'White Christmas' child star Anne Whitfield dies after 'unexpected accident,' family says
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"White Christmas" and "Juvenile Jungle" star Anne Whitfield has died at 85.
Whitfield died on Feb. 15, while surrounded by her family, at Valley Memorial Hospital in Yakima, Washington following "an unexpected accident while on a walk in her neighborhood," her family wrote in her obituary.
"Annie’s greatest wish is for her family and future generations to thrive in a world characterized by love, acceptance, natural beauty, and the cessation of political and social injustices. She was a powerhouse in life and we hope her immense positive energy flows out to those who had the pleasure of knowing her," the obituary read.
The mom of three and grandma of seven started her journey to Hollywood stardom at just 4 as her mom, Frances, served as her agent and acting coach. At 15, Whitfield was cast as Susan Waverly in the 1954 cult classic holiday film "White Christmas" alongside Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye and Rosemary Clooney.
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In the 1970s, Whitfield left Los Angeles because it "didn’t have enough trees for her and she left Hollywood for her new life 'up north.'" According to the obituary, Whitfield dedicated her life to promoting peace and preserving the environment during this time, including political involvement in women's rights and caring for the unhoused.
"Annie’s greatest loves other than her family and friends were being in nature and traveling the world. She had a goal of taking each one of her grandchildren individually to a different country to show them that the world is a place of love, acceptance and connection," the obituary reads.
Whitfield also starred as Carolyn in the 1958 action-adventure film "Juvenile Jungle," as Mrs. Dawes in the 1970 action movie "Tick, Tick, Tick" and was a background character in the 1973 TV movie "The Six Million Dollar Man."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Anne Whitfield dead: 'White Christmas' child star was 85
