Monday, December 25, 2017

RIP HEATHER MENZIES

Sad to wake-up to the news of Heather Menzies' passing. Must be especially tough for a family to lose a loved one at this time of year. Heather will no doubt always be best known for playing one of the Von Trapp kids (Louisa) in THE SOUND OF MUSIC (1965), but I will most remember her for appearing in two great low-budget 70s horror flicks - the very strange SSSSSSS in 1973, and Joe Dante's 1978 cult gem PIRANHA. She was also the female lead in the short-lived LOGAN'S RUN television show, which ran for 14 episodes between 1977 - 78. My wife Marneen stunt-doubled for Heather in the LOGANS RUN episode "Turnabout", where her character Jessica 6 takes a tumble down a sand dune. She remembers her as a nice person filled with a lot of positive energy and enthusiasm.

Menzies was married to actor Robert Ulrich from 1975 until his early death from soft tissue cancer in 2002. It was a loss that clearly devastated her and she spent a lot of her time since raising awareness and funds for research into that rare form of cancer. She passed away from brain cancer yesterday at 68. Re-united with Robert.