Sigrid Valdis

infobox actor

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birthname=Patricia Annette Olson
birthdate=birth date|1935|9|21
deathdate=death date and age|2007|10|14|1935|9|21
deathplace=Anaheim, California
spouse=Bob Crane, George Gilbert Ateyeh
children=Ana, Melissa, Scott
occupation=Television actress

Sigrid Valdis, born Patricia Annette Olson, (September 21, 1935 – October 14, 2007), was an American actress. Born in Bakersfield, California, Valdis grew up in the Westwood area of Los Angeles, finding both runway and print modeling jobs as a teenager, working for Bullock's and other department stores.

After graduating from Marymount High School, she moved to Europe and then to New York City, where she continued her modeling carer and studied acting with Stella Adler.

As an actress, her best known role was Helge, Colonel Klink's secretary on the television sitcom "Hogan's Heroes", for five seasons. She also appeared as one of the live-in girlfriends (also referred to as "playmates", and "Pleasure Units") of the title character in "Our Man Flint" (1966).

On October 16, 1970, Sigrid married Bob Crane, the actor who starred as Colonel Robert Hogan in "Hogan's Heroes". They were married on the set of the show.

Her film credits include "Our Man Flint", "Two Tickets to Paris", "Marriage on the Rocks", and "The Venetian Affair". In addition to "Hogan's Heroes", she appeared on other television series, including "The Wild Wild West" and "Kraft Mystery Theater".

She retired from acting after her son's birth in 1971. She moved from the Los Angeles area after Crane's death in 1978. In 1998, she joined the cast of her son's syndicated weekly sketch comedy radio show, "Shaken, Not Stirred", which originated in Seattle. "She was in almost every single weekly episode," her son said. "She played a ton of bit parts," including the recurring role of his mother. Valdis lived in Seattle from 1980 to 2004, when she moved back to her childhood home in Westwood.

Valdis died on October 14, 2007 from lung cancer in Anaheim, California at her daughter Ana's home. She was 72 years old. Survivors include her 2 daughters, Ana Sarmiento and Melissa Smith, and son Scott, her sister Dale Gudegast and husband Hans of California, one granddaughter and four grandsons.

In addition to her son and daughter from her marriage to Crane, the twice-widowed actress is survived by a daughter from her first marriage, Melissa Smith; and five grandchildren.

References

External links

*imdb name|id=0883724|name=Sigrid Valdis
* [http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-valdis18nov18,1,6720543.story?coll=la-news-obituaries/ LA Times Obit, Nov. 18, 2007]
* [http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/9092/sigrf3.pngPicture]
*Find A Grave|id=22971771