Ann Blyth, Oscar-nominated Mildred Pierce star and MGM musical actress, dies at 98 Ann Blyth, the Oscar-nominated actress best known for her role as Joan Crawford’s troubled daughter in “Mildred Pierce” and for her work in MGM musicals, has died at the age of 98. Blyth died Wednesday of natural causes at her home in Rancho Santa Fe, California, surrounded by her family, according to her daughter, Eileen McNulty. One of the last surviving performers from Hollywood’s studio system era, Blyth built a career that spanned film, stage, radio, television, and concert performances. She appeared in a wide range of films, from youth-oriented pictures to serious dramas, sharing the screen with major stars including Bing Crosby, Tyrone Power, Gregory Peck, Robert Mitchum, and Mickey Rooney. She stepped away from regular film work by the late 1950s to focus on raising her children, though she continued performing in television productions and live musical tours. Blyth’s career began early. At ...