Mimi Weddell, 94; career as model, actress took off at 65

A New York City model and actress whose full-time career began at 65 after her husband died in 1981, Ms. Weddell became a familiar sight on casting calls for films, television, and print ads. She died Sept. 24 at 94 after a short illness at her at home in New York.

Over the years, she landed bit parts and small roles in films including “The Purple Rose of Cairo’’ and “Hitch,’’ and in TV series including “Sex and the City’’ and “Law & Order.’’ She also appeared in numerous commercials and in print ads for Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Juicy Couture, and Nike.

In 2005, at 90, Ms. Weddell was included in New York magazine’s eclectic, photo-illustrated list of the “Most Beautiful New Yorkers.’’

Casting director Jennifer Venditti, who selected Ms. Weddell, told the magazine: “She has such elegant style and willowy posture, but she doesn’t try to conceal her wrinkles and signs of aging; she’s a whole package.’’

The indomitable Ms. Weddell was the subject of the 2008 feature-length documentary “Hats Off.’’

Until a few months ago, Ms. Weddell was still making the rounds of casting calls, said Jyll Johnstone, director of “Hats Off.’’

“To her, it didn’t matter whether she was a star or not a star,’’ Johnstone said. “What mattered to her was that she continued to work.’’

Over a 10-year period - as the spirited Ms. Weddell aged from 80 to 90 - Johnstone followed her with a camera as she went on auditions, attended acting, singing, and dancing classes, and did gymnastics workouts.

Ms. Weddell’s can-do motto was “Rise above it.’’

“If you don’t dance, for heaven’s sake, you cannot aspire. You do not lift up from this earth,’’ Ms. Weddell says in the documentary.

Her longtime home was an apartment on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, which she shared with her daughter, son-in-law, and grandson, and where she stored her more than 150 hats.

“The only romantic thing left in life is a hat,’’ Ms. Weddell said.

Born Marion Rogers on Feb. 15, 1915, in Williston, N.D., she grew up primarily in Massachusetts.

In the mid-1940s, she worked as an assistant to The New York Times’ fashion editor Virginia Pope. Over the years, the mother of two worked part time as an advertising copy writer, a secretary, and a print-ad model. She also took acting classes and occasionally appeared in off-Broadway plays.

Ms. Weddell’s passions, acting and modeling, were never full-time.

That changed after the death of her husband, Richard, a former executive for RCA’s classical music label who became an art gallery salesman.

“At 65, she realized she doesn’t have to take care of anybody anymore,’’ Johnstone said. “Now it was time for her to go full blast in what she really wanted to do.’’

Since news of Ms. Weddell’s death spread on the Internet, Johnstone has received letters from people who were inspired to follow their own dreams by the woman they saw in the documentary.

Many are in their 60s, including a woman who said she was going to get a nursing degree and a man who planned to finish his doctorate.

“It’s amazing how she touched so many lives,’’ said Johnstone.

In addition to her daughter, Ms. Weddell leaves her son, Tom; and two grandchildren.