Mimi Hines, a beloved singer, comedian, and actress known for her appearances on Frasier and The Tonight Show, has passed away at the age of 91.
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Mark Sendroff, Hines’ longtime attorney, confirmed her death to PEOPLE. She died of natural causes in her Las Vegas home on Monday, Oct. 21.
Born in Vancouver, Canada, Mimi Hines first had a shot at stardom after meeting fellow comedian and eventually husband Phil Ford. They had been working at separate clubs in Anchorage, Alaska. The duo married in 1954 and went on to appear on The Tonight Show in 1958 before starring in the film Saturday Night in Apple Valley, in 1965.
Hines then became a Broadway sensation when she replaced Barbra Streisand as Fanny Brice in the musical Funny Girl in 1965. Ford also appeared in the musical as Eddie. She starred in the musical for 18 months.
However, the romance between Mimi Hines and Phil Ford came to an end in 1972. Despite the breakup, Hines and Ford worked together on several projects. He died in June 2005 at the age of 85.
Along with Funny Girl, Hines appeared in other Broadway musicals, including I Do! I Do, The Prisoner of Second Avenue, and Anything Goes. She also appeared as Mrs. Latimer on Frasier.
Mimi Hines Once Opened Up About Her Start In Show Business
During a 2013 interview with Theater Mania, Mimi Hines revealed details about her start in show business.
“I started singing when I was two years old,” Hines shares. “And I hit the nightclub circuit when I was 14.”
She continued to share details about her career while dishing about her favorite memory. “My favorite memory was meeting Phil Ford, who became my partner and husband, in Alaska. Being in Funny Girl was extremely exciting. We played three theaters with Funny Girl.”
Hines continued by stating, “We started at the Winter Garden and then went down to the Majestic. We ended up at the Broadway. I asked Ethel Mermen which one was the best. She said, ‘They’re all toilets, honey, but if ya gotta love one, it’s the Broadway.’”
When asked about her favorite venue, Mimi shared, “I used to love the Waldorf and the Plaza. The Persian Room at the Plaza was just a lovely jewel. I came back to New York to visit it and it was a ladies’ clothing store. All of those lovely hotel showrooms are gone, unfortunately.”