Claudine Longet, the French singer and actress whose career was overshadowed by the 1976 shooting death of Olympic skier Spider Sabich, has died at the age of 84.
Longet became famous in the 1960s through her music career with A&M Records and her appearance in the film The Party alongside Peter Sellers. She was also married to singer and TV host Andy Williams, appearing frequently on The Andy Williams Show.
In 1976, Longet shot Sabich at his Colorado home, claiming the gun fired accidentally while he was showing her how it worked. She was later convicted of criminally negligent homicide and received probation, a fine, and 30 days in jail.
Born in Paris in 1942, Longet later built a successful career in music and television, appearing in shows such as Hogan’s Heroes and releasing the million-selling album Claudine.
In 1985, she married her defense attorney, Ronald Austin, and later settled in Hawaii. She is survived by her sons Christian and Bobby.