Pat Ast

By VARIETY STAFF

Cult film star Pat Ast, best known for such pics as Andy Warhol's "Heat" and "Reform School Girls," died of natural causes Oct. 2 in her West Hollywood, Calif., home. She was 59.

A member of Warhol's Factory Kids, Ast gained notoriety as Halston's muse, modeling in both his showroom and on the runway.

After achieving cult status by starring in Warhol's 1972 film "Heat," she moved to Los Angeles in 1975 and appeared in several films including the 1986 cult classic "Reform School Girls," "Foul Play," "The Incredible Shrinking Woman," and "The World's Greatest Lover."

The native New Yorker also starred in the original stage production of "Women Behind Bars," directed by Ron Link.

Ast is survived by a nephew, niece and great-nephew.