Celebrity News January 30, 2019
'Cuckoo's Nest' Actress, Cosby Accuser Louisa Moritz Dead at 72
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Louisa Moritz, an actress known for her unique portrayals of ditzy blondes — and who later accused Bill Cosby of sexual impropriety — died at her L.A. home last week, Deadline reports.
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View StoryHer friend and publicist Edward Lozzi confirmed her death, stating that it was the result of a heart ailment.
"Louisa Moritz was so full of life, talent, and she was a genius with a sixth sense for making money," Lozzi recalled in a statement. "Her parties in Mt. Olympus in the 1980s were wild and most popular with actors, producers, models, makeup artists, set directors, stuntmen... all of the categories. Her support of the Motion Picture Home and animal rights groups was heavy. Her hundreds of TV and film roles will keep her memory alive with her fans forever."
Born in Cuba, Moritz immigrated to NYC in the '50s with her family. She first made a national impression playing a bubble-brained student driver in a 1969 commercial for the AMC Rebel.
In an acting career that spanned more than 30 years, Moritz's claim to fame was the small but pivotal role of Rose, a prostitute, in the Oscar-winning classic "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Next" (1975).
She made several other memorable appearances, including on one of the first episodes of "Love, American Style" (1971), on a fondly remembered Season 1 episode "Happy Days" (1974), in the Cheech and Chong romp "Up in Smoke" (1978), in the Disney movie "The North Avenue Irregulars" (1979), and in the raunchy '80s sex comedy "The Last American Virgin" (1982).
After retiring from acting, Moritz sold real estate and practiced law.
In 2015, Moritz became one of dozens of women who accused comedy great Bill Cosby of sexual assault, claiming Cosby forced her into oral sex in a dressing room backstage at "The Tonight Show" in 1971.
Her suit against Cosby is still active, her attorney Joseph Cammarata told THR. He also said in a statement, "Louisa Moritz was a brave woman who stood up against a powerful Hollywood icon, Bill Cosby, in an effort to restore her good name and reputation, after he publicly branded her a liar when she made public her allegations of sexual abuse and assault by Mr. Cosby. Ms. Moritz was one of seven women who sued Bill Cosby for defamation. Despite her death, her claim against Mr. Cosby will continue in a federal court in Massachusetts. We look forward to a resolution of the case that will establish that Louisa was a 'truth teller,' so that her legacy will live forever untarnished."
