Hollywood mourns the loss of Pippa Scott
Pippa Scott, the red-haired actress best known for her debut in The Searchers, has died at 90 from congenital heart failure at her Santa Monica home, her daughter confirmed.
Born in 1934 in Beverly Hills, Scott came from Hollywood royalty. Her father was Oscar-nominated screenwriter Allan Scott, and her uncle was blacklisted producer Adrian Scott—early influences that shaped both her career and activism. Scott’s breakout came in 1956 as Lucy in The Searchers, followed by notable roles in Auntie Mame, Cold Turkey, and TV classics like Perry Mason, Gunsmoke, and The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Her performances, vibrant with charm and wit, made her a fixture on screens through the ’60s and ’70s.
Offscreen, Scott dedicated herself to human rights. In 1993, she founded the International Monitor Institute, collecting evidence of war crimes in Rwanda, Bosnia, and Cambodia. Her documentary work included The World’s Most Wanted Man (1998) and King Leopold’s Ghost (2006).
After stepping away from acting in the ’70s, she returned for small roles in Footprints (2009) and Automobile (2013). She married producer Lee Rich in 1964, had two daughters, and later reconciled with him before his passing in 2012.
Pippa Scott is survived by her daughters and five grandchildren. Her legacy lives on through her work in film and global justice.