Jean Simmons dies at 80; radiant beauty was known for stunning versatility - latimes.com

Jean Simmons, a radiant British actress who as a teenager appeared opposite Sir Laurence Olivier in "Hamlet" and emerged a star whose career flourished in the 1950s and 1960s in such films as "Guys and Dolls, "Elmer Gantry" and "Spartacus," has died. She was 80.

Jean Simmons was nominated for Academy Awards for her performance as Ophelia in "Hamlet" and as an alcoholic wife in "The Happy Ending." (Universal Pictures / January 22, 2010)

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By Valerie J. Nelson

January 22, 2010 | 8:34 p.m.

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Jean Simmons, a radiant British actress who as a teenager appeared opposite Sir Laurence Olivier in "Hamlet" and emerged a star whose career flourished in the 1950s and 1960s in such films as "Guys and Dolls, "Elmer Gantry" and "Spartacus," has died. She was 80.

Simmons, who won an Emmy Award for her role in the 1980s miniseries "The Thorn Birds," died Friday