'Animal House' Star Verna Bloom Dies At 80

Sadly Verna Bloom, who many will know from her part in Animal House, died on January 9th.

Bloom, who currently lived in Bar Harbor, Maine, passed away at the age of 80 years old. Her family confirmed the cause was complications with dementia, though no further details were released. She is survived by her husband Jay Cocks and her son Sam (via Variety).

Bloom is known by many for her role in Animal House, the John Landis 1978 classic as Marion Wormer. She also worked with Martin Scorsese on several projects, including 1970's Street Scenes, 1985's After Hours, and 1998's The Last Temptation of Christ. She also worked on two films with Clint Eastwood, including 1973's The High Plains Drifter and 1982's Honkytonk Man.

Over the years Bloom also appeared in Cagney & Lacey, The Equalizer, Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, and The West Wing.

Bloom was born in 1938 in Lynn, Massachusetts, and graduated from Boston University. She would start in the local theater before eventually hitting Broadway, but her first film was 1969's Medium Cool. She also starred alongside Frank Sinatra in the television special Contract on Cherry Street, which hit in 1977, and followed that up with a part alongside Peter Fonda in The Hired Hand in 1981.

Donations may be made to Bonaparte's Retreat, a dog rescue organization who takes care of dogs after they can no longer stay at shelters. You can learn more about them here and below.

"Bonaparte's Retreat Dog Rescue is dedicated to providing nurturing care for adoptable dogs when their allotted time at the shelter has elapsed. Our mission is to prevent these wonderful animals from being euthanized and to adopt them into permanent, loving homes."

Our thoughts are with Bloom's family and friends at this time.