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Richard Burton's ex-wife dies: Who was she?

Richard Burton's ex-wife dies: Born Sybil Williams in Wales, she became a 1960's post-divorce success story after Richard Burton left her to marry Elizabeth Taylor.

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AP / File
Sybil Williams Burton, seen here in 1955 with her then-husband, actor Richard Burton, died on March 7. Richard Burton left Sybil for Elizabeth Taylor in 1963. She went on to become a successful nightclub owner and theater producer, and married Jordan Christopher in 1966.
  • By Associated Press

| NEW YORK

The woman best known as Richard Burton's ex — he left her to marry Elizabeth Taylor — has died. Theater producer and nightclub founder Sybil Christopher was 83.

The Bay Street Theater on Long Island has posted an obituary for Christopher on its website. The New York Times has reported she died Thursday in New York City.

The Welsh-born Christopher was Sybil Burton when Richard Burton, her first husband, left her for Taylor in 1963.

She left California for New York where she opened a nightclub in 1965 with backing from famous friends like Julie Andrews and Leonard Bernstein.

The club, called Arthur, became a celebrity hangout and turned Christopher into a post-divorce success story.

She married Jordan Christopher, the lead singer of the club's house band, in 1966.

Christopher founded the Bay Street Theater in 1991 with two partners and was its artistic director for 22 years.

She is survived by three daughters, including actress Kate Burton.

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