'Wind' actor Crane dead at age 90

ATLANTA, Aug. 24 (UPI) -- Actor Fred Crane, known best for playing one of the Tarleton twins in "Gone with the Wind," has died near Atlanta at the age of 90, his wife says.

Terry Crane confirmed he died Thursday of a blood clot in his lung, claiming the life of the actor who attempted to win the heart of "Wind" character Scarlett O'Hara, played by Vivien Leigh, in the 1939 cinematic classic, the Los Angeles Times reported Saturday.

In a 2007 interview, Crane downplayed his impact in the Oscar-winning film.

"I'm just a small shard in a grand mosaic," the actor said.

Crane became good friends with another "Wind" co-star, George Reeves, who played his twin brother and later starred as the title character on the 1950s TV series "Superman." The Times said Crane was an outspoken supporter of the claim that Reeves' suicide in 1959 was actually a homicide.

The newspaper said in addition to his wife, Crane is survived by five children, eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild.