Diana Muldaur is a versatile American TV and film actress, who is perhaps best known for her appearance in the second season of the sci-fi series “Star Trek: The Next Generation”, and in the legal drama TV series “L.A. Law.”
Age, Early Life, and Education Background
Diana Charlton Muldaur hails from Brooklyn, New York City, and was born under the Leo zodiac sign on 19 August 1938, which makes her 84 years old as of 2022. She’s the daughter of Alice Patricia Muldaur and her husband Charles E. Arrowsmith Muldaur. She spent her childhood in Martha’s Island, Massachusetts, and was brought up alongside her younger brother, Geoff Muldaur, who is the ex-husband of the musician Maria Muldaur.
Muldaur began acting when she was in high school. Her keen interest saw her join the private women’s school, Sweet Briar College, central Virginia, where she trained under the late acclaimed acting teacher and actress, Stella Adler. She graduated in 1960 and began performing in several theaters in New York.
Interests
Muldaur is a dog lover, and previously had an Airedale Terrier.
She goes by the nickname ‘Danny.’
Career
Career Beginnings and TV Appearances
1963 saw Diana beginning her career with guest appearances in the Broadway plays “Poor Biros” and “A Very Rich Woman” at McCarter Theater, Princeton. She had the opportunity of working with the late American icon, Burt Reynolds, in an episode of the crime drama “Hawk” in 1966. Subsequently, she played a guest starring role in an episode of the western drama “Gunsmoke”, before she guest starred alongside Reynolds in the third season of the series “The F.B.I.” in 1968. Muldaur was cast for her first lead role of Belle in the acclaimed ABC primetime TV series “The Survivors” in 1969, appearing until it was canceled in the year that followed. She later appeared in Reynolds’ drama “Dan August” in 1970.
Diana played the recurring role of Chris Coughlin in Dennis Weaver’s mystery show “McCloud” from 1970 to 1977, concurrently landing another recurring role as Judge Hopper in “The Tony Randall Show” between 1976 to 1978, and she thereafter guest-starred as Helen Banner in several episodes of the sci-fi series “The Incredible Hulk.”
Diana had a long professional relationship with Gene Roddenberry, who cast her as Dr. Pulaski in the second season of the acclaimed show “Star Trek: The Next Generation.” She next portrayed lawyer Rosalind Shays, and shared the screen with Jill Eikenberry and Richard Dysart in the series “L.A. Law”, later revealing that she considered the cast members as family.
Film Appearances
Diana shared the screen with the late American actor and producer Burt Lancaster, in the 1968 film “The Swimmer”, and she subsequently appeared in the Tom Gries-directed football movie “Number One” in 1969. Her next supporting roles were in “The Lawyer” in 1970, the psychological thriller film “The Other” in 1972, and in the crime drama “McQ,” in which she appeared alongside John Wayne in 1974. She also appeared in the film “Planet Earth”, and starred alongside Kim Richards and John Erickson in the film “Hog Wild!” in the same year, before starring as Katie Keller alongside Patty Duke Astin and Melissa Gilbert in the NBC made-for-television movie version of “The Miracle Worker.”
Diana appeared in several other films, including “Police Story: A Cry for Justice” and Maneaters Are Loose” both in 1978, and “Murder in Three Acts” in 1986. She later portrayed Lauren Jeffreys in the NBC film “Perry Mason and the Case of Fatal Fashion” in 1991, and the same year she appeared alongside Angela Bassett and Jean Smart in “Locked Up: A Mother’s Rage.”
Other Works and Awards
Diana boasts of being the first woman to serve as the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences president, from 1983 to 1985. She also served as a board member of the now-defunct labor union, Screen Actors Guild (SAG). Moreover, she was featured in a commercial for the British animated TV film “Muzzy in Gondoland” in 1986, which was created by BBC to teach English as a second language.
Between 1992 and 1994, Muldaur voiced Dr. Leslie Thompkins in “Batman: The Animated Series.”
Diana is a two-time nominee for the Primetime Emmy Awards in the category of Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her works in “L.A. Law” in 1990 and 1991, and in the same years, won two Viewers for Quality TV Awards for Best Supporting Actress in a Quality Drama Series for her works in the same series.
Personal Life
Diana was previously married to the late American actor James Vickery. The duo had met on the set of the soap opera “The Secret Storm”, and began dating shortly afterwards. They relocated to California in 1968 and walked the aisle on 26 July 1969. James was born in West Hoboken, New Jersey, on 7 October 1918, and is famous for his roles in “Studio One” in 1948, and “Judd for the Defense” in 1967. Their relationship lasted for 10 years until James succumbed to cancer complications at the age of 61 on 19 October 1979, in Los Angeles, California.
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Muldaur walked the aisle again with the writer, producer, and son of the producer William Dozier, Robert Dozier, on 11 October 1981. Dozier was the writer of the films “The Young Stranger” (1957), The Cardinal” (1963), and “The Big Bounce” (1969). Sadly, Robert died of prostate cancer at the age of 81 on 6 January 2012, ending their 31 years of togetherness. Diana is currently single, and hasn’t welcomed any children. She’s the aunt of the singer and songwriters Claire Muldaur-Manchon and Jenni Muldaur.
Physical Appearance
Muldaur is of Caucasian roots and has a pair of hazel eyes and brown hair. She is slimly built, weighs approximately 130lbs (59kgs), is 5ft 5ins (1.65m) tall with vital statistics of 34-25-35, and wears shoe and dress sizes 7(US) and 4(US) respectively. At one point, Diana contemplated a rhytidectomy (facelift) when she was 61years-old, but she ultimately decided against it saying that somebody had to look the right age.
Net Worth
Diana began acting in the early ‘60s and has appeared in many hit projects which have seen her becoming quite famous and wealthy. She’s reportedly worth around $3 million as of 2022.
