Joan Weldon has died at the age of 90 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

The singer and actress was born in San Francisco, California on August 5, 1930, and was raised by her grandmother. She attended Galileo High School and at the age of 16 made her first public singing appearance as a member of the San Francisco Opera company chorus. She made history by becoming the youngest singer under contract.

She went on to sing broadway shows, appear on the radio and later she made her Los Angeles Civic Light Opera where she was spotted by Warner Brothers and signed as an actress.

Weldon would become an actress who made her film debut in the crime drama “The System” and went on to act in the sci-fi drama “Them!”

She also worked in TV making appearances in “The Millionaire,” Lux Video Theater in various roles, “The Case of the Angry Mourner,” and Shirley Temple Theater, among others.

After working in film and television, she resumed her career as a singer in road company productions.

Although not as well known in the opera community, Weldon left a recording of Lehar’s “The Merry Widow.”

Weldon is survived by her husband of 56 years, David L. Podell Jr., her daughter, Melissa, and her grandchildren.