Hollywood Legend Dies at 96

Ann Robinson, best remembered for playing Sylvia Van Buren in the 1953 science-fiction classic The War of the Worlds, has passed away at the age of 96. Born in Hollywood in 1929, Robinson built a career that included modeling, stunt riding, film roles, and appearances in popular television shows such as Dragnet, Perry Mason, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, and Peter Gunn. Though she was never one of Hollywood’s biggest stars, her role in The War of the Worlds secured her a lasting place in cinema history.

Over the decades, Robinson warmly embraced her connection to the beloved sci-fi film, attending conventions and meeting fans from different generations. She later returned to the franchise through the 1980s television adaptation and made a special cameo in Steven Spielberg’s 2005 version. Her legacy lives on through a performance that helped define early science-fiction cinema and continues to be remembered by fans around the world.