Irina Demick was a French actress who had a brief but memorable career in American films. She is best known for her roles in The Longest Day (1962), The Visit (1964), and Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines (1965). She died on October 8, 2004, at the age of 67, in Indianapolis, Indiana. What was the cause of her death and what was her life story? Here is a brief overview of Irina Demick’s biography and death.
Early Life and Career
Irina Demick was born as Irina Dziemiach on October 16, 1936, in Pommeuse, Seine-et-Marne, France. She was of Russian ancestry and grew up in a poor family. She moved to Paris and became a model, appearing in a French film Julie la rousse (1959). She met producer Darryl F. Zanuck, who was the head of 20th Century Fox and became his lover. Zanuck had a history of trying to turn his European mistresses into film stars, such as Bella Darvi and Juliette Gréco.
Zanuck cast Demick in his epic production The Longest Day (1962), a war film about the Normandy invasion. She played Janine Boitard, a French resistance fighter who helps the Allied forces. The film was a huge success and earned Demick an international recognition. She continued to work with Zanuck in other films, such as OSS se déchaîne (1963), The Visit (1964), Un monsieur de compagnie (1964), and Up from the Beach (1965).
In 1965, she starred in La Métamorphose des cloportes, a French comedy film, and Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines, a British comedy film. In the latter, she played seven roles of different nationalities, showcasing her versatility and charm. She also appeared in Once a Greek (1966), Tiffany Memorandum (1967), Prudence and the Pill (1968), La porta del cannone (1969), The Archangel (1969), and The Sicilian Clan (1969).
Personal Life and Death
In 1964, Irina Demick married Philippe Wahl, a Swiss entrepreneur. They lived in Rome and Paris and had no children. They divorced in 1979. After that, Demick moved to the U.S. and settled in Indianapolis, Indiana. She lived a quiet life away from the spotlight and rarely gave interviews.
On October 8, 2004, Irina Demick died of breast cancer at the age of 67. She was buried in Pommeuse Cemetery, near her birthplace. She left behind a legacy of films that showcased her beauty, talent, and charisma.
Conclusion
Irina Demick was a French actress who had a brief but memorable career in American films. She is best known for her roles in The Longest Day (1962), The Visit (1964), and Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines (1965). She died on October 8, 2004, at the age of 67, of breast cancer. She was a star who shone brightly but briefly on the screen.
