STAR TRAGESY At the age of 85, Anne Whitfield, who portrayed Angela on White Christmas, passed away in a horrific “unexpected accident” close to her house.
According to her distraught relatives, she passed away in a “surprising accident” while taking a stroll close to her Washington, D.C., home.
Whitfield played Susan Waverly in the holiday classic White Christmas, released in 1954.
On February 15, she died at Valley Memorial Hospital in Yakima, Washington. She was accompanied by her family.
According to her family, Anne Langham Whitfield Phillips led a magnificent life, using every moment to improve the world and the lives of those around her.
“Our family will always treasure the gift of being able to say goodbye and express love and gratitude thanks to the generosity of our neighbors who offered professional medical support.”
“Annie was able to watch White Christmas with her family during the holidays in December, which was the movie’s 70th anniversary,” read Whitfield’s funeral notice.
“Annie was a terrific actor, but Los Angeles didn’t have enough trees for her, so in the 1970s she departed Hollywood for a new life “up north,” the statement continued.
“During this transition, Annie developed a strong commitment to environmental protection and peace-promoting causes.”
After she “retired,” Annie put in a lot of effort as a community organizer and activist until the day she passed away.
“The most significant aspects of Annie’s life were her three children and seven grandchildren.”
“Her family always came first and she was adored by them.”
On March 22, Whitfield’s life will be celebrated, and those who are grieving over her passing are encouraged to donate to charities or plant trees in her memory.
She will be missed by her seven grandchildren and three children.
The radio, television, and film star was born in Oxford, Mississippi, on August 27, 1938.
When Whitfield was young, he began performing in radio plays. He went to UCLA and kept acting and working on radio shows while he was there.
When Whitfield was four years old, her mother took her to Hollywood to help launch her show business career.
“FINISHING THE JOB”
Her father had been deployed abroad to command the Army Band during that time.
Since starting his career in theater in 1949, Whitfield has starred in numerous productions, including Annie Get Your Gun.
She began landing small roles on TV series including Hollywood Opening Night, One Man’s Family, and Racket Squad the following year. She also had numerous little roles in films.
In 1954, Whitfield played the lead in the musical comedy White Christmas at the age of 15. Her most well-known role was that one.
She played Susan Waverly, granddaughter of Major General Thomas Waverly (Dean Jagger), owner of the Columbia Inn hotel, which is starred by Danny Kaye as Phil Davis and Bing Crosby as Bob Wallace.
In the 1980s and 1990s, Whitfield continued to play supporting roles. Her final film appearance was in Cookies’ Fortune, a 1999 comedy directed by Robert Altman.
