At 91, Angie Dickinson Endured Losing Her Daughter And Ex-Husband & Now Lives Quiet Life Alone

Jun 14, 2023

Trigger Warning: This article contains mentions of suicide that may be troubling for some readers.

Angie Dickinson is a legendary actress whose career spans over six decades. She was born on Sept. 30, 1931, in Kulm, North Dakota, as Angeline Brown, the second of three children.

Growing up, Dickinson’s family moved to California, where she attended Glendale High School. She then went on to study at Glendale Community College and later at Immaculate Heart College, where she earned a degree in Business. After college, she worked as a secretary for a few years before deciding to pursue a career in acting.

In 1954, Dickinson made her debut in the film “Lucky Me” in a minor role. She then went on to make appearances in various television shows, including “The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp” and “Death Valley Days.”

However, it was her role in the 1959 film “Rio Bravo” that launched her career. Dickinson played the role of Feathers, a flirtatious woman who catches the attention of John Wayne’s character, Sheriff John T. Chance. The film was a huge success, and Dickinson’s performance earned her critical acclaim and established her as a rising star.

Following the success of “Rio Bravo,” Dickinson starred in a string of successful films, including “Ocean’s Eleven” (1960) and “The Sins of Rachel Cade” (1961). In 1967, she starred alongside Lee Marvin in the crime thriller “Point Blank,” which became a cult classic.

Throughout her career, Dickinson worked with prominent directors and actors in the industry, including Kirk Douglas, Gregory Peck and William Holden, among others. While her career soared in her youth, Dickinson’s personal life later became marked by struggles and tragedy. Read on to find out more about her private challenges and what she’s been up to in recent years.

In 1974, Dickinson landed the lead role in the hit television series “Police Woman.” She played Sergeant Leanne “Pepper” Anderson, a tough and no-nonsense police officer who tackled crime on the streets of Los Angeles. The show was a huge success and ran for four seasons.

While Dickinson was initially loath to take on the part because of the hectic filming schedule, one of the show’s producers convinced her otherwise.

“I said, ‘I just can’t, I have a family,’ and he said, ‘Don’t you want to be a household name?’ And that did it – I did want to be,” she told PBS in 2011.

Despite inspiring women with one of the first leading lady roles on television, Dickinson added she “never felt the need for feminism,” and said, “I never felt competition with men, which I really believed started the movement.”

Dickinson was also known for her stunning beauty and sex appeal. She was often referred to as the “thinking man’s sex symbol” and a gal pal of the then-notorious Rat Pack. She reportedly carried on a years-long affair with Frank Sinatra and was even linked to John F. Kennedy, but never had an issue with her public persona.

“If I was a sex symbol, I was very comfortable with it because it was just what I was. I didn’t have to embellish it or work on it or change my style or anything – it was just what I was so, I didn’t have a problem,” she told PBS.

However, Dickinson was more than just a pretty face. She was a trailblazer in Hollywood, breaking barriers and paving the way for future generations. In 1974, she became the first woman to serve as president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which is responsible for organizing the Golden Globe Awards.

Dickinson’s personal life was also the subject of much interest. She was married twice and had one daughter, Nikki Bacharach, in 1966 with her second husband, composer Burt Bacharach, whom she married in 1965. She later recalled she fell for him because “he was so different,” but their union was not a largely happy one. 

“He never loved me, I can tell you that right now, the way one loves. He loved in his own way, which is not too good. And so, he had no respect for me,” she told CBS, and added, “He should never have been married.” Despite this, she revealed she “liked him a lot.”

By 1980, the pair were divorced, but tragedy would strike Dickinson again. Her daughter Nikki had been born premature and was later diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, a disorder on the autism spectrum. In January 2007, at the age of 40, Nikki took her own life. Following her passing, her parents issued a statement that read: “She quietly and peacefully committed suicide to escape the ravages to her brain brought on by Asperger’s. … She was one of the most beautiful creatures created on this earth, and she is now in the white light, at peace.” 

Meanwhile, Dickinson went through more heartache as Burt passed away on Feb. 8, 2023, at the age of 94.

In her later years, Dickinson continued to make rare appearances in shows such as “Desperate Housewives.” She made a most notable cameo in the George Clooney-helmed remake of “Ocean’s Eleven” that thrilled diehard fans.

The TCM Classic Film Festival was held in April 2023, which celebrated various films and their long-lasting legacies. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Dickinson was there on the festival’s opening night to talk about “Rio Bravo.” On working with director Howard Hawks, Dickinson said, “He was a man of few words.” He had instructed her to “just relax” while he “talked about nothing” so she would be in the perfect disposition for the scene.

According to Variety, Dickinson said the process of landing her role in “Rio Bravo” was “spectacular.” She also talked about how much fun she had working with Sinatra and Dean Martin over the course of her career.

“Frank liked to pull tricks on sets, and they always had fun when they worked because of that, but he would watch it so that it never got in the way, basically,” Dickinson said. “But when they were all together, they were pretty naughty.”

Dickinson told Variety she made a “mistake” taking “Police Woman,” as it wore her out. “Because it was four years of getting up at 5 o’clock and working five days a week until midnight on Fridays,” Dickinson said. “That’s a tough job when you have a child or children or a family.”

Now 91, Dickinson lives a quiet life in Los Angeles, alone, rarely making any public appearances, according to CBS. However, that’s just the way she likes it. “I am not looking for work, I don’t really care,” she explained. “I’ve had my day in the sun, and I am very content.”

As for her late daughter and late second husband, it’s safe to say their memories will always be with Dickinson.

What are your thoughts on Angie Dickinson’s legacy? Which of her performances did you find the most memorable? Let us know and pass this on to family and friends who could use a reminder about the beautiful star.

If you or anybody you know is struggling with depression or suicidal thoughts, please visit Find A Helpline to find your local suicide prevention hotline. The hotlines provide 24/7, free and confidential support for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals.