Renowned film and television actress Jan Shepard, recognized for her roles alongside Elvis Presley and her performances in over 30 Western television series, passed away on January 17, 2025. She was being treated at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, California, and died at the age of 96 due to pneumonia complicated by respiratory failure, confirmed by her son, Hollywood prop master Brandon Boyle.
Shepard, born as Josephine Angela Sorbello on March 19, 1928, in Quakertown, Pennsylvania, moved to Los Angeles, California in 1949 to start her acting career. Initially doubtful of Elvis Presley’s potential in the entertainment industry, she later became a trusted friend to Presley. She started her early career at the Pasadena Playhouse, honing her acting skills before making her television debut in 1952 with “Fireside Theatre.”
In 1958, she got her big break playing Mimi Fisher, Elvis Presley’s sister, in “King Creole,” a role she referred to as “the break of her life.” The film was significant for both Shepard and Presley, as Presley considered it his favorite among his numerous films. She worked with Presley again in 1966 in “Paradise, Hawaiian Style,” where she played Betty Kohana, a business partner’s wife. “Once I met him, I just adored him,” Shepard said of Presley. Their professional association evolved into a close friendship, with Presley considering her a sister figure and even surprising her at a birthday party arranged by their mutual friend, actress Dolores Hart.
Shepard’s extensive television career, lasting over twenty years, featured notable roles in shows such as “I Married Joan,” “The Loretta Young Show,” “The Lone Ranger,” “Gunsmoke,” “Rawhide,” “The Virginian,” “Perry Mason,” “Bat Masterson,” “Dr. Christian,” “Waterfront,” and “Tales of the Texas Rangers.” During her collaborations with Presley, Shepard also played the character Betty Howard in the daytime drama “The Clear Horizon,” which ran for two seasons.
In 1959, Shepard was featured in the cult classic “Attack of the Giant Leeches,” contributing to her diverse filmography that eventually consisted of 89 acting credits. Her final on-screen role came in 1973 on the ABC police series “The Rookies,” marking the end to her career in Hollywood’s Golden Age, which spanned over two decades.
Shepard married actor Ray Boyle, known for his role as Wyatt Earp, in 1954. The couple, who met in 1951 at the onset of Shepard’s career in Los Angeles, California, shared a life in the entertainment industry that lasted 67 years until Boyle’s death in 2022 at the age of 98. Both remained active in Hollywood throughout their marriage, with Shepard managing her career between television and film.
Of Sicilian descent, Shepard brought a unique authenticity and depth to her roles, especially in the plethora of Western series that characterized much of her television career. Her son Brandon Boyle, who also pursued a career in the entertainment industry, paid tribute to his mother, stating that she was “a good one” who will be “dearly missed.”
Shepard is survived by her son Brandon, her daughter-in-law Jenn, and her grandchildren Riley and Hayley.
