Los Angeles, May 12 (IANS) Actress and former model Peggy Lipton, who rose to stardom with “The Mod Squad” and “Twin Peaks”, has died. She was 72.
Her death from cancer was announced on Saturday by Kidada and Rashida Jones, her daughters from a marriage to famed music producer Quincy Jones, reports latimes.com.
“She made her journey peacefully with her daughters and nieces by her side,” Lipton’s daughters said. “We feel so lucky for every moment we spent with her.”
Born in New York on August 30, 1946, Lipton began modelling at age 15. At age 19, she made her television debut on the sitcom “The John Forsythe Show”, going on to make appearances on series as “Bewitched”, “The Alfred Hitchcock Hour” and “The Virginian”.
At 21, Lipton rocketed to fame in 1968 as the street-smart flower child Julie Barnes, one of the undercover “hippie cops” in Los Angeles on the crime series “The Mod Squad”.
It was one of the first TV shows to feature an interracial cast — the series, which co-starred Michael Cole and Clarence Williams III, dealt with issues such as domestic violence, abortion, police brutality, the Vietnam War and drugs.
Lipton got several Emmy nominations and won a Golden Globe award for Best Actress in a TV drama for the show in 1971.
Lipton parlayed her role on “The Mod Squad” into a singing career, enjoying chart success with her cover versions of “Stoney end” and “Lu” by Laura Nyro and “Wear your love like heaven” by Donovan.
She is also popular for her role of Norma Jennings on the TV series “Twin Peaks”.
In recent years, Lipton continued to appear in supporting roles in films such as “When in Rome” and “A Dog’s Purpose”.
–IANS
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