Diane Shalet (February 23, 1935 - February 23, 2006 Palm Springs, California) was an American Broadway and television character actress. She was perhaps best known for her recurring role as Ms. Hawkins in the drama Matlock. Also, she made a guest appearance on The Monkees in the season two episode, "The Fairy Tale," as The Fairy of The Locket (January 8, 1968). Ms. Shalet made over 200 guest appeaqrances on episodic television shows.They include Bonanza, Born Free (TV series), and Cagney & Lacey.A life member of The Actors Studio, She was the founder of Manhattan's Actors and Writers Lab.She was the author of the 1994 fiction novel Grief in a Sunny Climate (ISBN 0-312-11054-5).Shalet was married to fellow actor Michael Strong, with whom she appeared in an episode of the television detective series Harry O.Shalet died on February 23, 2006 — her 71st birthday.
Member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Actors Branch).
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Made her Broadway debut at the Lincoln Center Repertory Theatre's production of "After the Fall" in 1964.
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She taught acting at UCLA with Robert Lewis for 14 years.
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She was the founder of the Actors and Writers Lab in Manhattan, New York.
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Also an accomplished writer, Ms. Shalet has been published in short story anthologies. Her latest book, Grief In a Sunny Climate, has been well received by reviewers and is currently available in bookstores. In addition to her dual acting and writing career, Ms. Shalet was a highly regarded acting teacher.