Dutch actress Sylvia Kristel's breakthrough role in the erotic 1974 movie 'Emmanuelle' led to several sequels and appearances in more than 50 other films.

Actress Sylvia Kristel, the Dutch star of the hit 1970s erotic movie 'Emmanuelle,' has died of cancer in the Netherlands. She was 60.

Kristel died in her sleep Wednesday night, according to a statement from her agent, Features Creative Management.

Her breakthrough came in 'Emmanuelle,' a 1974 erotic tale directed by Frenchman Just Jaeckin, about the sexual adventures of a man and his beautiful young wife, played by Kristel.

She went on to star in several sequels to 'Emmanuelle,' as well as in Hollywood movies including 'The Concorde: Airport '79,' 'The Fifth Musketeer' (both 1979) and 'Private Lessons' (1981).

Kristel appeared in more than 50 films, many erotically tinted, including a 1981 adaptation — also directed by Jaeckin — of D.H. Lawrence's novel 'Lady Chatterley's Lover.'

She was honored in 2006 with a special jury prize at the Tribeca Film Festival for a short animated film she directed called 'Topor et Moi.'

Kristel told the Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant in 2005 that her former partner, Belgian author Hugo Claus, had persuaded her to star in 'Emmanuelle,' which was set in Thailand.
.