The entertainment world is collectively mourning the loss of a legendary era with the passing of four remarkable actresses – Eileen Fulton, Piper Laurie, Olive Sturgess, and Chita Rivera – all at the age of 91, leaving behind a rich tapestry of work that spanned nearly a century.
Eileen Fulton, the acclaimed soap opera icon best known for her role as Lisa Grimaldi on the long-running series “As the World Turns,” died at 91 on July 14, 2025, in Asheville, North Carolina. Her career in daytime television began in 1960 with “As the World Turns,” a show she remained with until its series finale in 2010, marking an extraordinary 50-year tenure.
Born Margaret Elizabeth McLarty in Asheville on September 13, 1933, Fulton’s artistic journey began remarkably early. At just two years old, she reportedly “jumed from my mother’s lap and ran to the altar and sang, ‘Mama’s little baby loves shortening bread.’ They couldn’t shut me up, and they haven’t been able to shut me up since,” as she recounted to CBS News in 1998. This early spark ignited a lifelong ambition; she told The Washington Post in 1990, “I dreamed of being the greatest actress on Broadway.”
After graduating from Greensboro College with a bachelor’s degree in music in 1956, Fulton performed in the outdoor drama “The Lost Colony” in Manteo, N.C. She then moved to New York to pursue her acting dreams, studying with renowned coaches Sanford Meisner and Lee Strasberg at the Neighborhood Playhouse, and later dance with Martha Graham. It was at this juncture that Margaret Elizabeth McLarty adopted her stage name, Eileen Fulton, and embarked on a prolific career that included modeling gigs before her film debut.
Her first film role was in the 1960 movie “Girl of the Night,” where she co-starred with Anne Francis. The same year, she was cast as Lisa Miller on the CBS soap opera “As the World Turns.” Fulton revolutionized daytime drama, becoming known as “daytime’s first bad girl” and the “disruptor to the family dynamic.” Her eagerness to embrace Lisa’s villainous side contributed significantly to the character’s immense popularity and longevity.
Lisa Grimaldi, as her character became known, was infamous for her numerous marriages, tying the knot eight times over 50 years to characters including Bob Hughes, John Eldridge, Michael Shea, Grant Coleman, Whit McColl, Earl Mitchell, Eduardo Grimaldi, and Martin Chedwyn. By the time “As the World Turns” concluded in 2010, Lisa’s full name was reportedly Lisa Miller Hughes Eldridge Shea Colman McColl Mitchell Grimaldi Chedwyn, a testament to her eventful on-screen life. So impactful was her portrayal that fans, angered by the manipulative villainess, sometimes necessitated Fulton to employ a bodyguard for protection.
Eileen Fulton was renowned for her unwavering commitment to her iconic role, with only brief interruptions during the show’s extensive run, solidifying her status as one of the longest-serving soap opera actors in American history.
Beyond her iconic soap opera role, Fulton maintained a diverse acting portfolio. Her film credits included “The Signs of the Cross,” “Tinsel Town,” “Roses Woes and Joe’s,” and “The Drum Beats Twice.” On television, she appeared in “Nero Wolfe” and as Janie Daggett in “Naked City.” She also boasted an impressive array of theater credits, performing in Broadway productions such as “Many Loves,” “Any Wednesday,” “Sabrina Fair,” “Summer of the Seventeenth Doll,” “Nite Club Confidential,” “Plaza Suite,” “It Had To be You,” “The Owl and the Pussycat,” “Goodbye Charlie,” and “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.” For a period early in her career, she simultaneously appeared live on “As the World Turns” and on Broadway in “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf” and off-Broadway in the musical “The Fantasticks.”
Fulton’s immense contributions to the entertainment industry were celebrated with her induction into the Soap Opera Hall of Fame in 1998 and the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award at the Daytime Emmy Awards in 2004, alongside fellow esteemed actors, and she also earned her first Daytime Emmy nomination in 1988.
Outside of her acting career, Fulton was also an author. She co-authored her first autobiography, “How My World Turns,” in 1970, followed by “As My World Still Turns” in 1995 to commemorate her 35th anniversary on “As the World Turns.” She also penned a series of mystery novels titled “Take One for Murder.” Furthermore, she performed a cabaret act for many years in various venues across New York and Los Angeles. Fulton retired from show business in 2019, moving to Black Mountain, North Carolina, and her last acting credit is listed as Katherine Wise on “The Life Zone.”
Eileen Fulton’s passing leaves a profound void. She is survived by her brother, Charles Furman McLarty (Karen) of Black Mountain; her niece Katherine Morris (David) and their children, Everly Ann Morris and Easton Lane Morris of Fort Mill, S.C.; and her sister-in-law Chris Page McLarty of Camden, Maine. She was predeceased by her parents and her brother, James Fulton McLarty. Her legacy as a trailblazing figure in daytime television, celebrated for her enduring portrayal of Lisa Grimaldi, remains firmly cemented.
Coinciding with this loss, the entertainment landscape also bid farewell to Piper Laurie, an equally celebrated actress whose career spanned seven decades in both film and television. Ms. Laurie passed away at 91 in Los Angeles, confirmed by her manager, Marion Rosenberg, who stated she “basically died of old age” and praised her as an “extraordinary talent and a superb human being.”
Born Rosetta Jacobs in 1932, Piper Laurie was a distinguished figure from Hollywood’s Golden Age, whose talent earned her three Oscar nominations, including a powerful performance in the 1961 drama ‘The Hustler,’ after which she dedicated 15 years to raising her family and championing civil rights.
Her return to the screen in the mid-1970s was met with further acclaim, notably for her performance in the horror classic “Carrie,” which earned her another Oscar nomination. More recently, she gained recognition as Catherine Martell in the television series “Twin Peaks,” a role that secured her a Golden Globe and two Emmy nominations. Fans and colleagues alike have mourned her passing, with many taking to social media to commend her versatility, as one fan tweeted, “RIP to Piper Laurie, an amazing actress who could play both a damaged love heroine in ‘The Hustler’ & the monstrous mother in ‘Carrie.’ ”
The industry also mourned Olive Sturgess, a veteran actress who made an indelible mark in television Westerns and horror. Sturgess, also 91, passed away from natural causes on February 19, 2025, in Los Angeles, California, according to her daughter, Amy Anderson Sanchez, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter. Prior to her passing, Sturgess had lost her long-time home in a January fire and was residing with her daughter.
Born on October 8, 1933, in Ocean Falls, British Columbia, and raised in Vancouver, Sturgess discovered her passion for performing at a young age through ballet and piano lessons. A pivotal moment occurred when she watched Mary Martin perform in “Peter Pan,” inspiring her to pursue a career in show business. In Tom Weaver’s 2014 book “I Talked With a Zombie,” Sturgess vividly recalled the enchanting experience of seeing a performer dramatically fly onto the stage, solidifying her aspiration to become an actress.
Olive Sturgess embraced her acting passion upon moving to California, honing her skills at Whittier College and the Beverly Hills Playhouse, which led to early television roles on popular shows and a contract with Universal-International after an impactful screen test by Clint Eastwood, leading to frequent appearances throughout the 1950s.
Her extensive filmography included nearly 300 television episodes over two decades, starting from the mid-1950s. She was particularly known for her roles in Westerns, featuring in series such as “Bonanza,” “The Virginian,” “Destry,” “Wide Country,” “Maverick,” “Whispering Smith,” “Bronco,” “The Tall Man,” “The Rebel,” “Laramie,” “Lawman,” “Have Gun — Will Travel,” “Rawhide,” “U.S. Marshal,” “Sugarfoot,” “Cheyenne,” and “Tales of Wells Fargo.” She also guest-starred with Mickey Rooney on a 1960 episode of NBC’s “Wagon Train,” notably wearing Elizabeth Taylor’s wedding dress from “Father of the Bride.”
Beyond her work in Westerns, Sturgess graced numerous diverse series, including ‘Perry Mason’ and ‘The Donna Reed Show,’ and her chilling performances in the horror anthology ‘Thriller’ paved the way for her memorable role in the 1963 horror spoof ‘The Raven,’ starring alongside Vincent Price and Peter Lorre, and she remained connected with fans until her passing.
Broadway also bids a fond farewell to the incomparable Chita Rivera, who passed away at 91 in New York after a brief illness, a loss deeply felt and announced with profound sadness by her long-time publicist, who had been her dear friend for over four decades.
Born Dolores Conchita Figueroa del Rivero Anderson in 1933, Chita Rivera’s artistic journey began with ballet training at age 9, leading to a prestigious scholarship at the School of American Ballet, and she always proudly embraced her Puerto Rican heritage, which she credited with shaping her into the icon she became.
Rivera quickly rose to prominence as Broadway’s quintessential “triple-threat” – an actress, singer, and dancer – paving the way for Latinx artists. Her unparalleled Broadway career spanned decades, beginning in 1950. She originated the timeless role of Anita in the original Broadway premiere of “West Side Story” in 1957, a role for which she received widespread acclaim. Though Rita Moreno later famously took on the role in the Oscar-winning film adaptation, Rivera often quipped, “My costumes. My steps. My orchestrations. Rita Moreno won the Academy Award for giving my performance,” as she stated in her 2005 one-woman show, “Chita Rivera: The Dancer’s Life.”
Her illustrious stage career included starring roles in “Bye Bye Birdie,” opposite Dick Van Dyke, a performance that earned her her first Tony Award nomination in 1960. She also starred in Bob Fosse musicals like “Chicago,” where she originated the role of the brassy Velma Kelly in 1975, and “All That Jazz.” Other notable original Broadway cast credits include “Guys and Dolls” and “Mr. Wonderful,” where she starred alongside Sammy Davis Jr.
Rivera’s talent was consistently recognized by the industry. She received a record 10 Tony Award nominations, winning Best Actress in a Musical twice: first in 1984 for John Kander and Fred Ebb’s “The Rink,” and again in 1993 for their “Kiss of the Spider Woman.” In 2018, she was honored with a Special Tony Award for lifetime achievement in the theater. Her accolades extended beyond Broadway, as she was a Kennedy Center honoree in 2002 and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama in 2009.
Despite her demanding stage career, Rivera graced the silver screen and television with memorable appearances in film adaptations of ‘Sweet Charity’ and ‘Chicago,’ and her recent cameo in Netflix’s ‘Tick, Tick… Boom!’ in 2021 was a testament to her enduring star power, with director Lin-Manuel Miranda hailing her as ‘the trailblazer for Puerto Rico on Broadway.’
Fellow artists deeply felt Rivera’s impact. Rita Moreno, who won an Oscar for playing Anita in the 1961 film “West Side Story,” called Rivera “eternal” and “the essence of Broadway,” adding, “When I found out that this astonishing creature was one of my people, I crowed with pride.” Catherine Zeta-Jones, who won an Oscar for playing Velma Kelly in the film adaptation of “Chicago,” spoke of the “incredible impact” Rivera had on her life. Ariana DeBose, who won an Oscar for playing Anita in the 2021 “West Side Story” remake, described Rivera as “a force” whose presence inspired greatness.
Rivera’s personal life also saw a marriage to Tony Mordente, who played A-Rab in “West Side Story,” though they divorced in 1966. She also penned a memoir, “Chita: A Memoir,” published last year. Her final appearance on Broadway was in 2015’s “The Visit,” another Kander and Ebb musical. Chita Rivera is survived by her daughter Lisa Mordente, and siblings Julio, Armando, and Lola del Rivero. Her family has requested that donations in her memory be made to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, with a private funeral planned and a memorial service to be announced.
The collective passing of Eileen Fulton, Piper Laurie, Olive Sturgess, and Chita Rivera at the age of 91 signifies a profound moment in entertainment history, as these four extraordinary women, through their dedication, versatility, and passion, have indelibly shaped American culture across television, film, and Broadway, leaving behind legacies that will continue to inspire for generations to come.
