Actress in 'Gunsmoke' and 'Twilight Zone' Episodes Passes Away: Evans Evans Was 91

Evans Evans also had her breakout role in the 1967 film 'Bonnie and Clyde.'

By Megan Behnke

Beloved character actress Evans Evans has passed away. Known for her roles in Gunsmoke and Twilight Zone, Evans died at 91 on June 16, according to her public obituary from Neptune Society. Per Deadline, Evans was born on Nov. 26, 1932 in Bluefield, West Virginia. She married director John Frankenheimer on Dec. 13, 1963 and stayed together until he died in July 2002. Evans lived in Sherman Oaks, California prior to her death.

Evans made her acting debut in an episode of Studio One in 1957. She continued to appear in one-off episodes of numerous shows throughout the early '60s, including Gunsmoke, The Twilight Zone, The Defenders, Cain's Hundred, 77 Sunset Strip, Wagon Train, Death Valley Days, and The Reporter. In 1967, Evans landed the role of Velma Davis in Bonnie and Clyde, opposite Gene Wilder. They portrayed two young lovebirds who notice some thieves, Bonne (Faye Dunaway) and Clyde (Warren Beatty), along with the Barrow Gang, stealing Eugene's car.

Her role in the film was Evans' big break, having only mostly done small roles up until that point. Following Bonnie and Clyde, she went on to appear in several films such as Story of a Love Story, The Iceman Cometh, Prophecy, and Dead Bang, which became her final role in 1989. On top of her on-screen acting career, Evans appeared on Broadway at the beginning of her acting career. She was in 1957's The Dark at the Top of the Stairs, 1960's A Distant Bell, and The 49th Cousin, also in 1960.

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As of now, details surrounding her death are unknown, but it's possible that it was just natural causes. She didn't seem to have any illness, so it's likely it was just old age. However, that doesn't make the death any less emotional or heartbreaking. Even though it had been years since Evans Evans was last on-screen, she definitely made an impact on television and her few movie roles.

According to her IMDb, she was the step-mother to John Frankenheimer's daughter whom he shared with Carolyn Miller. Evans and Frankenheimer didn't have kids together. Any other details on surviving family members, such as siblings, are also unknown. Regardless, her legacy will surely live on with her roles and the fans who loved her. Luckily, fans can watch some of her roles, as Gunsmoke is streaming 24/7 on Pluto TV for free, among other shows.

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