The Tragic Death Of Time Machine Star Yvette Mimieux

Renowned actor Yvette Mimieux, who took the film industry by storm in the 1960s and 1970s, has died at the age of 80, per Variety. After a few small TV roles, Mimieux finally broke onto the big screen in "Platinum High School" alongside Mickey Rooney and "The Time Machine," both of which were released in 1960, per IMDb. Her performance in "Platinum High School" earned her a Golden Globe nomination for new star of the year, but it was her role in "The Time Machine" that launched Mimieux's career to new heights. 

Mimieux became unstoppable and appeared in six movies before she was 21 years old, including "Where the Boys Are," "Light In the Piazza," and "Toys In the Attic." Mimieux reflected on her rapid success during an interview with The Washington Post in 1979. "I suppose I had a soulful quality," she said. "I was often cast as a wounded person, the 'sensitive' role." 

Although Yvette Mimieux appeared in some "forgettable movies" in the late 1960s, per The Washington Post, her legacy continued well into the 1970s. That decade, she appeared in "Hit Lady," "Jackson County Jail," and "The Black Hole," according to IMDb. She also appeared on two episodes of the TV show "Dr. Kildare," in which she made history as the first person on American TV to show their belly button, per the New York Post.

Mimieux continued to work in the film industry, ultimately retiring from acting in 1992 after starring in "Lady Boss," per Deadline. Mimieux was married to director Stanley Donen for 13 years. After the pair got divorced, she went on to marry businessman Howard Ruby in 1986. The couple remained together until she took her last breath on January 18, per the Hollywood Reporter.

The New York Post reported that the actor died in her sleep of natural causes. On January 8, she celebrated her 80th birthday. The Los Angeles native never had children and lived a very private life. "You know there are tribes in Africa who believe that a camera steals a little part of your soul, and in a way I think that's true about living your private life in public," she told The Washington Post in 1979. "It takes something away from your relationships, it cheapens them." Our hearts go out to her family.