Biography
Who is Dana Delany?
Early life and education
Dana Delany was born in New York City, United States, on March 13, 1956. Her mother, Mary Burnett Welles, worked as an interior designer, while her father, John Joseph Delany, served as the chief executive officer of a plumbing manufacturing firm called Coyne and Delany Company. She grew up alongside her sister Corey and her brother Sean. Raised in the Roman Catholic faith, Dana developed a strong interest in acting from a very young age, often attending Broadway shows with her relatives during her childhood.
After spending her formative years in Stamford, Connecticut, Dana attended Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, for her senior year. She participated in the school's inaugural co-educational class and performed as Nellie Forbush in a musical production of South Pacific. Following her graduation in 1974, she enrolled at Wesleyan University. She majored in theater, appeared in early performances of feminist plays, and gained summer stock experience before graduating in 1978.
Television and film career
After finishing her education, Dana found acting work in New York City by appearing in daytime soap operas such as Love of Life and As the World Turns. She also performed in theatrical productions, including an off-road production of Blood Moon, which earned critical praise from The New York Times. After relocating to Hollywood, she made guest appearances in various television programs before securing her breakthrough television role as nurse Colleen McMurphy on the ABC drama series China Beach.
Her work on China Beach ran from 1988 to 1991 and earned her two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. Following the conclusion of that series, Dana maintained a steady career across film and television. She appeared in feature films such as Light Sleeper, Tombstone, and Fly Away Home. In addition to live-action performances, she established herself as a well-known voice actor, most prominently voicing the character Lois Lane across multiple animated series within the DC Universe.
Later acting roles
During the 2000s, Dana took on main roles in several short-lived television projects, including Pasadena, Presidio Med, and Kidnapped. She later joined the cast of the ABC comedy-drama Desperate Housewives, starring as Katherine Mayfair from 2007 to 2010. Her performance on the program earned her a Prism Award in 2009. Following her time on Desperate Housewives, she transitioned to starring as Megan Hunt on the medical drama Body of Proof from 2011 to 2013.
Continuing her television work into the mid-2010s, Dana portrayed Crystal Harris on the Amazon Prime Video drama series Hand of God between 2014 and 2017. Throughout her decades-long career, she has accumulated numerous credits across stage, television, and film, establishing a diverse portfolio as a dramatic and voice performer.
Birthday and age
Dana Delany was born on March 13, 1956, which makes Dana 70 years old today. That birthday falls under the Pisces sign. Dana shares the date with 60 other famous people.
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