Sandra Bernice Giles

Sandra Giles, actress and pin-up icon, has died at the age of 84 on December 25, in Los Angeles.

Known for her bombshell good looks, Giles was born Leila Bernice Giles in Hooker, Oklahoma on July 24, 1932 and raised in Texas. After winning local beauty contests, she hitchhiked to Los Angeles as a teenager.

Her striking looks gained immediate attention. Producer AC Lyle, who cast Sandra in his western, "Black Spurs," was quoted as saying that "Sandra was one of the most beautiful young women in this town, and that was at a time when the town was filled with charming, beautiful ladies." TV appearances and features in Life Magazine soon blossomed into movie roles, most notably "Daddy-O" with Dick Contino, and "It Happened at the World's Fair" with Elvis Presley.

Giles appeared in numerous TV shows during her career including "Columbo", "Quincy", "The Odd Couple", "Adam 12", "Burke's Law", "Bachelor Father", "The Steve Allen Show", and Rawhide". Her film work included "It Happened at the World's Fair", McClintock", and "The Mad Bomber" among others.

On stage, she co-starred with Don Knotts in "Last of the Red Hot Lovers," with Mickey Rooney and Tony Randall in "The Odd Couple" and with Bob Crane in "Beginner's Luck."

In later years, she hosted popular swing dance nights in Los Angeles benefitting local charities. Her last swing dance event was in 2014. That same year, she was diagnosed with Dementia.

She is survived by her daughter, Sandra Piller, wife of the late Michael Piller, two grandchildren, Shawn Piller and Brent Piller, and one great grandson, Ryan Lorber.

Funeral services will be private. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to the Piller Family Fund in the College of Arts and Sciences, University of North Carolina Arts and Sciences Foundation:

Piller Family Fund in the College of Arts and Sciences
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
523 E. Franklin Street
Chapel Hill, N.C. 27514
Attn: Peyton Daniels Stokley