Tisa Farrow dead at 72: Mia Farrow announces actress sister died unexpectedly 'in her sleep' in moving tribute: 'She was the best of us'

Mia Farrow has confirmed that her actress sister Tisa Farrow has died at the age of 72, in an emotional post to Instagram.

Theresa Magdalena 'Tisa' Farrow was an American actress and model known for featuring in such films as Winter Kills and Zombie Flesh Eaters.

She also appeared in Woody Allen 's classic 1979 comedy Manhattan, just before he embarked on a romantic relationship with Mia.

Mia, 78, heartbrokenly announced that her sister had died 'unexpectedly' and 'apparently in her sleep' on Wednesday.

'If there is a Heaven, undoubtedly my beautiful sister Tisa is being welcomed there,' Mia wrote in her touching social media tribute.

'She was the best of us - i have never met a more generous and loving person. She loved life & never complained. Ever,' Mia added.

'She was a nurse for 27 years, a wonderful sister to Steffi, Prudence and me, a devoted mother to Jason, who died in Iraq , Bridget and little grandson Kylor - the lights of her life,' the bereaved sister wrote Thursday.

'She died unexpectedly yesterday morning. Apparently in her sleep. This is a hard time for all of us who admire and love her so deeply,' she concluded.

Born in Los Angeles in 1951, six years after Mia, Tia was the youngest of seven siblings born to their Hollywood family.

Their father was director John Farrow, who co-wrote the Oscar-winning 1956 film of Around The World In Eighty Days starring David Niven and Shirley MacLaine.

Meanwhile their mother was Maureen O'Sullivan, the Jane to Johnny Weissmuller's Tarzan in six of his films as the character in the 1930s and 1940s.