Jan Shepard, a prolific television and film actress known for her roles alongside Elvis Presley and appearances in more than 30 Western television series, died January 17, 2025, at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, California. She was 96. Her son, Hollywood prop master Brandon Boyle, confirmed she died from pneumonia complicated by respiratory failure.
Born Josephine Angela Sorbello on March 19, 1928, in Quakertown, Pennsylvania, Shepard moved to Los Angeles in 1949 to pursue acting. Initially skeptical of Elvis Presley’s show business potential, she became one of his trusted friends in Hollywood. Her early career began at the Pasadena Playhouse, where she honed her craft before launching her television career in 1952 with an appearance on “Fireside Theatre.”
Her breakthrough came in 1958 when she played Mimi Fisher, Elvis Presley’s sister, in “King Creole,” a role she later described as “the break of her life.” The film held special significance for both actors, as Presley considered it his favorite among his movies. Eight years later, she appeared with Presley again in “Paradise, Hawaiian Style” (1966), portraying Betty Kohana, a business partner’s wife. “Once I met him, I just adored him,” Shepard said of Presley. Their professional relationship evolved into a close friendship, with Presley regarding her as a sister figure and surprising her at a birthday party organized by their mutual friend, actress Dolores Hart.
Her extensive television career, spanning over two decades, included memorable appearances in “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.” Between her collaborations with Presley, Shepard co-starred as Betty Howard in the two-season daytime drama “The Clear Horizon.”
In 1959, she appeared in the cult classic “Attack of the Giant Leeches,” adding to her diverse filmography that would eventually include 89 acting credits. Her final screen appearance came in 1973 on the ABC police series “The Rookies,” marking the end of a career that spanned more than two decades in Hollywood’s Golden Age.
Shepard met actor Ray Boyle, who played Wyatt Earp, in 1951 at the beginning of her career in Los Angeles. They married in 1954, building a life together in the entertainment industry that lasted 67 years until Boyle’s death in 2022 at age 98. Throughout their marriage, both remained active in Hollywood, with Shepard balancing her career between television and film while maintaining her connection to the entertainment industry.
Of Sicilian ancestry, Shepard brought authenticity and depth to her roles, particularly in the numerous Western series that defined much of her television career. Her son Brandon Boyle, who followed his parents into the entertainment industry, paid tribute to his mother, calling her “a good one” who will be “dearly missed.”
She is survived by her son Brandon, daughter-in-law Jenn, and grandchildren Riley and Hayley.
