Betty Lynn Tragic Cause of Death: What Illness Does 'The Andy Griffith Show' Star Die Of?
Betty Lynn, a veteran actress, popularly known for her role as Thelma Lou in "The Andy Griffith Show," has passed away at the age of 95.
Taking to their Facebook page, the Andy Griffth Museum confirmed that the actress died on Saturday in Culver City, California.
Lynn died because of a brief illness, but the page did not disclose her specific medical condition.
Born in Kansas City, the actress was fond of music as she was raised by her mother, Elizabeth Lynn, a respected mezzo-soprano and organist.
Lynn started studying dance at the age of five with Helen Burwell, a famous dancer at the Kansas City Conservatory. At 14, she started acting and singing in supper clubs while doing commercial spots for radio shows in her free time.
USO talent scouts discovered the actress when they visited her hometown. When she turned 18 in 1944, she started performing for USO Camp Shows across the country, which later toured overseas the following year.
When she returned to New York City after the war, and immediately found a career in Broadway. Several Hollywood scouts offered her projects, including Daryl F. Zanuck. She later decided to do a screen test for Twentieth Century Fox.
Lynn signed a multi-year contract with the media giant and took over the Hollywood scene. According to Deadline, some of her film credits include "Sitting Pretty," "June Bride," "Cheaper by the Dozen," "Meet Me In Las Vegas," and more.
After her contract expired, the actress tried pursuing an acting career in TV shows since television was still in its early days at the time. Some of her acting credits include "The Egg and I," one of the first comedy live shows before. CBS broadcasted it in 1952.
She later got an acting job in Disney for two seasons of "Disney Presents: Texas John Slaughter with Tom Tyron," however, the media company was in the process of winding down its production of the series, so she took the offer from the producers of "The Andy Griffith Show."
Lynn played the role of Barney Fife's girlfriend, Thelma Lou, for five years. She appeared in 26 episodes in total.
Her career did not stop there as she dominated the television industry over the next few years.
A private burial for the actress will take place in Culver City, California. A memorial service will soon be announced.
The social media post asks fans to donate to the Betty Lynne Scholarship Endowment instead of sending flowers. Her organization aims to fund students who are trying to pursue a career in acting or dancing.
