'White Christmas' Actress Anne Whitfield Dead at 85

Actress Anne Whitfield, who appeared in the classic holiday movie White Christmas, has died. She was 85. In her obituary, Whitfield's family shared that she "passed away on February 15, 2024, surrounded by family at Valley Memorial Hospital after suffering an unexpected accident while on a walk in her neighborhood."

"Through the kindness of neighbors who provided expert medical support, family had the gift to say goodbye and express love and gratitude, a gift we will always cherish," the family went on to say. "The most precious part of Annie's life were her 3 children and 7 grandchildren. She was beloved by her family, who were always her first priority."

This will hit anyone who loves "White Christmas" (and I certainly am one of those people) right in the heart: #AnneWhitfield, who played the grandddauughter of the retired major general turned inn operator (Dean Jagger), has passed. pic.twitter.com/oClTSIWeNv

— Jay Bobbin (@JayBobbin1) February 29, 2024

Whitfield was born in Oxford, Mississippi on August 27, 1938. She began working as a child actress before she was 10, and eventually landed roles in shows such as Racket Squad and I Married Joan. In 1954, as a teenager, she starred as Susan Waverly in White Christmas, opposite Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, Vera-Ellen, and Dean Jagger.

In the decades after White Christmas, Whitfield went on to appear in popular TV series like Father Knows Best, Rawhide, Days of our Lives, Gunsmoke, Perry Mason, The Six Million Dollar Man, and Adam-12. Her final performance was in the 1999 film Cookie's Fortune. 

"Annie's greatest wish is for her family and future generations to thrive in a world characterized by love, acceptance, natural beauty, and the cessation of political and social injustices," Whitfield's obituary added. "She was a powerhouse in life and we hope her immense positive energy flows out to those who had the pleasure of knowing her."

Whitfield is survived by her three adult children: eldest daughter Julie Stevens of Columbia Falls, Montana; Julie's daughter Emery (Neil Hearns), and sons Luke and Alex; son Evan Schiller of West Seattle (Linda Schiller) and their sons Quinn and Logan; and youngest daughter Allison Phillips of Menlo Park (Peter Freed) and their daughters Frances and Aviva.