Hollywood legend Jean Simmons, who starred opposite Laurence Olivier in "Hamlet" and Marlon Brando in "Guys and Dolls," died in Santa Monica Friday after a long battle with lung cancer, according to her agent. She was 80.
Simmons, known for playing opposite actors like Olivier and Brando as well as Kirk Douglas, Paul Newman and Gregory Peck, won an Emmy Award for her role in the 1980s miniseries "The Thorn Birds."
She died at 80 at her home in Santa Monica, agent Judy Page told the Los Angeles Times.
Simmons, born in Britain, left for Hollywood in 1950. She was nominated for Academy Awards in 1948, for "Hamlet," as well as in 1969 for "The Happy Ending."
The actress was also known for her work in television, especially in her later years, when she appeared on hits like "In the Heat of the Night" and "Xena: Warrior Princess."
