Leora Dana (April 1, 1923 – December 13, 1983) was an American film, stage and television actress from New York City. Dana appeared in numerous productions across film television and theatre including The Madwoman of Chaillot, Williamsburg: The Story of a Patriot, and The Asphalt Jungle. She won several awards across her career, including the Clarence Derwent Award for Most Promising female. Dana died in 1983.

Early life Dana was born on April 1, 1923, in New York City; her elder sister was Doris Dana. When Dana was 5 years old, her father abandoned the family. Her mother, who was a nurse, discouraged her plans to be an actress. Dana graduated from Barnard College and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. In the summer of 1945, while she was a student at Barnard, she was a theatrical apprentice at the Ogunquit Playhouse in Maine. She was the female lead in the playhouse's production of Dear Brutus.

Career Stage In 1947, Dana made her stage debut in London. In 1948, she debuted on Broadway in The Madwoman of Chaillot. Her other Broadway credits included The Happy Time (1950), Point of No Return (1951), Sabrina Fair (1953), The Best Man (1960), Beekman Place (1964), The Last of Mrs. Lincoln (1972), The Women (1973), and Mourning Pictures (1974).

Film After appearing in the 1957 western 3:10 to Yuma, Dana had supporting roles in two 1958 Frank Sinatra films: Kings Go Forth and Some Came Running. Her other film credits included Pollyanna (1960), A Gathering of Eagles (1963), The Group (1966), The Boston Strangler (1968), Change of Habit (1969), Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970), Wild Rovers (1971), Shoot the Moon (1982), Baby It's You (1983), and Amityville 3-D (1983). Dana also played Anne Fry, the wife of the patriot John Fry, played by Jack Lord in the 1957 orientation film Williamsburg: The Story of a Patriot. The film has the distinction of being the longest-running motion picture in history, having been shown continually in the Colonial Williamsburg Visitor Center for over five decades.

Television Dana guest-starred in three episodes of the television series Alfred Hitchcock Presents. In 1960, she appeared in episode "Incident at a Corner," which was directed by Alfred Hitchcock. In 1961, Dana appeared in an episode ("The Scott Machine") of the television series The Asphalt Jungle, and later appeared in the 1977 miniseries Seventh Avenue. In 1978–1979, Dana played the role of alcoholic clothing designer Sylvie Kosloff, the biological mother of villainess Iris Cory (Beverlee McKinsey) on Another World. On March 11, 1954, she starred in "Dark Victory" on Kraft Television Theatre.

Awards In 1949, Dana won the Clarence Derwent Award for Most Promising Female for The Madwoman of Chaillot on Broadway. She won the 1973 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play for The Last of Mrs. Lincoln.

Personal life and death Dana was married to actor Kurt Kasznar. They were divorced in 1958. She died of cancer, aged 60, December 13, 1983 in New York City.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes1954Valley of the KingsLovely Girluncredited19573:10 to YumaAlice Evans1957Williamsburg: The Story of a PatriotAnne Fry1958Kings Go ForthMrs. Blair1958Some Came RunningAgnes Hirsh1960PollyannaMrs. Paul Ford1963Evelyn Fowler1966Mrs. Renfrew1968Mary Bottomly1969Change of HabitMother Joseph1970Tora! Tora! Tora!Mrs. Kramer1971Wild RoversNell Buckman1982Shoot the MoonCharlotte DeVoe1983Baby It's YouMiss Vernon1983Amityville 3-DEmma Caswell1984Nothing Lasts ForeverJoycereleased posthumously

Television Year Title Role Notes1950Emmy BlanchardEpisode: "Nocturne"1951ClariceEpisode: "Mr. Arcularis"1954TheaEpisode: "Black Chiffon"1955Studio OneLaura FordEpisode: "The Incredible World of Horace Ford"1956Armstrong Circle TheatreRuthEpisode: "Man in Shadow"1956Studio OneMargaret NortonEpisode: "The Arena"1956Star TonightMrs. TeelingEpisode: "The Chevigny Man"1956Telephone TimeElizabeth Barrett BrowningEpisode: "Mr. and Mrs. Browning"1956Alfred Hitchcock PresentsIrene Cole Season 1 Episode 35: "The Legacy"1956Alfred Hitchcock PresentsVera Brown Season 2 Episode 14: "John Brown's Body"1956Kraft Television TheatreLouiseEpisode: "The Sears Girl"1957Kraft Television TheatreMarion HunterEpisode: "The Medallion"1957Climax!Rose SkinnerEpisode: "Tunnel of Fear"1957Schlitz Playhouse of StarsMrs. DitwiterEpisode: "The Traveling Corpse"1958SuspicionSue CareyEpisode: "The Eye of Truth"1958Shirley Temple's StorybookDame Van WinkleEpisode: "Rip Van Winkle"1958Abby HillEpisode: "The Bromley Touch"1959Alcoa TheatreJanet KennedyEpisode: "High Class Type of Mongrel"1959Gwen EasterdayEpisode: "Death of an Overlord"1959Alfred Hitchcock PresentsNaomi ShawnSeason 4 Episode 31: "Your Witness"1959Dick Powell's Zane Grey TheatreAnne ColemanEpisode: "King of the Valley"1960Playhouse 90Eleanor LambertEpisode: "A Dream of Treason"1960StartimeMrs. TawleyEpisode: "Incident at a Corner"1961ViviamEpisode: "The Margot Adventure"1961Doris ScottEpisode: "The Scott Machine"1961Laura TylerTV movie1961Carol ClarkEpisode: "The Treadmill"1962Bus StopKatherine BensonEpisode: "The Opposite Virtues"1962Ben CaseyMrs. DuncanEpisode: "And Even Death Shall Die"1963Stoney BurkeEllen MundorfEpisode: "The King of the Hill"1964ChanningFranEpisode: "A Claim to Immortality"1964Edith KaineEpisode: "Operation – Actress"1964Slattery's PeopleMary SanbornEpisode: "Question: What Is Truth?"1965Betty BauerEpisodes: "Act of Violence" (parts 1 & 2)1967Judd, for the DefenseElizabeth RossiterEpisode: "Conspiracy"1969N.Y.P.D.Frieda ElliotEpisode: "Everybody Loved Him"1974Susan B. AnthonyEpisode: "We the Women" 1974 The Dain Curse Mrs. HuntoonMiniseries1976Abigail Smith Adams (age 44–74)Miniseries1977Seventh AvenueMrs. Gold Miniseries1979–80Another WorldSylvie KosloffRecurring role1980NurseCelia O'BrienTV movie

Radio appearances Year Program Episode/source 1952 Grand Central Station Seed of Doubt

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