On October 21, broadway singer and comedian Mimi Hines passed away in her Las Vegas home at 91 years old.
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Mark Sendroff confirmed this news in a statement to PEOPLE. Sendroff was Hines' long-term attorney. She died of natural causes, he confirms.
Hines enjoyed many decades in the public eye as an adored Broadway actress and singer, comedian, and television star. For most of her career, she was part of the adored Ford and Hines duo, consisting of her and her partner at the time, Phil Ford.
One of her most notable moments was when she sang Till There Was You from Meredith Willson's The Music Man in an appearance on The Tonight Show in 1958. She drove Jack Paar to tears, allegedly. She also famously replaced Barbra Streisand in the original cast of Funny Girl.
Mimi Hines Dies After A Brilliant Career
Mimi Hines was born in Vancouver, Canada, on July 17, 1933. She already was talented at a young age and secured a nightclub act at merely 12 years old. She met her partner, Ford, in 1952. They were both working in different clubs in Anchorage, Alaska. By chance, Hines subbed in for Ford's female partner, allowing them to meet.
The Ford and Hines duo married in 1954.
In 1958, her iconic appearance on The Tonight Show garnered her national attention. From that point onward, Hines and her partner were seriously in demand.
They appeared in a wealth of talk shows across the country. She was also a popular guest for game shows.
It was 1965 where she struck it big, however, with her role as Fanny Brice in Funny Girl. She was confident in her replacement of Barbra Streisand, and secured the role for 18 months. Her partner, Ford, Eddie Ryan in the production.
Although the Ford and Hines duo separated and divorced in 1972, they remained in business and worked together on some occasions.
Mimi Hines was a very accomplished and beloved actress and public figure. Her career was as gleaming as her smile, and anyone who knew her or had appreciated her performances are devastated by this loss.