Actress Joan Hotchkis has died at the age of 95.
The veteran actress, writer, screenwriter and playwright died of congestive heart failure, her daughter confirmed.
The star, who was best known for her roles in The Odd Couple and Legacy, died in Los Angeles on September 27.
Her acting career was ignited when she landed the leading role of Lizzie in The Rainmaker at Hollywood's Players Ring theatre.
Shortly after, she became a member of The Actors Studio when she returned to New York. There, she landed a number of TV commercials and guest spots and met director Bob Foster. The pair married in 1958 and had daughter Paula.
Before making her Broadway debut in 1960, Joan starred on soap opera The Secret Storm. By the late '60s, she had featured on hit shows such as Bewitched, General Hospital and My World. She also played the on-off girlfriend of Jack Klugman's Oscar Madison on The Odd Couples.
She continued to take on guest appearances in the '70s, starring on shows such as Lou Grant, Charlie's Angels, The New Dick Van Dyke Show and Barnaby Jones.
On the big screen, Joan played roles on hits such as The Late Liz and Old Boyfriends before she starred alongside William Holden in Clint Eastwood's Breezy. She also featured on Ode to Billie Joe in 1976, in which she co-starred with Robby Benson and Glynnis O'Connor as Anna Hartley.
Away from the camera, Joan wrote acting handbook Not Acting Please before becoming a playwright in 1974. She created Legacy, which later was adapted into a film.
She gave up TV and film after a successful surgery to remove a non-cancerous brain tumour. Instead, she returned to the stage.
Throughout her career, she paid a keen interest in social justice and supported a number of progressive nonprofits. She took time to mentor young women from underprivileged backgrounds and proved to be a huge support to several activists.
She is survived by her daughter, Paula.
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