Introduction
Shera Danese (born October 9, 1949) is an American actress and the widow of actor Peter Falk.
Biography
Life and career
Danese was born in Hartsdale, New York. She was the 1970 Miss Pennsylvania World. Her acting career began in 1975 playing the part of Kitty in an episode of the TV series Medical Story (credited as Sherry Danese). She subsequently guest starred in other TV series during the 1970s, with appearances in One Day at a Time, Serpico, Baretta, Three's Company, Kojak, Family, Hart to Hart, Starsky and Hutch and Charlie's Angels.
In one of her few roles on the big screen, Danese starred with Tom Cruise and Rebecca De Mornay in Risky Business (1983), playing a prostitute named Vicki. In 2005, she appeared alongside her husband Peter Falk in the movie Checking Out.
Columbo (1976–1997)
Danese had major supporting roles in six episodes of the TV series Columbo, appearing alongside her husband (who played the detective Columbo) in Fade in to Murder (1976), Murder Under Glass (1978), Murder, a Self Portrait (1989), Columbo and the Murder of a Rock Star (1991), Undercover (1994) and A Trace of Murder (1997). Although she never played the killer, Danese has the distinction of having acted in more episodes of the series than any other female actor.
Personal life
Danese met Peter Falk on the set of the movie Mikey and Nicky and became his second wife on December 7, 1977. They were married for 33 years until Falk's death on June 23, 2011 at age 83 from complications of Alzheimer's disease and pneumonia.
Danese was Falk's conservator, and allegedly, according to his daughter Catherine, stopped some of his family members from visiting him, did not notify them of major changes in his condition, and did not notify them of his death and funeral arrangements. Catherine later encouraged the passage of legislation called Peter Falk's Law, that provides guidelines that guardians and conservators for an incapacitated person must comply with regarding visitation rights and notice of death.As of 2016 over ten states had enacted such laws.