Lara Parker, Angelique Bouchard star, dies at 84

Lara Parker, the actress best known for her role as the witch Angelique Bouchard on the gothic soap opera Dark Shadows, died on October 12, 2023, at the age of 84. 

She died in her sleep at her home in Los Angeles, her daughter Caitlin told The Hollywood Reporter.

Parker was born Mary Lamar Rickey in Knoxville, Tennessee, on October 18, 1939. She graduated from Vassar College and the University of Iowa with a master's degree in speech and drama.

Parker landed her breakout role as Angelique on Dark Shadows in 1967. The character was initially introduced as a love interest for the vampire Barnabas Collins, but she quickly became a villain in her own right. 

Angelique was known for her beauty, intelligence, and ruthlessness. She used her magic to curse Barnabas with vampirism and to torment the Collins family.

Parker played Angelique for four seasons on Dark Shadows. She also reprised the role in the 1970 film House of Dark Shadows and the 1991 revival series Dark Shadows.

In addition to her work on Dark Shadows, Parker appeared in a number of other films and television shows, including Save the Tiger (1973), Race with the Devil (1975), and The Love Boat (1978). She also wrote several books, including Angelique's Descent (1989), a novel that explored Angelique's backstory.

Parker is survived by her two sons, Rick and Andy Parker, and her daughter, Caitlin Parker.