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Joy Harmon, ‘Cool Hand Luke’ Car-Wash Actress, Dies at 87

Her three-minute turn in Cool Hand Luke made her a lasting 1960s icon.

Overview

  • Harmon, who died Tuesday at her Los Angeles-area home, had battled pneumonia for weeks, her family told TMZ and other outlets.
  • She spent one to two weeks in the hospital, then several weeks in rehabilitation, before returning home for hospice care with loved ones present.
  • She continued working at her Burbank bakery, Aunt Joy’s Cakes, until the day before she was hospitalized, according to her family.
  • A GoFundMe for medical expenses is now live, and she is survived by three children — Jamie, Julie and Jason — and nine grandchildren.
  • Obituaries stress her famed Cool Hand Luke car-wash scene and early breaks tied to Groucho Marx, and some reports note conflicting records on her age, with most listing 87.