Actress Caroline Langford Dies at 68 After Cancer Battle

Caroline Langford, an actress known for her roles in 1980s Israeli films such as "King for a Day," "Smile, You’re Dead," and "Girls," passed away on Friday at age 68 after battling cancer in a Los Angeles hospital. Born in London in 1958, Langford immigrated to Israel in 1972 at age 14. Her father, Barry, became a director of entertainment programs on Israeli television. Early in her career, she worked as a singer and host of youth talent shows directed by her father.

Langford’s film debut included the 1980 prank film "Smile, You’re Dead" by Yehuda Barkan and Yigal Shilon. She gained prominence starring in "King for a Day," directed by Assi Dayan, whom she later married. The couple had a son, creator Lior Dayan, born in 1983, before eventually divorcing. Langford won the Kinor David Award for her role in "King for a Day." She appeared in several other films including "Dad’s Madness," "Am Yisrael Chai," "Girls," and additional prank films by Barkan and Shilon.

In 2002, Langford acted in the series "In Rhythm" on Channel 3, and in 2013 she participated in the reality documentary "Connected," which featured her son Lior. From 2016, she appeared in three seasons of the series "My Successful Sisters," and in 2020 she acted in "Normal," a series inspired by her son’s true story, portraying his mother.

In 1990, Langford moved back to London and later to New York, where she studied acting at Lee Strasberg’s studio and met her second husband, Michael. They had a daughter before divorcing. Later, she married Gil Bakenstein, with whom she lived in Los Angeles. Her death was confirmed by her son Lior Dayan in a conversation with Walla Culture.