Catya Sassoon

Infobox actor
bgcolour = silver
name = Catya Sassoon


imagesize = 200px
caption = Actress and model Catya Sassoon
birthdate = birth date|1968|09|03|mf=y
location = New York City, New York, USA
deathdate = death date and age|2002|01|01|1968|09|09
deathplace = Hollywood, California, USA
birthname = Catya Sassoon

Catya "Cat" Sassoon (September 3, 1968 - January 1, 2002), was an American model and actress.

Biography

The eldest of four children, Catya Sassoon was born in New York City to famed British hairstylist Vidal Sassoon and his wife, actress Beverly Adams. Sassoon grew up in Beverly Hills, and was known for being fast and wild at an early age. At age 13, she pierced her nose and dyed her hair purple. At age 14, she dropped out of Beverly Hills High School. The next year, she married Italian film producer, Luca Scalisi. The marriage was short-lived and the next year, Sassoon made her film debut in the 1985 movie, "Tuff Turf".cite news|last=Akbar| first=Arifa| title=Daughter of Vidal Sassoon dies of drug overdose after New Year party | publisher = "The Independent" (London) | date =2002-01-05 | url =http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/article205130.ece | accessdate =2007-08-22]

The same year, Sassoon left for New York to embark on a modeling career. After arriving, she was signed with the Prestige Agency and a became a successful model. During her modeling stint, she appeared on the covers of "Seventeen" and ""Brides"", but by age 21, she was battling an addiction to drugs and landed in rehab.

In 1990, Sassoon, who was now clean and sober, traveled the country with her mother, Beverly Adams, to promote her father's book, "Fantasies". Both women openly discussed how they overcame addiction problems. At that time, Beverly Sassoon said that she was three years clear of an alcohol addiction, and that Catya, then 22, was about to celebrate one year free from drug addiction.cite news|last=Reuters| title=Vidal Sassoon daughter Catya dead at 33| date =2002-01-04 | url =http://www.go4hc.com/press/newsli.htm | accessdate =2007-08-22]

Later that year, Sassoon began acting again and appeared in an episode of "Hardball". She also appeared in ' and "Dance With Death". In 1993, she landed the lead role in the Roger Corman-produced martial arts film "Angelfist", directed by Cirio H. Santiago. Sassoon made her last screen appearance in the 1995 action film, '. In addition to acting, Sassoon was also the lead singer of an all female group, Feline Force.

With her life back on track, Sassoon married for the second time to Joe Meyers. The couple had their first child, a son named London, in 1995. In the spring of 2000, she gave birth twin girls, Mycca and Skye..

Death

On New Year's Eve 2001, Sassoon and her husband attended a New Year's party at a friend's home. Sassoon complained of feeling unwell, left the party and returned to her home in the Hollywood Hills. At about 9:20 a.m. the following day, Sassoon's husband went to check on her and found her dead.

Sassoon had a history of high blood pressure and family members believed her death to be a heart attack. Despite her history of drug and alcohol abuse, her family maintained that she had long since kicked the habit and was clean and sober at the time of her death.

An autopsy report later revealed that Sassoon died of a heart attack brought on by an overdose of hydromorphone and cocaine. She was 33 years old. [cite news|last=White| first=Rusty| title=Immortalized in film: January 2002 Film World Obituaries| date =2002-01-01 | url =http://einsiders.com/features/columns/januaryobituaries.php | accessdate =2007-08-22]

Filmography

*"Tuff Turf" (1985)
*"Modern Girls" (1986)
*"Inside Out" (1987)
*"Dance With Death" (1991)
*"Secret Games" (1992)
*"" aka "Die Trying" (1992)
*"Inside Out IV" (1992)
*"Angelfist" (1993)
*"" aka "Assault at Ground Zero" aka "Ground Zero" (1995)

Television

*"Hardball" (1 episode, 1990)
*"Hollywood Women" (1994)

References

External links

*imdb name|id=0765900|name=Catya Sassoon
*tv.com person|131302|Catya Sassoon
*Find A Grave|id=6787603

Persondata
NAME= Sassoon, Catya
ALTERNATIVE NAMES= Sassoon, Cat
SHORT DESCRIPTION= Model, actress
DATE OF BIRTH=September 8, 1968
PLACE OF BIRTH= New York City, New York
DATE OF DEATH=January 1, 2002
PLACE OF DEATH= Hollywood, California