Leslie Parrish, an actress known for her roles in classic Hollywood films and television, died late last year at age 90 while living in Washington state. Her death was recently confirmed by Erica Berdan, a daughter of the actress’ second husband, Richard Bach, in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter.
Parrish’s film career included a leading role as Daisy Mae in Paramount Pictures’ 1959 musical adaptation of Li’l Abner, which followed Edie Adams’ Tony-winning performance in the original Broadway production. She appeared opposite Peter Palmer, who reprised his stage role for the film. Beyond that production, Parrish took on supporting and guest roles in numerous films throughout the 1950s and 1960s, including Portrait of a Mobster, For Love or Money with Kirk Douglas, and Three on a Couch with Jerry Lewis. She also made memorable television appearances, including a guest role as USS Enterprise officer Carolyn Palamas on Star Trek and as the ice skater Glacia Glaze opposite Eli Wallach on Batman.
In John Frankenheimer’s The Manchurian Candidate, Parrish played Jocelyn Jordan, a character whose costume plays a pivotal role in the film’s plot involving Laurence Harvey’s character. She later identified this role as her favorite. In the early 1970s, she transitioned to behind-the-scenes work as an associate producer on Jonathan Livingston Seagull, handling various production responsibilities including bird care, though she received credit only as a researcher.
Beyond her entertainment career, Parrish was an active antiwar protester during the 1960s and 1970s. She participated in a major peace march in Century City in 1967 and helped establish STOP!, an organization promoting the peace movement. She also worked on environmental conservation efforts, eventually protecting 168 acres of forest land and wildlife habitat in Washington through donations made with her second husband, author Richard Bach, whom she married in 1981 and divorced in 1999. Parrish was born Marjorie Hellen in Melrose, Massachusetts, on March 18, 1935.
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