Shirley Mitchell, believed to be the last surviving cast member of the hit show I Love Lucy, passed away this week, according to reports. She was 94. Mitchell died of heart failure on Monday, her sister-in-law Nancy Olson said. The veteran actress (above, right) portrayed Lucy’s good friend Marion Strong in the iconic CBS comedy show during the 1953-1954 season. She was known for her distinctive, cackling laugh. The Ohio native later appeared in Perry Mason, The Dick Van Dyke Show and The Beverly Hillbillies , among other movie and television roles. She was married to famed composer Jay Livingston until his 2001 death. Mitchell joined I Love Lucy in 1953. In “Lucy Tells the Truth,” Marion gets frank opinions about her hat and her laugh in the girls’ weekly bridge game. Lucy has bet Ricky (Desi Arnaz) and Fred and Ethel Mertz (William Frawley and Vivian Vance) $100 that she can go 24 hours without telling a lie.) The Marion character, which was originated by Margie Liszt in the second season, is also noteworthy for setting Lucy and Ricky up on their first date. R.I.P.
