Yvonne Craig: Batgirl Actress Dies at 78
She had been battling cancer in recent years.
— -- Yvonne Craig, the actress who played Batgirl in the 1960s "Batman" series, died Monday at her home in Pacific Palisades. She was 78.
Her family posted the official obituary to the actress's website, adding she was "surrounded by her immediate family" when she died.
"She died from complications brought about from breast cancer that had metastasized to her liver," the obituary read.
Craig's website adds that she was a private person and, thus, didn't share her cancer battle with many.
"She felt that she lived a wonderful life and was blessed in many ways," it read. "Fight as she did; however, over the past two plus years, she still lost her battle with metastasized breast cancer that had gone to her liver ... In the end, her mind still wanted to fight but her body had given up."
Craig, born in Illinois in 1937, had been an actress since the late 1950s and was featured in hit shows like "Perry Mason" before starring in the TV show "Batman" from 1967 to 1968 as Barbara Gordon, aka Batgirl, the trusted ally of the Caped Crusader. She continued acting until 2011, where she was featured in a cartoon series titled "Olivia," doing voice-over work.
Another memorable role was that of Martha in "Star Trek" in 1969.
Before acting, Craig was a successful dancer with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, until she left the company in 1957.
In addition to the big stage, Craig was also a real estate broker and went into a prepaid phone card business with her sister Meridel, which benefited charities and fundraisers, according to her obit. She also, along with her husband, was a strong supporter of education at schools like Harvard.
In 2000, she wrote a memoir of sorts, "From Ballet to the Batcave and Beyond." The actress is survived by her husband, Kenneth Aldrich, her sister, Meridel, and nephews Christopher and Todd Carson.