Diane Delano, ‘Northern Exposure’ Actress, Dies at 67

Martin Holmes December 17, 2024, 7:31 am

Actress Diane Delano, who played Sergeant Barbara Semanski on the CBS television series Northern Exposure, has died. She was 67.

Her passing was confirmed by her agent, Dennis Sevier, who told People that Delano died at her home in Los Angeles, California, on Friday, December 13, following a brief illness. An official cause of death has yet to be disclosed.

“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.

Born on January 29, 1957, in Los Angeles, Delano graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts (AMDA) in 1980 and began her on-screen acting career in the 1983 biographical sports film Heart Like a Wheel. That same year, she also made her television debut in the medical drama series St. Elsewhere.

She continued to appear in classic TV series throughout the 1980s, including L.A. Law, Perfect Strangers, Falcon Crest, Matlock, thirtysomething, and Doogie Howser, M.D.

Her most notable role came in 1991 when she joined the second season of Northern Exposure as Sergeant Barbara Semanski. She appeared in 12 episodes, featuring in every season after her Season 2 debut.

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Delano continued acting up to 2024, with credits in Married… with Children, Coach, Misery Loves Company, ER, The New Addams Family, 3rd Rock from the Sun, The Ellen Show, Monk, Desperate Housewives, and many more. She also had parts as a voice-over actress on several animated shows, including Rugrats, Teen Titans, American Dad, and Superman.

In more recent years, Delano appeared in episodes of PEN15, Good Girls, General Hospital, AJ and the Queen, and The Upshaws. She also starred in three independent films released in 2024, including Paradise: A Town of Sinners and Saints, which premiered on streaming earlier this month.

Her friend and fellow actress Stefanie Kramer told Deadline, “[Delano] was big and bold and brought her sharp wit and perfect comic timing to every role. Her earthy and raucous presence enabled her to always own the room. She was one of a kind.”