American actress, born in Los Angeles, on June 24, 1942. She came from a Jewish family, the daughter of makeup artist Jack Dusky. She graduated from Alexander Hamilton School in Los Angeles in 1960, where she practiced acting in the school theater and learned to dance and sing. She got married to James Farentino (1983-66), with whom she had a son, actor David Farentino. She got married to writer and producer Fred Rappoport in 1987. She worked in the Broadway theater as a singer and dancer before turning to acting. She made her debut in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (1967). She won several awards for her role in the TV series Knots Landing (1993-79). In the 1990s, she formed a private production company and developed all her TV films, as well as directing. She has participated in civil human rights associations, associations to combat AIDS and combat alcohol abuse among young people.