Veteran publicist Lois Smith, who represented Hollywood stars including Meryl Streep and Marilyn Monroe, has died at the age of 85.

The mother of Grey's Anatomy actress Brooke Smith passed away on Sunday (07Oct12) after suffering a brain haemorrhage due to an accidental fall.

According to movie website Deadline.com, she tripped down a set of stairs on Saturday (06Oct12) at a bed-and-breakfast in Maine, where she was staying with her husband Eugene.

Her client list also included Robert Redford, director Martin Scorsese, Susan Sarandon, Whitney Houston and Marlee Matlin, who has taken to Twitter.com to pay tribute to her former mentor.

Matlin writes, "So sad to read about passing of publicist & friend Lois Smith. She helped guide me when I did (1986 movie) Children Of A Lesser God. I will miss her... Rip... She really set me on the right track when I was so new... She was a great lady."