Laya Raki Randell-Wood
July 27, 1927 – December 21, 2018
She was not on the list.
Laya Raki Randell-Wood passed away peacefully in the evening of December 21, 2018, in Hollywood, California.
She was born Brunhilde Marie Jorns in Hamburg, Germany on July 27, 1927. Her mother left when Laya was only five years old. Her father remarried soon thereafter. He worked with the circus, where Laya learned acrobatics at a very young age, and performed in several circus acts. In her late teens, she partnered with fellow acrobat, Ricardo U. Partnerin, performing a 2-person dance/acrobatic act.
From there, she learned ballet and other forms of dance. She developed a passion for dance, and was best known for her exotic dances. She performed throughout NW Europe and Italy in the 1940’s to 1950. She adopted the screen name, ‘Laya Raki’, at the suggestion of her manager. In 1954, she got a major part in the movie, ‘The Seekers’, (released in the U.S. as, 'Land of Fury’), as the exotic Moari dancer, longside actor Jack Hawkins. It was shot in New Zealand, and was a big hit, bringing Laya into the spotlight.
In 1955 Laya went to London to continue her acting career. Her roles in British films and TV productions made her an international star. She gained fame and recognition for her role in the popular British TV series, ‘Crane’. In order to appear more exotic to her viewing public, she invented a story that her mother was of Indonesian/French descent. While working in London, she met a handsome Australian actor, Ron Randell. It was love at first sight. They married in September, 1957 in London.
Ron was doing films in both Australia and the United States. They decided to move to the U.S. in the 1960’s, working between New York City and Los Angeles. Laya appeared in the popular TV series, ‘I Spy’, and other shows over the years in Los Angeles.
Ron, died from Alzheimer’s related problems in June of 2005. In April of 2009, Laya married Duane Wood, retired Vice President of Lockheed Aircraft International.
Laya is preceded in death by her father, Wilhelm Jorns in 1963, and her brother Alvin, her first husband, Ron Randell, and second husband Duane Wood in July of 2018. She is survived by her step-daughter, Cathy, and her step-grandchildren, Tyler and Shannon.
She will be laid to rest beside her first husband, Ronald
Randell, at Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park.
Filmography
Year Title Role Notes
1950 The Council of
the Gods Rumbatänzerin / Rhumba
dancer
1950 Third from the
Right Exotic dancer
1953 Ehe für eine
Nacht (Marriage for One Night) Tänzerin /
Dancer
1953 The Rose of
Stamboul Dancer
1954 The Beginning
Was Sin Moana
1954 Up to His Neck Lao Win Tan
1954 The Seekers
(a.k.a. Land of Fury, a.k.a. Dämonen der Südsee) Gypsy Dancer
1955 Die Frau des
Botschafters (The Ambassador's Wife) Manuela
1955 Closed Exit Cecilia
1955 The Adventures
of Quentin Durward (a.k.a. Liebe, Tod und Teufel) Gypsy Dancer
1956 Küss mich noch
einmal Irina
1956 Roter Mohn Ilonka
1957 Song of Naples
(a.k.a. Ascoltami, a.k.a. Das Lied von Neapel, ...und vergib mir meine Schuld) Carmen Penha
1957 O.S.S. Kyro Caro Episode:
"Operation Sweet Talk"
1960 Hawaiian Eye Betta Dudoit Episode:
"Kim Quixote"
1960 Alcoa Presents:
One Step Beyond Mai Ling Episode: "House of the Dead"
1962 The Beachcomber Taffy (Lonika in credits) 2 episodes
1962 Tales of Wells
Fargo The Gypsy Girl Episode: "The Gold Witch"
1963–1965 Crane Halima 39
episodes
1963 The Nylon Noose Nicole
1963 Das Rätsel der
roten Quaste (a.k.a.: Das Geheimmnis der roten Quaste) Sylvia
1964 The Gallant One
1964 Das Haus auf
dem Hügel [de] (a.k.a. Le Hibou chasse la nuit) Suzanne,
Bardame
1965 I Spy Tia Chang Episode:
"Dragon's Teeth"
1966 Poppies are
Also Flowers (a.k.a. Danger Grows Wild (UK), Mohn ist auch eine Blume (Austria,
Germany), a.k.a. Opération opium (Fr), a.k.a. The Opium Connection (USA: video
title)) Luisa
1966 Savage Pampas Mimí Uncredited
(final film role)
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