Betty Kovacs, the eldest daughter of legendary comedian and television pioneer Ernie Kovacs, has died at the age of 79.
According to her family, Kovacs passed away on June 21, 2026, at her home in Sun City, California, following a battle with pancreatic cancer. She was surrounded by loved ones during her final moments.
Although she spent much of her life away from the spotlight, Betty Kovacs became a familiar name in the early 1960s following a highly publicized custody battle after the death of her father. She and her younger sister, Kip Raleigh “Kippie” Kovacs, remained in the care of their stepmother, actress and singer Edie Adams, after a lengthy legal dispute that drew national attention and ultimately ended in Adams’ favor.