How did Anne Whitfield die?

Actress Anne Whitfield, famous for her role in the 1954 movie White Christmas, has passed away at the age of 85.

Whitfield died on February 15 at Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital in Washington. Her family was with her. She had an accident while walking in her neighborhood, which led to her hospitalization.

“Because of the kind help from neighbors who gave expert medical support, our family could say goodbye and show love and thanks, something we will always treasure,” her family said.

Anne was born on August 27, 1938, in Oxford, Mississippi. When she was 4 years old, her father went overseas as an Army Band director, so her mother took her to Hollywood to chase her showbiz dreams. Anne started acting in radio dramas as a child. She also studied at UCLA while continuing to act and work on radio shows.

She began working in theater in 1949 and appeared in many stage productions, including Annie Get Your Gun. In 1950, she started getting small roles on TV shows like Racket Squad, One Man’s Family, and Hollywood Opening Night, as well as some small film roles.

Her most famous role was in 1954, when she was only 15, in the beloved musical comedy White Christmas. She played Susan Waverly, the granddaughter of Major General Thomas Waverly, who owned the Columbia Inn hotel where Bing Crosby’s Bob Wallace and Danny Kaye’s Phil Davis performed.

According to Anne’s obituary, “Just this past December during the holidays, Annie was able to watch White Christmas with her family on the movie’s 70th anniversary.”

“Even though Anne was a talented actor, she felt that Los Angeles didn’t have enough trees for her. So, she left Hollywood for her new life ‘up north’ in the 1970s. During this time, Anne became devoted to causes that promote peace and preserve nature,” her family shared. “Even after ‘retiring,’ Anne continued working hard as an activist and community organizer, right up until the day she passed away.”