Tanya Roberts, the actress who starred alongside Roger Moore in the 1985 Bond film "A View To A Kill," as well as classic TV series "Charlie's Angels" and "That '70s Show," has died. She was 65.
Her publicist and longtime friend Mike Pingel told USA TODAY that Roberts died Sunday following a sudden hospitalization on Dec. 24 that came on after walking her dogs. Pingel did not disclose the cause of death but said Roberts did not die from a COVID-19 related illness.
Pingel said that Roberts was extremely cautious during COVID-19, venturing out three times in 2020, twice to take her beloved dogs, Muttly and Socks, to the veterinarian.
The actress interacted with fans in a weekly online program streamed from her official Facebook page, on which she last participated Dec. 19. But the first show of 2021, scheduled for Jan. 2, was canceled without explanation. On Sunday, Pingel announced to fans, "Yes, Tanya passed away today. I'm heartbroken."
Born Victoria Leigh Blum in the Bronx, Roberts dropped out of high school at 15 and hitchhiked around the country. She eventually returned to New York City, and began a career in modeling moving to movies with the 1976 horror film "Forced Entry" (later retitled to "The Last Victim").
She starred as Kiri in 1982's fantasy adventure, "The Beastmaster." In the 1984 jungle fantasy "Sheena," Roberts starred as the titular character, a female version of Tarzan. Shot in Kenya, "Sheena" bombed at the box office and with critics, and earned 5 Golden Raspberry Awards, including worst actress for Roberts. The film would become a beloved, campy cult classic.
"The director screwed up everything," Roberts said in her final fan chat.
Roberts had a year-long run as tough-talking Julie Rogers, who helped the Townsend Agency detectives solve crimes in "Charlies Angels" from 1980 to 1981.
In "A View to a Kill" she played geologist Stacey Sutton, a target of villain Max Zorin, played by Christopher Walken.
She starred from 1998 to 2004 on "That '70s Show" as Midge Pinciotti, the lovable, beautiful mother of Donna Pinciotti (played by Laura Prepon).
"'That 70s Show' was her favorite show, she really loved doing comedy," said Pingel.
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