Salli Sachse, the beloved actress who lit up 1960s beach movies with her charm and sun-kissed style, has died at 82. Her niece, Catherine Schreiber, confirmed she passed away Monday at her home in California City, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter. The cause of death has not been released.
(Photo by American International Pictures/Getty Images)Discovered on a beach near her hometown of La Jolla, California, Sachse quickly became a staple of American International Pictures.
(Photo by American International Pictures/Getty Images)She starred in classics like “Muscle Beach Party” (1964), “Bikini Beach” (1964), “Beach Blanket Bingo” (1965), “How to Stuff a Wild Bikini” (1965), “Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine” (1965), and “The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini” (1966).
(Photo by American International Pictures/Archive Photos/Getty Images)Often paired with fellow actress Linda Bent, the two became known as the “Bookend Girls” for their strikingly similar looks and signature hairstyles.
Breakthrough in ‘The Trip’ & ‘Wild in the Streets‘
Sachse gained wider recognition for her role in “The Trip” (1967), where she played Glenn, a woman who connects with Peter Fondaâs character during his LSD-fueled journey. The film was directed by Roger Corman and written by Jack Nicholson.
She also appeared in “Wild in the Streets” (1968), starring Christopher Jones as a rock star who sparks a youth revolution. Sachse played Hippie Mother, a free-spirited role that solidified her place in counterculture cinema.
Beyond Film: Photography, Music & Personal Life
When the beach movie trend faded, Sachse shifted to roles in biker and drag racing films, including “Fireball 500” (1966), “Thunder Alley” (1967), and “Devilâs Angels” (1967).
Outside of acting, she toured with Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young as their official photographer. She later lived in a Laurel Canyon commune at Peter Torkâs house, dated Jackson Browne, and said his song “Something Fine” was written for her. She also built a life as a painter and spent time living in Europe, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
Legacy of a 1960s Icon
Born Sally Irene Rogers on June 25, 1943, in San Diego, Sachse first gained recognition as a model, Miss La Jolla winner, and Miss America contestant before signing a seven-year deal with American International Pictures.
Her credits stretched beyond the beach films, with appearances in “Pajama Party” (1964), “Ski Party” (1965), “Sergeant Deadhead” (1965), and “The Million Eyes of Sumuru” (1967). She made her final screen appearance in a 1969 episode of “Mannix.”
Sachse faced heartbreak in 1966 when her husband, folk singer Peter Sachse, died in a plane crash near La Jolla while she was filming “The Million Eyes of Sumuru” in Hong Kong (As reported by The New York Times). She is survived by her sister, Judy, and her nieces Lisa, Sydney, and Catherine, as reported by THR.
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