The 5-foot-4 actress stunning blonde actress Yvette Mimieux dominated the 60’s with her exceptional acting and stunning appearance. She passed away peacefully at the age of 80 while sleeping. Hollywood and aspiring actors will remember her remarkable legacy.
Starring in films such as The Time Machine and Where the Boys Are, the actress was a pinup icon and was considered a fixture in her field. In addition to the above film, she had a diverse career appearing in numerous films of various genres, which earned her three Golden Globe Award nominations.
Early Years
Yvette Mimieux was a native of Los Angeles and was born on January 8, 1942. Her mother, Maria Montemayor, was French, and her father, Rene Mimieux, was Mexican. Her television debut was on the shows Yancy Derringer and One Step Beyond in 1959.
Contrary to popular belief, her first film was not The Time Machine, but Platinum High School in 1960, which was released sixty days before The Time Machine and was produced for MGM by Albert Zugsmith.
Rise to Prominence and Film Career
Yvette appeared in H. G. Wells’ science fiction novel The Time Machine, released in 1895. The film, adapted by George Pal, was released in 1960. The film starred Rod Taylor, and Yvette Mimieux portrayed the character Weena. The film was also produced for MGM.
The film’s critical and commercial success led to a long-term contract with MGM. She then landed several leading roles in the popular teen comedy film Where the Boys Are.
Released in the same year as The Time Machine, in 1960, the film was a success for her, although her role contrasted with the film’s tone as her character is sexually assaulted.
Subsequently, she was cast in Light in the Piazza, a 1962 film. The film starred Olivia de Havilland and George Hamilton. Yvette’s portrayal of a mentally disabled girl in the film was critically acclaimed. Although the film did not generate significant revenue, it was praised by critics.
Discussing her roles, Yvette Mimieux commented to the Washington Post in 1979, “I suppose I have a soulful quality. I was often cast as a wounded person, the ‘sensitive’ role.”
Success on Television
The blonde sensation also made her mark on television. She appeared as a guest on Dr. Kildare, a series starring Richard Chamberlain. On this show, she made history on-screen by becoming the first person on American television to show her belly button.
The show earned her a second Golden Globe nomination.
She also appeared in The Most Deadly Game. Around this time, Yvette was also involved in selling Haitian products and studying archaeology, which required her to travel for several months each year.
However, by the early ’70s, Yvette expressed dissatisfaction with the roles offered to women on screen. She remarked, “The women they write are all one-dimensional. They have no complexity in their lives. It’s all surface. There’s nothing to play. They’re either sex objects or vanilla pudding.”
Exploring Writing and Journalism
Yvette Mimieux also engaged in writing stories and journalism. She also conceptualized a film theme, which she eventually turned into a film, stating:
“…the study of a woman, the difference between what she appears to be and what she is: appearance vs reality… [the more I thought about the character] the more I wanted to play her. Here was the kind of nifty, multifaceted part I’d been looking for. So instead of a short story, I wrote it as a film.”
The ABC television film, titled Hit Lady, aired in 1974 and was written by Yvette Mimieux. The thriller was produced by Aaron Spelling and Leonard Goldberg.
Personal Life
Yvette Mimieux was married three times in her life, all of which ended in divorce. She did not have any children. She married Evan Harland Engber in 1959 and then married Stanley Donen, who was at the peak of his career at the time, in 1972. Donen was responsible for films such as Charade and Singin’ In The Rain.
This marriage ended, and they divorced in 1985. A year later, she married Howard F. Ruby. She eventually settled with him, and their union lasted for 36 years, until her passing.
She is survived by her siblings Edouard Mimieux and Gloria Montemayor, as well as stepchildren Steven Ruby, Donna Hill, Michael Ruby, Mark, and Josh Donen.
She had just celebrated her 80th birthday on January 8, 2022, and passed away only 10 days later.
A Fulfilling Life
Yvette Mimieux had already appeared in six films before the age of 21. Despite gaining a reputation for portraying sensitive roles, she later expressed dissatisfaction with how women were portrayed in the cinema. Not only did she voice her concerns, but she also took action.
She was known to be a private person despite her illustrious career. She valued privacy and stated in 1979, “I decided I didn’t want to have a totally public life.”
She further commented, “When the fan magazines started wanting to take pictures of me making sandwiches for my husband, I said ‘no.’ You know there are tribes in Africa who believe that a camera steals a little part of your soul, and in a way I think that’s true about living your private life in public. It takes something away from your relationships; it cheapens them.”
Even after her passing, no service is planned for the icon, according to sources.
Her retirement from acting came in 1992 after her final television film, “Lady Boss.”
