Classic actress Judith Sheldon and her husband, Wylie, were found dead inside a vehicle on the side of an interstate, the California Highway Patrol announced.
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The California Highway Patrol (CHP) reported that the couple was discovered on the evening of June 15 inside a running SUV parked on the shoulder of Interstate 5 near Redding, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. A CHP officer found the Jeep Compass, driven by Sheldon, 84, parked north of Fawndale Road at approximately 5:46 p.m. Her husband, Wylie Sheldon, 86, was in the passenger seat. The Chronicle described Sheldon as “a San Francisco arts patron and daughter of Oscar-winning filmmaker William Wyler.”
A second CHP officer arrived to assist, and medical personnel provided care at the scene. Despite their efforts, the couple was pronounced dead.
According to the Chronicle, the CHP has not released a cause of death, and the agency’s Northern Division Investigative Services Unit is investigating.
Judith Sheldon Appeared in Classics Like ‘Roman Holiday’ Before Becoming a Film Preservation Advocate
Born Judith Wyler in Los Angeles, she was widely known in film and San Francisco arts circles as Judy Wyler Sheldon. The daughter of Wyler and actress Margaret Tallichet, she had several screen credits in the 1950s.
According to IMDb, her television credits included The Errol Flynn Theatre, The Buccaneers, and BBC Sunday-Night Theatre. She also had a brief appearance in the 1953 romantic comedy Roman Holiday. The classic starred Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck and was directed by her father. William Wyler was a three-time Academy Award-winning director known for films like Ben-Hur and Mrs. Miniver.
Later in life, Judy Wyler Sheldon became an avid advocate for silent film preservation. She also served as board chair for the San Francisco Silent Film Festival. Per the San Francisco Chronicle, in a 2007 interview, she explained her passion for silent film advocacy sparked after she attended a retrospective of her father’s early work in Pordenone, Italy. San Francisco Performances also listed her as a co-chair for its 43rd season gala.
Meanwhile, those with information regarding the incident are urged to contact CHP investigators at 530-242-4300.