Cher's mother, actress, singer and model Georgia Holt dies
An actress and singer in her own right, Georgia Holt had two daughters - one of whom is superstar Cher - and was married six times, including twice to Cher's father.
Monday 12 December 2022 15:39, UK
Georgia Holt, the mother of singer Cher, has died aged 96.
Cher, 76, revealed the sad news on social media, writing: "Mom is gone," followed by a downcast face emoji.
Former US presidential nominee Hillary Clinton shared her condolences with Cher, writing: "So sorry for your loss, my friend."
Showbiz columnist Perez Hilton wrote: "My deepest condolences. The biggest hug to you and your family! Your mother was a gem!"
Holt's cause of death was not revealed, but she had been admitted to hospital with pneumonia in September.
An actress, model, and singer in her own right, Holt had appeared in various American TV shows and released her own album.
Born in Arkansas in 1926, her father taught her how to play the guitar, and she won several talent and beauty competitions as a child.
She later moved to Los Angeles and had several minor TV and film roles in the 1950s including I Love Lucy and Grounds For Marriage, and talk shows by Mike Douglas and Merv Griffin.
She recorded her debut album, Honky Tonk Woman, in 1982, but it wasn't released until 2013 after the tapes were lost, only to be later discovered in her garage.
In 2013, Cher executive produced a documentary about her mother titled Dear Mom, Love Cher, exploring her close relationship with her mum.
Holt was married and divorced six times - including twice to her first husband, Cher's father John Paul Sarkisian.
She first wed him in 1946 and they stayed together for one year. He became her fifth husband nearly twenty years later in 1965, but they divorced again in 1966.
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Holt had a second daughter, Georganne, with actor John Southall. She remained in a relationship with her last husband, Craig Spencer, from 1976 until her death.
Holt is survived by her partner Craig, her two daughters, Cher and Georganne, and her two grandchildren through Cher, Chaz Bono and P Exeter Blue I.