Linda Dangcil, Actress and Dancer, Dead at 67

Variety reports the sad news that Linda Dangcil, a dancer and actress who played Sister Ana on the ABC series "The Flying Nun," and appeared in the film version of "West Side Story"died May 7th at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles after an eight-year battle with throat cancer. She was 67 years old.

Dangcil appeared as a teenager in the mid-'50s with Mary Martin in the Broadway and TV versions of "Peter Pan," and co-director Jerome Robbins selected her as one of the principal dancers in his 1961 film "West Side Story." The San Francisco native played Sister Ana, one of the nuns in Convent San Tanco near San Juan, Puerto Rico, in 37 episodes of "The Flying Nun" alongside star Sally Field. The series ran from 1967-70.

Dangcil appeared as Elena on the PBS bilingual children series "Villa Alegre" and guest-starred on numerous TV series, including "Rawhide," "The Rifleman," "Stagecoach West," "The Judge" "The Bold Ones" and "Here Come the Brides," in which she played an Asian woman opposite Bruce Lee.

Her work as a voice actress included several cartoon characters, most notably in the '80s syndicated series "Jem." 

On stage, Dangcil sang and danced several roles in the First National Tour of "A Chorus Line" at the Shubert Theater in Los Angeles. She was last seen on the L.A. stage in the role of Sally in the East West Players production of "Follies.

She is survived by her husband, jazz musician Dick Hamilton, a daughter, a son, a brother and a granddaughter.