NINA FOCH, Sophisticated Screen Siren & Teacher, Dies At 84

Nina Foch, the Dutch actress best remembered as Milo Roberts, died today in her LA home. She was 84 years old.

Nina Foch was a major leading lady of the 1940s. The tall and blonde Foch usually played cool, aloof, and often foreign, women of sophistication. Yet Foch also proved to versatile in many areas, holding a role as a panelist on several TV quiz shows. She worked as George Stevens' assistant director for The Diary of Anne Frank (1959) and directed several plays.

She has apeared in such films as The Return of the Vampire (1944), A Song to Remember (1945), My Name Is Julia Ross (1945), I Love a Mystery (1945), The Guilt of Janet Ames (1947), The Dark Past (1948), and Johnny Allegro (1949).

Nina also actively pursued the stage, where she scored a Broadway hit with the classy comedy "John Loves Mary" in 1947, followed by productions of "The Respectful Prostitute" and "Twelfth Night".

A one-time member of the American Shakespeare Festival at Stratford, she performed as Isabella in "Measure for Measure" and Katharine in "The Taming of the Shrew".

She wasted no time securing early TV drama work and numerous summer stock roles also added to her enjoyment. Later she appeared in An American in Paris (1951), Executive Suite (1954), The Ten Commandments (1956) and Spartacus (1960).

Her most cherished role was as a teacher. "I've been busy in my career and all my life," Ms. Foch said. "But I think the biggest thing I've done in life is teach. Breaking down every scene, every line, every beat, and putting the piece together. That's my contribution."

She held a position at the University of Southern California's film school for 40 years and with the American Film Institute's film studies center in the 1970s.

Nna has had three husbands including "Inside the Actors Studio" James Lipton (1954-59); Dennis Brite (1959-63); and Michael Dewell (1967-1993). All ended in divorce.

She is survived by her son and three grandchildren.