Diane McBain, Elvis Presley's 'Spinout' Costar, Dead at 81

Mar. 15, 2025

Photo: Henry Gris/FPG/Getty

Diane McBain, an actress who rose to prominence in the ’60s has died. She was 81.

McBain’s death occurred on Wednesday following a battle with liver cancer. Her writing partner, Michael Gregg Michaud, toldThe Hollywood Reporterthat she was at her home in the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California, atthe time of her death.

Prior to her death, he went on her Facebook account on Nov. 18 toexpress that she was illand in “a bit of a rough patch.”

Though a representative for McBain did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment, he shared on Instagram that his “heart is heavy” following her death.

He added, “My dear friend, and creative partner, actress Diane McBain,passed away peacefullytoday at the Motion Picture Home in Woodland Hills. She lost her bravely fought battle against liver cancer. I’ll miss her terribly.”

Everett

After finding success on television, she landed her first film role in the 1960 historical dramaIce Palace, which she credits as the reason for signing a talent contract early in her career.

“I was doing a play, and the talent guy at Warner Bros. came to see it,” she explained to Fox News in May.

“He saw me andthought I would be the perfect fitfor a film calledIce Palace, which starred Richard Burton. It was about the statehood of Alaska. I remember there were quite a few wonderful actors involved with the project. The fact that they signed me to this contract at Warner Bros. to do this film was quite astonishing. I played the granddaughter in that movie.”

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Upon signing her contract, McBain’s star quickly rose, being given a role onSurfside 6, working alongsideVan Williamsand Tory Donahue, and starring in more films thatincluded 1966’sSpinout,withElvis Presleywhere she starred as an author fighting for his attention alongside Shelley FabaresandDeborah Walley.

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As her career continued, she had a brief two-year marriage in 1972 with fellow actor Rodney Burke, and gavebirth to her son, Evan Burke, in 1973. Her most recent projects include her 2014 autobiography,Famous Enough: A Hollywood Memoir, co-written with Michaud, and her first novel,The Laughing Bear, in 2020.

source: people.com