Claudine Longet, the French starlet who fatally shot Olympic skier Spider Sabich, dies at 84

Claudine Longet, the French-born prima and ex-wife of crooner Andy Williams who became notorious for the fatal shooting of Olympic skier Vladimir “Spider” Sabich, has died. She was 84.

Her decease was confirmed by her nephew, Bryan Longet, who posted a societal media tribute connected Thursday. Translated from French by The Times, helium wrote, “You person been a existent inspiration successful my beingness and you volition ever be. ... Another prima successful the sky. Thank you for everything, my aunt.”

Born successful Paris connected Jan. 29, 1942, Longet was the girl of a doc and an X-ray manufacturer. From a young age, she showed a knack for singing and dancing and envisioned her sanction connected the marquee. In 1960, erstwhile she turned 18, American impresario Lou Walters (father of Barbara Walters) saw Longet dancing connected French tv and hired the ingénue to articulation the Tropicana casino’s flashy caller production. She bid Paris adieu and sashayed to Las Vegas, wherever she starred successful the Folies Bergère revue.

While moving arsenic a showgirl successful Sin City, Longet met then-fellow Vegas performer Andy Williams 1 evening erstwhile her car broke down connected the broadside of the road. Williams happened to beryllium passing by arsenic the young dancer was pushing her car down the road with a friend, and Williams on with his manager stopped to assistance and was rapidly charmed. The 2 were joined connected Christmas Day the pursuing year, successful 1961.

In 1962, Williams released “Moon River,” and the crooner’s vocation took off. The newlyweds near Las Vegas and moved into an oceanfront mansion successful Malibu wherever they started a family, and implicit the adjacent respective years welcomed girl Noelle and sons Christian and Robert, oregon “Bobby,” who was named aft the couple’s adjacent person Robert F. Kennedy. Also successful 1962, Williams’ eponymous assortment amusement debuted and rapidly became a hit. Longet was a regular connected the show, and the family-oriented Christmas TV specials, often featuring the full Williams clan, were a ratings juggernaut.

In summation to her regular appearances connected “The Andy Williams Show,” Longet acted successful tv and film. Notably, the chanteuse captivated audiences singing Henry Mancini and Don Black’s “Nothing to Lose” successful the 1968 drama “The Party,” successful which she played an aspiring actress. From 1967 to 1972, she released 7 workplace albums, 5 with A&M Records, including her debut azygous and medium titled “Claudine,” and 2 with Barnaby Records. Her euphony was known for its breathy, lounge-pop quality, and she sang successful some English and French.

By 1970, Williams and Longet’s matrimony was connected the rocks, and the brace separated. They officially divorced successful 1975. The Emmy-winning big chalked it up to the brace increasing apart. He told CBS’ “This Morning” during a 2009 quality that helium was ne'er home. “It was each my fault, and I conscionable didn’t instrumentality attraction of my marriage,” helium said, noting that helium regretted the split. The 2 stayed affable afterward, and Williams stood by Longet erstwhile calamity and ungraded struck a twelvemonth later, successful 1976.

Longet met Olympian skier Sabich successful Bear Valley astatine a personage skiing accumulation successful 1972. There was an instant attraction betwixt the two, and Longet relocated to Aspen, Colo., and yet moved into the pro skier’s ritzy Starwood chalet astir 1975. On March 21, 1976, Longet changeable Sabich successful the abdomen with an imitation World War II .22-caliber German‐made pistol. Her daughter, Noelle, who was successful the location astatine the time, testified that she heard Sabich outcry out, “Claudine! Claudine!”

According to The Times’ archives, Longet told authorities that she recovered the handgun and asked Sabich however to usage it. During Longet’s trial, Aspen Det. David Garms testified that Longet insisted the shooting was an accident. Garms said that Longet told him she’d pointed the weapon astatine Sabich and past “jokingly said ‘bang, bang.’” She told investigators she thought the information was on, and a ballistics adept said the information did not work.

Longet was with Sabich successful the ambulance erstwhile helium died en way to the Aspen hospital. The “Love Is Blue” vocalist was subsequently questioned by investigators and charged with felony reckless manslaughter weeks later. She initially faced up to 10 years successful prison. But successful January 1977, aft 4 days of grounds and 3½ hours of deliberations, Longet was acquitted of the felony complaint and convicted of a misdemeanor complaint of negligent homicide.

Ex-husband Williams accompanied Longet to her proceedings and told “This Morning” years aboriginal that helium supported his ex-wife due to the fact that helium believed successful her innocence.

“I did due to the fact that I thought it was unfair,” helium said. “I thought she was innocent. I thought it was an accident.”

During the trial, she testified successful her signature French accent that she and Sabich were the “best of friends.”

“There were times implicit the 4 years that we would disagree. ... [T]here would beryllium times helium would beryllium a small spot offended by the attraction I got and I would beryllium a small spot offended by the attraction helium got, but we were the champion of friends and we loved each different precise much,” she told the court, per The Times’ archives.

Longet was sentenced to service 30 days successful jailhouse “at a clip of her ain choosing.”

“There is not truly overmuch to say,” she told reporters extracurricular the courtroom, per The Times’ archives. “Only that I person excessively overmuch respect for surviving things to bash that. I’m not guilty.”

The parents of Sabich filed a $1.3-million civilian suit against Longet aboriginal the aforesaid year, but the lawsuit was settled retired of tribunal 2 years later. Longet was reportedly forbidden from speaking oregon penning astir the shooting. As for her vocation successful amusement business, she was finished.

The Sabich lawsuit became an implicit sensation successful the media, not conscionable successful America but besides globally, and Longet was internationally labeled Aspen’s femme fatale. Pop civilization had its mode with the incidental arsenic well. The Rolling Stones’ opus “Claudine” was withheld from their 1978 album, “Some Girls,” due to the fact that of ineligible considerations but was featured connected the 2011 reissue of the album.

“You’re the prettiest miss I ever seen / I privation to spot you connected the movie surface / I anticipation you ne'er effort to marque a sacrifice of me, Claudine,” belted Mick Jagger successful what whitethorn person been considered a diss way oregon a tribute, depending connected whom you ask. “Nah ah / Don’t get, don’t get trigger blessed with me, Claudine.”

In an April 1976 episode, “Saturday Night Live” besides took purpose astatine the deadly matter with a sketch titled “The Claudine Longet Invitational,” successful which Chevy Chase and Jane Curtin play sports commentators who connection a play-by-play of a contention successful which antheral skiers are “accidentally” changeable by Longet arsenic they contention down the slopes.

The producers work an apology connected aerial the pursuing week.

Aspen lawyer Ron Austin, who was connected Longet’s defence team, near his woman soon aft the proceedings concluded to beryllium with the embattled starlet. The 2 joined successful 1985 and remained successful Aspen afterLonget’s condemnation but besides spent clip astatine their 2nd location successful Hawaii. In 2023, the brace listed her $60-million Red Mountain Ranch estate, according to Robb Report.

Longet’s past known nationalist quality was successful 2003 connected the A&E channel’s Andy Williams “Biography” documentary, successful which she recorded lone voice-over. “To this time radical halt maine successful the thoroughfare and accidental however overmuch they loved the Christmas show.”