Sharon Farrell, 'It's Alive,' 'Night of the Comet' Actress, Dead at 82

Sharon Farrell, a glamorous contract player who had a prolific TV career and made big impressions in several features, died in May at 82, her sister confirms on Facebook.

Farrell's death at L.A. Downtown Medical Center, which was not widely reported at the time, came after spending time in care facilities.

Farrell, born December 24, 1940, in Sioux City, Iowa, was a dancer first, working at the American Ballet Theatre in the 1950s.

In 1959, she made her film debut in "Kiss Her Goodbye," a low-budget psychological thriller that also featured Elaine Stritch.

Other early films included "40 Pounds of Trouble" (1962) with Tony Curtis and Suzanne Pleshette; "The Spy with My Face," a 1965 movie spun off from the TV hit "The Man from U.N.C.L.E."; the noir films "A Lovely Way to Die" (1968) with Kirk Douglas and "Marlowe" (1969) with James Garner and also Bruce Lee, with whom she famously had an affair; "The Reivers" (1969) opposite Steve McQueen, with whom she also famously had an affair; and the Jacqueline Susann scorcher "The Love Machine" (1971).

Farrell enjoyed meatier — and more plentiful — roles on TV, including as a regular on "Saints and Sinners" (1962) and a widely admired episode of "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour" (1965) called "Final Performance" with a deeply unsettling ending.

Much later, she was a popular addition to "The Young and the Restless," appearing on more than 80 episodes (1991-1997).

In 1970, Farrell suffered brain damage after giving birth to her only son, former actor Chance Boyer. She hid the devastating effects of her illness and continued working, including her appearances in the films for which she is most remembered — the gruesome "It's Alive" (1974); the Chuck Norris/David Carradine favorite "Lone Wolf McQuade" (1983); and the beloved '80s comedies "Night of the Comet" (1984) and "Can't Buy Me Love" (1987).

She largely retired from acting after the '90s, returning for two episodes of the series "Broken at Love" (2013-2014), and appearing at numerous autograph shows.

Farrell was thought to have been married and divorced four times, as well as having had an annulled union with actor Andrew Prine, who died last year. However, her son tells The Hollywood Reporter his mother was never legally married.

She is survived by her son.