Claudine Georgette Longet was born on January 29, 1942, in Paris, France. She grew up in a family that enjoyed music and the arts. Her early life was influenced by the vibrant culture of Paris. As a child, she developed an interest in dance and music. This passion eventually led her to pursue a career in entertainment.

In the early 1960s, Longet moved to the United States. She began her career as a dancer in Las Vegas, where she was a lead dancer in the famous Folies Bergère revue. During this time, she met popular singer Andy Williams while he was passing by and offered her assistance with her car, which had broken down. They quickly became friends and eventually married on December 15, 1961. The couple had three children together: Noëlle, Christian, and Robert.

Longet's acting career began in 1963 with guest appearances on the television show "McHale's Navy." She also appeared in several other popular TV series during the 1960s, including "Twelve O'Clock High," "Combat!," and "Hogan's Heroes." In 1966, she had a breakthrough performance on the show "Run for Your Life," where she showcased her singing talent with a bilingual rendition of the song "Meditation." This performance caught the attention of Herb Alpert, co-founder of A&M Records, who offered her a recording contract.

Longet released her first album in 1967, which peaked at #11 on the Billboard pop albums chart. She became known for her soft pop and bossa nova music, recording several albums and hit singles throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s.

In addition to her music career, Longet and her husband Andy were close friends with Robert and Ethel Kennedy during the 1960s. They spent time together and shared various experiences, including summer vacations.

Longet and Williams legally separated in 1970 and divorced in January 1975. Despite the end of their marriage, they maintained a good friendship and co-parented their children. After her marriage to Williams, Longet continued to have a low profile in public life.

Claudine Longet was arrested and charged with fatally shooting her boyfriend, Olympic skier Vladimir "Spider" Sabich, at his home in Aspen, Colorado, on March 21, 1976. During her trial, Longet claimed that the shooting was an accident. She said the gun went off while Sabich was showing her how to use it.

Andy Williams, Longet's ex-husband, supported her during the trial. He paid for her legal defense and accompanied her to court. The Pitkin County Sheriff's Office and the 9th Colorado Judicial District made two mistakes. They took a blood sample from Longet without a warrant and seized her diary without permission. The blood sample showed cocaine, and the diary contradicted her story about her relationship with Sabich.

Prosecutors had difficulty presenting their case because the gun was handled improperly by people who were not experts in firearms. They used the autopsy report as evidence. It suggested that when Sabich was shot, he was leaning away from Longet and was at a distance that did not match her account of the incident.

In the end, the jury found Longet guilty of negligent homicide. She was sentenced to pay a small fine and serve 30 days in jail. The judge allowed her to choose which days to serve, so she completed her sentence mostly on weekends. This decision caused some public anger when it was reported that she went on vacation with her defense attorney during this time.

After the trial, Sabich’s family filed a civil lawsuit against Longet. This case was settled out of court, with the agreement that she would not discuss the shooting or the settlement.