'West Side Story' Actress Dead At 87

Carole D’Andrea, who portrayed Velma, the Jet girl, in the original 1957 Broadway production of West Side Story and the iconic 1961 film adaptation, has passed away at the age of 87.

According to her daughter, Andrea Doven, D’Andrea died on March 11 from heart failure at her home in Santa Monica, California.

Born on August 28, 1937 in Altoona, Pennsylvania, D’Andrea was drawn to acting following her parents’ death in a crash.

After moving to New York at 16, she was cast as Velma...