Darlanne Fluegel, the actress who starred in films like “Once Upon a Time in America,” “To Live and Die in L.A.” and “Running Scared,” has died. She was 64.
Fluegel’s daughter Jenna Carey told The Hollywood Reporter that Fluegel died Dec. 15 at her home in Orlando following a battle with Alzheimer’s disease.
The actress played Robert De Niro’s girlfriend in “Once Upon a Time in America” (1984) as well as Kirk Douglas’ love interest in 1986’s “Tough Guys.”
Fluegel also starred on the NBC drama “Crime Story” that aired from 1986 to 1988, as well as the last season of Fred Dryer’s “Hunter.”
Fluegel was born in Pennsylvania in 1953 and began her career as a model in 1974. Her debut role as a model was in the Irvin Kershner thriller “Eyes of Laura Mars” (1978), which starred Faye Dunaway. She was also seen in Roger Corman’s “Battle Beyond the Stars,” “Lock Up,” “Pet Sematary II” and “Breaking Point.”
She later ran her own acting school and served as a professor at the University of Central Florida. She also produced “Land of the Rising Fastball,” a 2010 documentary about Japanese baseball.
According to THR, she was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s when she was 56. She is also survived by her son, Coulter.