British actress Jean Simmons has died at her home near Los Angeles aged 80. She had been battling lung cancer.

Her career spanned seven decades. It took off after she won an Oscar for her role as Ophelia opposite Laurence Olivier in the actor's legendary 1948 production of Hamlet. Ms Simmons gained further fame in the 1950s and 1960s after starring in several hit films. Later films included Guys and Dolls, Spartacus and The Happy Ending, which earned her a second Oscar for her portrayal of an alcoholic wife. In 1983 she won an Emmy Award for her role in the television mini-series "The Thorn Birds".

Jean Simmons in 1951 (Photo: Flickr/dovima is devine)