Story highlights Betsy Palmer's manager says the actress has died

Palmer was known for her role as the killer in "Friday the 13th"

She also appeared on "The Today Show" and turned letters on "Wheel of Fortune"

(CNN) Actress Betsy Palmer, who kicked off her career as a sweet-talking panelist on TV game shows in the 1950s and went on to play a mother-turned-murderer in "Friday the 13th," has died.

Palmer, 88, died Friday of natural causes at a hospice care center near her home in Danbury, Connecticut, manager Brad Lemack said in a statement.

Her lengthy television and film career spanned more than five decades, starting with a number of high-profile roles in the 1950s, including a regular role as a panelist on the prime-time TV game show "I've Got a Secret" and a role as contributor on NBC's "The Today Show."

She drew a new generation of fans, her manager said, with her role as Mrs. Voorhees in the 1980 cult classic "Friday the 13th."

It's a role Palmer once said she'd only accepted because she was convinced no one would see it -- and because she needed the money for a new car.

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