'Frenzy' star Barbara Leigh-Hunt dies at 88

Barbara Leigh-Hunt, a talented actress who proves her mettle in both film and on Broadway stages, has passed away at the age of 88.

Deadline reported on Friday, September 27, that the British actress died on September 16 at her home in Warwickshire, England, as confirmed by her family. They did not disclose the cause of her death.

Leigh-Hunt gained prominence in the U.S. for her lead role in Alfred Hitchcock’s penultimate thriller, Frenzy. 

In the 1972 film, she portrayed Brenda Blaney, who is brutally raped and murdered by the notorious "Necktie Murderer" in London. Her character is the ex-wife of Richard Blaney (played by Jon Finch), who becomes a suspect in the crime, unaware that his friend Bob Rusk (Barry Foster) is the true culprit.

In addition to her film work, Leigh-Hunt had an extensive career in British television, appearing in numerous series, including her memorable role as Lady Catherine de Bourgh opposite Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle in the BBC’s 1995 miniseries Pride & Prejudice.

Her impressive credits also include Henry VIII and His Six Wives, Oh Heavenly Dog, A Merry War, Billy Elliot, and most recently, Mira Nair’s 2004 adaptation of Vanity Fair, featuring Reese Witherspoon.

Leigh-Hunt was predeceased by her husband, Pasco, to whom she was married from 1967 until his death in 2014.