Carol Arthur has died at the age of 85.
It’s believed the veteran actress died on Sunday at the Mary Pickford House at the Motion Picture & Television Fund home in Woodland Hills, following an 11-year struggle with Alzheimer’s.
While her acting career began in 1971, appearing in Making It – Carol was best known for starring in the 1974 film Blazing Saddles as Harriett Van Johnson.
Other credits include Silent Movie (1976), Robin Hood: Men In Tights (1993) and the 1995 production of Dracula: Dead and Loving alongside her husband Dom DeLuise.
She later went on to enjoy a Broadway career, starting in 1964.
Carol Arthur has died aged 85 (Image: DeLuise Family)
In 1980, Carol went on to star opposite the legendary Dick Van Dyke in the theatre production of The Music Man.
While enjoying a career that spanned across four decades, her last acting credit is cited as 2004’s 7th Heaven, in which she played Gertrude Fleaming in the episode titled ‘Two Weddings, an Engagement and a Funeral’.
The actress, born as Carol Arata on August 4, 1935, in Hackensack, New Jersey met her future husband Dom DeLuise in 1964 while working in Massachusetts.
Carol was married to Dom DeLuise until his death in 2009 (Image: WireImage)
They went on to marry in 1965 and were together until DeLuise died in 2009 following a battle with kidney failure.
A year prior to Dom’s death, he had also been battling cancer.
Mel Brooks has since taken to social media to share his heartbreak, tweeting: “Sad to hear of Carol Arthur’s passing. She was so great in Blazing Saddles as Harriett Johnson the over-the-top, outspoken schoolmarm. She will be missed.”
Since the news of her death broke, fans have flooded social media with messages of condolences.
One fan penned: “Goodbye to Carol Arthur, hilarious in Hot Riding Chairs.”
While a second tweeted: “#RIP Carol Arthur, Actress in ‘Blazing Saddles’.”
“She was excellent in that role,” said a third.
“RIP and my condolences to her family and loved ones,” added a fourth.
Carol is survived by her sons Peter, David and Michael. As well as grandchildren Jake, Destefano and Dylan.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
