Abby Dalton Wiki – Biography
Abby Dalton was an American actress, has died. She known for her television roles on the sitcoms Hennesey (1959–1962) and The Joey Bishop Show (1962–1965), and the primetime soap opera Falcon Crest (1981–1986).
Her work in “Hennesey” as Navy nurse Lt. Martha Hale earned her an Emmy nomination. She starred alongside Oscar nominee Jackie Cooper, who passed in 2011.
In “Falcon Crest,” which is about a family behind a successful vineyard, Dalton portrayed the oldest daughter, Julia Cumson.
“The Joey Bishop Show” was among her other notable credits, on which, she played Ellie Barnes alongside the titular actor.
Abby Dalton Age
Abby Dalton has died at the age of 88-years-old.
Husband & Children
Dalton was born Gladys Marlene Wasden on August 15, 1932 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Dalton has three children by her marriage to Jack Smith, including Kathleen Kinmont, an actress who closely resembles her mother. Kinmont was married to Lorenzo Lamas, Dalton’s onscreen son in Falcon Crest.
Dalton is survived by her husband Jack D. Smith and her children Matthew, Kathleen and John, as well as her grandchildren and great grandson.
Career
The Emmy-nominated star got her start acting in “Rock All Night,” a 1957 film about a group of hostages taken captive by two criminals at a club. She starred as Julie, a singer trapped at the club who was one of the main characters.
Dalton went on to work with Roger Corman, who directed and produced “Rock All Night,” on a handful of other projects including “Teenage Doll” and “Stakeout on Dope Street.” Her launch into the public eye came about quickly, and by 1959 she was cast in Jackie Cooper’s “Hennesey” television series. The role earned her an Emmy nomination by 1961 for outstanding performance in a supporting role by an actor or actress in a series.
In 1957, Dalton played roles in the Roger Corman films Teenage Doll, Carnival Rock, and The Saga of the Viking Women and Their Voyage to the Waters of the Great Sea Serpent. Her first leading role was in the 1957 film Rock All Night produced by American International Pictures. The following year, she starred in Stakeout on Dope Street, Girls on the Loose, The High Cost of Loving and Cole Younger, Gunfighter. In 1966, Dalton played Calamity Jane in The Plainsman with Don Murray, and appeared in the rarely-seen film A Whale of a Tale (1976), with William Shatner and Marty Allen. Her later films included the Don “The Dragon” Wilson movie CyberTracker (1994), Buck and the Magic Bracelet (1999), and the horror film Prank (2008).
She also held starring roles in “The Joey Bishop Show” and “The Jonathan Winters Show,” both of which saw Dalton taking on the persona of the titular actors’ wife.
Throughout the 1970s and 80s, the actor graced both television and film screens. She played Anne Fields in 1976’s “A Whale of a Tale” and held a role in the 1989 film “Roller Blade Warriors: Taken by Force.”
But the majority of her work was dedicated to TV. She took on smaller parts in a host of series, but also played recurring roles on “Adams of Eagle Lake” and “Hotel.”
In 1981, Dalton found her best-known role through “Falcon Crest,” a drama about the family politics behind a successful vineyard. She stayed with the series until 1986. The show saw high ratings throughout this time, often attracting celebrity guest stars.
Her most recent project came not in film or TV, but as a voice in the upcoming book “Deconstructing the Rat Pack: Joey, The Mob and the Summit” by Richard Lertzman.
Cause of Death
Abby Dalton, an actress known for her roles in the sitcom “Hennesey” and the drama “Falcon Crest,” has died. She was 88.
The news was confirmed to Fox News by the late star’s agent on Monday.
According to her agent, Dalton died on Nov. 23 in Los Angeles after a long battle with an undisclosed illness.
