R.I.P.: Claudine Longet, Actress, Singer, Married To Andy Williams

Claudine Longet (1942-2026)

Claudine Longet, the actress and singer best known for 1960s TV roles and a high-profile 1976 trial after fatally shooting her Olympic skier boyfriend, has died at age 84.

Longet’s nephew, Bryan Longet, announced the news on social media, writing in French: “You were a true source of inspiration in my life, and you always will be. One more star in the sky. Thank you for everything, Auntie.”

Later Years

A former showgirl, Longet rose to prominence in the 1960s with appearances on television shows including McHale’s Navy, Dr. Kildare, and Hogan’s Heroes. She also starred alongside Peter Sellers in Blake Edwards’ 1968 comedy The Party. During this period, she released several albums and frequently appeared on The Andy Williams Show.

In 1961, Longet married singer Andy Williams after meeting him in Las Vegas when her car broke down and he stopped to help. The couple had three children and remained friends after their divorce at the end of the decade. They were close to Robert F. Kennedy and his wife Ethel, present upstairs in Kennedy’s suite at the Ambassador Hotel the night he was assassinated in 1968 and at the hospital when he was pronounced dead.

Longet began dating Olympic skier Vladimir “Spider” Sabich after meeting at a celebrity skiing event in 1972. On March 21, 1976, Sabich died from a gunshot wound at their Aspen, Colorado home. Longet claimed the pistol discharged accidentally. She was convicted of negligent homicide — a misdemeanor — and sentenced to 30 days in jail and two years’ probation. Sabich’s family later filed a civil lawsuit that was settled out of court.

In 1985, Longet married one of her defense attorneys, Ronald Austin.