Love Boat ''The Love Boat'' is an American romantic comedy/drama television series that aired on ABC from 1977 to 1986; in addition, four three-hour specials aired in 1986, 1987, and 1990. The series was set on the luxury passenger cruise ship MS ''Pa ...

'' and '' Lime Street''. She made ''

Obsessive Love Obsessive love or obsessive love disorder (OLD) is a proposed condition in which one person feels an overwhelming obsessive desire to possess and protect another person, sometimes with an inability to accept failure or rejection. Symptoms include ...

'' (1984), a television film about a female

stalker Stalking is unwanted and/or repeated surveillance by an individual or group toward another person. Stalking behaviors are interrelated to harassment and intimidation and may include following the victim in person or monitoring them. The term ...

which she co-wrote and co-produced:

"There are few enough films going these days, and there are three or four women who are offered all the good parts. Of course I could play a lot of awful parts that are too depressing to contemplate.... elevisionis not the love affair I have with film, but television can be a playground for interesting ideas. I love wild, baroque, slightly excessive theatrical ideas, and because television needs so much material, there's a chance to get some of those odd ideas done."

Mimieux had the lead in '' Berrenger's'' (1985), a short-lived TV series and had a supporting role in the TV movie ''

The Fifth Missile ''The Fifth Missile'' is a 1986 television movie starring Robert Conrad, Sam Waterston and David Soul about an American ballistic missile submarine, based on the novel ''The Gold Crew'' by Frank M. Robinson and Thomas N. Scortia. With the except ...

'' (1986). She guest-starred in a TV movie ''Perry Mason: The Case of the Desperate Deception'' (1990). Her last film was ''

Lady Boss ''Lady Boss'' is a 1990 novel written by Jackie Collins and the third in her Santangelo novels, ''Santangelo'' novels series. The novel was adapted as a TV movie miniseries in 1992, starring Kim Delaney in the title role of Lucky Santangelo. C ...

'' (1992).

Personal life and death

Mimieux was married three times but had no children. At age 17, she wed Evan Harland Engber on December 19, 1959, but kept the marriage secret for almost two years. She was married, secondly, to film director

Stanley Donen Stanley Donen ( ; April 13, 1924 – February 21, 2019) was an American film director and choreographer whose most celebrated works are '' On the Town,'' (1949) and ''Singin' in the Rain'' (1952), both of which he co-directed with Gene Kell ...

from 1972 until their divorce in 1985. Her last marriage was to Howard F. Ruby, chairman emeritus and co-founder of Oakwood Worldwide.

Death

Mimieux died at her home in Los Angeles on January 18, 2022, ten days after her 80th birthday.

Filmography

* ''

A Certain Smile ''A Certain Smile'' was originally published in French as ''Un certain sourire'' by the Paris publisher Juillard in 1956. It was the second novel by Françoise Sagan and was written in two months. Two translations into English then followed in 195 ...

'' (1958) - (uncredited) * ''

'' (1960) - Lorinda Nibley * '' The Time Machine'' (1960) - Weena * '' Where the Boys Are'' (1960) - Melanie Tolman * '' The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse'' (1962) - Chi Chi Desnoyers * '' Light in the Piazza'' (1962) - Clara Johnson * '' The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm'' (1962) - The Princess ('The Dancing Princess') * '' Diamond Head'' (1962) - Sloane Howland * '' Toys in the Attic'' (1963) - Lily Berniers * '' Looking for Love'' (1964) - Yvette Mimieux * '' Joy in the Morning'' (1965) - Annie Brown née McGairy * '' The Reward'' (1965) - Sylvia * ''

'' (1967) - Maria Riserau * '' The Caper of the Golden Bulls'' (1967) - Grace Harvey * ''

'' (1968) - Claire * '' Three in the Attic'' (1968) - Tobey Clinton * '' The Picasso Summer'' (1969) - Alice Smith * '' The Delta Factor'' (1970) - Kim Stacy * '' Skyjacked'' (1972) - Angela Thacher * ''

'' (1973) - Dr. Leah Jansen * '' Journey Into Fear'' (1975) - Josette * '' Jackson County Jail'' (1976) - Dinah Hunter * ''

'' (1979) - Dr. Kate McCrae * ''

'' (1981) - Bianca Ray * ''The Fascination'' (1985) * ''

The Fantasy Film Worlds of George Pal ''The Fantasy Film Worlds of George Pal'' is a 1985 American documentary film about Academy Award-winning producer/director George Pal. It was written, directed, and produced by Arnold Leibovit. Summary The film follows Pal's career, beginning wi ...

'' (1985, documentary) - Weena (in ''The Time Machine'') (archive footage)

Television work

* '' Yancy Derringer'' (1959, Episode: "Collector's Item") - Ricky * '' Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond'' (1960, Episode: "The Clown") - Nonnie Regan * '' Mr. Lucky'' (1960, Episode: "Stacked Deck") - Margot * '' Dr. Kildare'' (1964, 2 episodes) - Pat Holmes * '' The Desperate Hours'' (1967, TV movie) - Cindy Hilliard * ''

'' (1970–1971) - Vanessa Smith * ''

'' (1971, TV movie) - Peggy Chapman * '' Black Noon'' (1971, TV movie) - Deliverance * ''

'' (1974, TV movie) - Angela de Vries * ''

'' (1975, TV movie) - Natacha Rambova * '' Bell, Book and Candle'' (1976, TV movie) - Gillian Holroyd * ''

'' (1977, TV movie) - Ellen Seberg * '' Ransom for Alice!'' (1977, TV movie) - Jenny Cullen * '' Devil Dog: The Hound of Hell'' (1978, TV movie) - Betty Barry * '' Outside Chance'' (1978, TV movie) - Dinah Hunter * ''

'' (1979, TV movie) - Paula Harvey * '' Forbidden Love (1982 film)'' (1982, TV movie) - Joanna Bittan * ''

'' (1983, TV movie) - Elizabeth McGuire * ''

'' (1984, Episode: "Hong Kong Affair") - Leni Martek * '' Obsessive Love (film)'' (1984, TV movie) - Linda Foster * '' Berrenger's'' (1985, canceled after 12 episodes) - Shane Bradley * ''

'' (1986, TV movie) - Cheryl Leary * '' Perry Mason: The Case of the Desperate Deception'' (1990, TV movie) - Danielle Altmann * ''

'' (1992, TV Series) - Deena Swanson (final appearance)

Recordings

* ''The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm'' 1962 (MGM Records), as The Dancing Princess * ''Baudelaire's Flowers of Evil (Les Fleurs Du Mal)'' 1968 (Connoisseur Society), reading excerpts of Cyril Scott's 1909 translation with music by

Ali Akbar Khan Ali Akbar Khan (14 April 192218 June 2009) was a Indian Hindustani classical musician of the Maihar gharana, known for his virtuosity in playing the sarod. Trained as a classical musician and instrumentalist by his father, Allauddin Khan, he a ...

References

Notes

Citations

External links

* * * * *
Yvette Mimieux Gallery
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mimieux, Yvette 1942 births 2022 deaths 20th-century American actresses Actresses from Los Angeles American actresses of Mexican descent American businesspeople American film actresses American people of French descent American television actresses Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract players