Edition: U.S. / Global

Luana Patten, 57, Disney Child Actress

Published: May 12, 1996

Luana Patten, a child actress in the 1940's who appeared in the Walt Disney films "Song of the South" and "So Dear to My Heart," died on May 1. She was 57.

The cause was respiratory failure, The Associated Press reported.

Ms. Patten made her movie debut at the age of 8, opposite Bobby Driscoll in "Song of the South," a 1946 movie combining live action and animation. She was one of Disney's first contract players after the studio moved beyond animation, and also acted in Disney's "Melody Time."

When she was 13, she took a brief hiatus from acting to finish high school. Her later film credits included "Johnny Tremain," "Follow Me, Boys," "The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come," "A Thunder of Drums," "Rock, Pretty Baby," "Joe Dakota," "The Restless Years," "Home From the Hills" and "Go Naked in the World."

On television, she appeared in "Rawhide," "Wagon Train," "Bonanza," "Daniel Boone" and "F Troop." She married John Smith, a television actor, in 1960; they were divorced four years later.