Northern Exposure actress Diane Delano dies aged 67
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Northern Exposure star Diana Delano has died aged 67. The American actress was best known for playing Sergeant Barbara Semanski in the comedy-drama series set in Alaska that ran for six seasons between 1990 and 1995. Throughout its run the series, which followed a New York physician obligated to work in Alaska to repay the state for covering his medical degree, was nominated for 57 awards.
Other notable roles for the actress were in Days of Our Lives, Popular and PEN15. Her death was confirmed by her representative Denny Sevier, who said Delano died at her home in Los Angeles on December 13 following a brief illness. Her official cause of death is yet to be released.
‘When Diane entered any room, you knew she was there! She was full of life and loved being an actor. She will be missed,’ Sevier said in a statement to People. Born in LA, Delano’s first screen credit was in a 1983 episode of St. Elsewhere, before going on to play Rhonda Vasek on L.A. Law in 1987.
Then, four years later, she joined the cast of Northern Exposure. Her next major role was in Ryan Murphy’s cult series Popular from 1999 until 2001, in which she played the character Nurse Glass as well as several members of the Glass family. In 2001 she also had a recurring role as Bunny Hopstetter on The Ellen Show and in 2006 played Sister Beech in the remake of The Wicker Man.
In 2008 and 2009 she also played Hilda, an FBI agent hired to protect Sami Brady, on Days of Our Lives. Throughout her career, Delano also appeared in Growing Pains, Matlock, Married…with Children, ER, Six Feet Under, Desperate Housewives, NCIS, Wizards of Waverly Place, 2 Broke Girls, General Hospital and The Upshaws.
