Priscilla Pointer dead: Dallas and Carrie star dies as family pay tribute

American actress Priscilla Pointer has died aged 100, her son has confirmed. The Dallas and Carrie star died "peacefully in her sleep" today at an assisted living facility in Ridgefield, Connecticut.

Her family wrote in a touching post: "Priscilla Pointer, acclaimed stage television and film actress, and mother of David, Katie, and Amy Irving, died peacefully in her sleep at the age of 100, hopefully to run off with her 2 adoring husbands and her many . She most definitely will be missed." Priscilla died shortly before another milestone birthday, with the Honeysuckle Rose star due to turn 101 on 18 May this year.

The US star began her career on stage in the 1940s, taking on roles in tours of A Streetcar Named Desire, The Country Wife and The Condemned of Altona. Her first film role was in 1976's iconic horror film Carrie, in which she played Eleanor Snell.

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Priscilla appeared in the film alongside her daughter Amy Irving, who played the role of Sue Snell in the film. The real-life mother and daughter also played mother and daughter characters in the movie.

Priscilla went onto take on roles in films like Twilight Zone: The Movie, A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, Blue Velvet, Inferno and Mommie Dearest.

However, one of her best known roles was that of Rebecca Barnes Wentworth in American soap Dallas. She took on the role from 1981 until 1983. Later in her career, Priscilla appeared in The Flash, L.A. Law, ER and Cold Case. Her last on-screen appearance was in TV film Sweet Nothing in My Ear.

The actress was married twice - first to American director Jules Irving from 1947 until his dead in 1979. They shared three children, including director David Irving and Oscar nominee Amy.

Priscilla was therefore mother-in-law to Steven Spielberg during his marriage to Amy between 1985 and 1989. After the death of Jules Irvin in 1979, Priscilla married actor Robert Symonds a year later. Robert died in 2007 aged 80 from complications related to prostate cancer.

Fans have taken to social media to pay tribute to the Carrie star, with one writing: "RIP Priscilla Pointer, 100. Amy Irving's mom damn near stole the un-stealable "Carrie" with this one."

Another tweeted: "May Actress Priscilla Pointer rest in peace and my condolences to Amy Irving and to their entire family."

A third said: "RIP the great Priscilla Pointer (aged 100!). Forty four Dallas appearances, three Barnaby Jones, two Cannon, one Harry O, one Rockford Files, one Kojak, one Police Woman, one McCloud, a handful of great TV movies = a small part of the industry of human happiness."

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