Kellye Nakahara's 'M*A*S*H' co-stars Alan Alda, Loretta Swit remember the late actress
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Kellye Nakahara's co-stars are mourning her loss.
Nakahara died on Sunday at her home in Pasadena, Calif., following a brief battle with cancer, a family source confirmed to Fox News. She was 72.
An actress, Nakahara starred as Kellye Yamato in the hit television series "M*A*S*H" for 10 years, beginning in 1973 and ending with the series finale in 1983, according to IMDb.
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KELLYE NAKAHARA, 'M*A*S*H' STAR, DEAD
Starring alongside Nakahara was Loretta Swit, who offered Fox News a comment in response to the passing of her co-star. Swit, 82, called Nakahara a "jewel, a treasure."
"She radiated sparkle and goodness and joy," said Swit, who played Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan in the series. "The light that her presence brought will be deeply and forever missed."
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Alan Alda, who starred as "Hawkeye" Pierce, also offered a statement to Fox News.
ANDREW WEATHERALL, BRITISH DJ AND PRODUCER, DEAD AT 56
Alda said that "Nakahara was a beautiful person and a natural as an actor."
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"She began as a background performer and worked her way up to playing the lead in an episode I wrote for her. She was adorable and brilliant in the part," remembered Alda, 84. "But, you couldn’t beat what she was as a person, funnier and warmer and kinder than most people I've known. We all loved her on 'M*A*S*H,' and we’re all heartbroken to know she's gone. Kelley was a treasure."
Nakahara's movie credits included the 1985 murder-mystery "Clue" and 1998's "Doctor Dolittle," according to IMDb.
She was born in Oahu, Hawaii, and moved to San Francisco as a young adult to pursue a career in art, TMZ reported.
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Nakahara married in 1967 and had two children and four grandchildren.
Fox News' Stephanie Nolasco contributed to this report.