Renowned actress and singer, Conny Van Dyke, has died aged 78, according to a statement released by her son, Bronson Page.
Van Dyke was a talented singer who was once signed to Motown Records and even appeared in movies like Frame and W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings.
Her son told Variety that she sadly died on November 11 at her Los Angeles home from complications relating to vascular dementia.
Van Dyke, who was born in Detroit, Michigan, had battled with health issues in the past, having dealt with both colon cancer and strokes.
In the early 1960s Van Dyke got her start while still a high school student, teaming up with Tom Laughlin, Bill Wellman Jr., and Stephanie Powers to make the movie Among the Thorns.
As well as acting, Van Dyke was also a songwriter for Detroit’s Wheelsville records and, in 1961, she was signed with Motown Records – a record label that became one of the most successful Black-owned businesses in the United States, and one that was influential in signing many African-American soul artists.
Van Dyke was one of the first white recording artists who became signed to the label, and in 1963 her first two singles – ‘Oh, Freddy’, which was written by Smokey Robinson, and ‘It Hurt Me Too’, which had previously been written and recorded by Marvin Gaye – were released.
Several years later, Van Dyke became more involved in acting, playing Jeremy Slate’s love interest, Betsy, in the 1969 biker flick Hell’s Angels ’69 – a movie that also starred Tom Stern, Steve Sandor, Sonny Barger, and real life members of the Oakland Hells Angels motorcycle club.
Van Dyke described filming the movie as “a terrifying, and yet, exhilarating experience,” per Fox.
Following her appearance in Hell’s Angels ’69, Van Dyke went back to singing and released two country albums – ‘Conny Van Dyke’ and ‘Conny Van Dyke Sings for You’.
Then, in 1975, she starred in W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings alongside Burt Reynolds and Art Carney, as well as opposite Joe Don Bake in Framed, portraying singer Susan Barrett.
In the years following these flicks, Van Dyke made various appearances on television, in shows like Adam-12, Barbary Coast, and Nakia, as well as in game shows such as The Hollywood Squares, Match Game, Tattletale, and The Gong Show.
In the late 1970s, Van Dyke retired from acting so she could be more present for her son, but made several guest appearances in 2008 on shows like Cold Case and eventually CSI.
Sadly, she ended up suffering a stroke that left her partially paralyzed, and she never fully recovered from this. She was also diagnosed with colon cancer in the 90s, but she made a full recovery after going through chemotherapy.
Her son spoke about his mother’s bravery, telling Fox: “She really took it head on. The diagnosis was made accidentally. And when she learned of it she really charged in and took the chemotherapy and actually did really, really well with chemotherapy.”
He added: “She’s always been a fighter, so she really fought and she beat it. We were really grateful. And then she just kind of kept going like this has never happened, which was always her way.”
Van Dyke is survived by her son, Bronson Page.
We are sending our thoughts and prayers to Conny Van Dyke’s family, friends, and fans at this difficult time.
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