Sian Barbara Allen, Star of 'The Waltons' and 'You'll Like My Mother,' Passes Away at 78

Sian Barbara Allen, an Emmy-nominated actress who starred in numerous television shows such as "The Waltons" during the period spanning from the '70s through the '90s, and was recognized for her role in the 1972 movie "You'll Like My Mother," passed away.

Allen passed away on Monday in Chapel Hill, N.C., due to Alzheimer's disease, as stated by her family. online The obituary stated that those close to the actor noted she was most recognized for depicting roles marked by significant emotional openness and remarkable compassion, earning herself an extensive fan base globally. She passed away at the age of 78.

Over the course of her career, Allen accumulated numerous acting credits spanning various popular television shows such as "Columbo," "Kojak," and "Hawaii Five-O," along with films like "Billy Two Hats" and "You’ll Like My Mother." She also starred in multiple made-for-TV movies, including "Scream, Pretty Peggy" and "The Lindbergh Kidnapping Case." Notably, she shared the screen with renowned actors such as Bette Davis and Anthony Hopkins, amongst others.

Allen was born in Reading, Pennsylvania, on July 12, 1946, and grew up with her mother and grandmother. Prior to making her acting debut in "O'Hara, U.S. Treasury" in 1971, she received a scholarship to attend the Pasadena Playhouse. According to her obituary, she also trained under Peggy Feury as part of the Journeyman program at the Mark Taper Forum.

During the initial few years of Allen’s television journey, she was cast in small parts in various shows such as western series “Gunsmoke” and “Bonanza,” along with appearing in made-for-TV movies like “The Scarecrow” and “The Family Rico.” It wasn’t until 1972 when she ventured into cinema, taking on the role of a intellectually disabled young woman in the film “You’ll Like My Mother,” which also starred Patty Duke, Rosemary Murphy, and Richard Thomas.

For Allen, "You'll Like My Mother" represented far more than merely another entry on her resume. The movie secured her a nod as Newcomer of the Year at the 1973 Golden Globe Awards, where Diana Ross took home the award for her performance in "Lady Sings the Blues." This project also initiated her collaboration with Thomas. Prior to marrying (and eventually parting ways from) Peter Gelblum in 1979, they shared a short-lived romantic relationship.

Following their collaboration in "You'll Like MyMother," Allen and Thomas worked together again in 1972 on the CBS series "The Walnuts." In this show, Allen played Jenny Pendleton, who was the romantic interest of Thomas’s character, John-Boy Walton. During the '70s, Allen appeared in several small parts across various television programs such as "Marcus Welby, M.D.," "Ironside," "Baretta," and "The Incredible Hulk."

Allen’s on-screen work started declining in the '80s, with her last known acting role being a guest appearance on an episode of "L.A. Law" in 1990, as per IMDb records. Besides her stage performances, she gradually faded from public view around the same time and shifted her focus towards local politics, particularly backing Cesar Chavez’s efforts with the United Farm Workers union.

Allen was honored with the key to her hometown and was known as a poet, music aficionado, and fan of "mac and cheese, root beer floats, and bacon cheeseburgers (without lettuce or tomatoes)," according to her family. She leaves behind her former husband, Peter; their daughter, Emily, whom she named after the character Emily Webb from "Our Town"; her sisters Hannah Davie and Meg Pokrass; her nephew Miles Bond; numerous cousins; and her grandson Arlo Fonseca.

This tale initially surfaced in Los Angeles Times .