‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’ actor Sally Ann Howes dies at 91

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sally Ann Howes, who played arsenic a kid histrion earlier she aboriginal starred successful the 1968 movie “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” with Dick Van Dyke, has died. She was 91.

Her lad Andrew Hart Adler confirmed his mother’s decease successful an interrogation with the Press Association connected Wednesday. Her nephew, Toby Howes, said connected Twitter that the household hoped Howes could “hold on” until the Christmas screening of “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,” but helium said she yet died peacefully successful her sleep.

The origin of Howes’ decease has not been released.

The New York Times reported she died successful Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, connected Sunday.

Howes, an English actor, began her vocation connected the large surface astatine the property of 12 successful the 1943 movie “Thursday’s Child,” wherever she played a schoolgirl turned palmy actor. She comes from an acting lineage that includes her parents, Bobby Howes and Patricia Malone.

In 5 decades, Howes made appearances successful much than 140 films, musicals, plays and tv projects including the surface adaption of Charles Dickens’ “Nicholas Nickleby” and “The History of Mr. Polly.” She made her biggest splash arsenic the quality Truly Scrumptious successful “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,” which became a vacation favorite.

“Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” was often broadcasted connected Christmas Day successful the United Kingdom.

Howes made a people successful the theatre realm. She earned a Tony Award information for her show successful “Brigadoon” astatine the New York City Opera successful 1962. The aboriginal portion of her vocation was spent successful theater. She made her past quality connected surface successful the constricted bid “Secrets” successful 1992.