Claudine Longet, Singer and True-Crime Figure, Dead at 84
Vulture • • entertainment
Key Points:
- Claudine Longet, the French-born singer and actress known for her work in the 1960s and her connection to The Andy Williams Show, has died at age 84, confirmed by her nephew Bryan Longet.
- Longet gained notoriety for the 1976 shooting death of her boyfriend, Olympic skier Vladimir “Spider” Sabich; she was charged with reckless manslaughter but served only 30 days in jail due to mishandled evidence and a controversial trial.
- Her ex-husband, Andy Williams, financed her defense and supported her throughout the trial, and she later married one of her defense attorneys, Ronald D. Austin.
- Post-trial, Longet lived a quiet life in Aspen, with her music featured in various media, including the Gilmore Girls soundtrack, Pineapple Express, and The Politician.
- The Rolling Stones referenced her imprisonment in their song "Claudine," highlighting the cultural impact of her legal case.