Shary Marshall was a Hollywood actress who appeared in over 40 television roles between 1958 and 1967. She was best known for her roles in Panic in Year Zero! (1962) and Your Cheatin’ Heart (1964). She also had a brief career as a beauty queen, winning a contest in Oregon before moving to Los Angeles.
Early Life and Career
Shary Marshall was born Sharlayne Adell Williamson on March 29, 1935, in Monmouth, Oregon. She moved to Hollywood after winning a beauty contest, and made two TV appearances in 1958 as ‘Shary Layne’, before appearing uncredited in Gidget (1959). From 1958 to 1961, she was credited as Shary Layne; from 1962 on, she was credited as Shary Marshall. She made relatively few feature films, among them: Panic in Year Zero! (1962) with Frankie Avalon and Mary Mitchel, and Sam Katzman’s Your Cheatin’ Heart (1964) directed by Gene Nelson, starring George Hamilton and Susan Oliver. She also guest-starred in popular TV shows such as Perry Mason, The Twilight Zone, The Munsters, and The Fugitive. According to IMDb, she had over 40 television roles between 1958 and 1967.
Personal Life and Controversies
In June 1966, she was arrested with then boyfriend and heavyweight boxer Eddie Machen for public drunkenness after an altercation at an all-night restaurant in Los Angeles. According to IMDb, she later moved back to the Pacific Northwest and married realtor Armand Santilli (1923 – 2013) in 1970. It was her third marriage and lasted 43 years until her husband’s death at 90 years of age. She had one child, a daughter named Lisa.
Death and Legacy
Six months after her husband died, Shary Marshall died after suffering a stroke at her daughter’s house in California on May 31, 2014. She was 79 years old. According to Find a Grave, her burial details are unknown. She is remembered as a talented and beautiful actress who graced the screen with her charm and charisma. According to Dead or Kicking, her cause of death was stroke.
