Leslie Parrish, Actress in ‘Li’l Abner’ and ‘The Manchurian Candidate,’ Dies at 90
Written by oasis96.3 on August 24, 2026
(EW) – Leslie Parrish, the prolific actress’ whose two-decade run in Hollywood saw her land scene-stealing roles in films like The Manchurian Candidate and series like Batman, has died. She was 90.
Parrish was living in Washington state when she died in 2025. Erica Berdan, Parrish’s stepdaughter during her 18-year marriage to author Richard Bach, confirmed her death to The Hollywood Reporter on Sunday.
Beyond appearing in some of the most influential projects of her time, from Perry Mason and Star Trek to Jerry Lewis’ Three on a Couch, Parrish was a tireless antiwar and environmental activist, whose fierce advocacy led to lasting real-world changes.
Entertainment Weekly did not immediately hear back from Berdan for comment.
Parrish was born Marjorie Hellen in the Boston suburb of Melrose, Mass., on March 18, 1935. Though she started out as a model, she was discovered by a scout from Twentieth Century Fox, who promptly signed her to a contract under her new star name and sent her packing to Hollywood.
She hit the ground running, appearing in tiny roles at least five films in 1955, from the peachy-keen romance A Man Called Peter, starring Jean Peters, to the beloved dance-spectacular Daddy Long Legs, starring Fred Astaire and Leslie Caron.
