RIP Joan Hotchkiss

 

Joan Hotchkis dead at 95: The Odd Couple and Ode To Billie Joe actress passes away due to congestive heart failure in LA

    The talented star passed away on September 27 due to congestive heart failure in Los Angeles her daughter Paula Chambers announced

    She had a storied career in addition to the role on the iconic television show as she also starred in feature films including 1973's Breezy and 1976's Ode To Billy Joe

    Hotchkis later became a playwright, screenwriter, and feminist performance artist

    She had a recurring role on the first two seasons of The Odd Couple in 1971 as she portrayed Nancy Cunningham, the classy girlfriend of Jack Klugman's slovenly sports writer character Oscar Madison

 

Daily Mail

By Justin Enriquez

October 4, 2022

Joan Hotchkis - who is best known for playing Oscar Madison's girlfriend on The Odd Couple - has passed away at 95.

The talented star passed away on September 27 due to congestive heart failure in Los Angeles her daughter Paula Chambers announced.

She had a storied career in addition to the role on the iconic television show as she also starred in feature films including 1973's Breezy and 1976's Ode To Billy Joe.

Hotchkis later became a playwright, screenwriter, and feminist performance artist.

She had a recurring role on the first two seasons of The Odd Couple in 1971 as she portrayed Nancy Cunningham, the classy girlfriend of Jack Klugman's slovenly sports writer character Oscar Madison.

 The actress also starred in NBC comedy My World And Welcome To It from 1969 to 1970 in addition to sitcom The Life And Times Of Eddie Roberts in 1980.

Hotchkis went on to star in films including the aforementioned Breezy directed by Clint Eastwood.

She wrote her first play - titled Legacy - in 1974 and later starred in the one-woman drama at Actors Studio West in Los Angeles.

She went on to adapt Legacy for a 1975 film adaptation  as she returned to star as Bissie Hapgood in the feature directed by Karen Arthur.

Along with Method acting teacher Eric Morris, she co-write classic acting handbook No Acting Please which was published in 1977.

 Hotchkis did not have a very active acting career on screen after her 198- sitcom run as she had three guest starring roles on television and a smaller role in 1984 feature The Last Game.

She was born in Los Angeles back in September 1927 and later earned a B.A. in psychology from Smith College before earning a master's in early childhood education from Bank Street College of Education.

However her career patch change as she auditioned for the leading role of Lizzie in The Rainmaker at the Players Ring theater in West Hollywood and got the part in 1954.

Her daughter noted that she was 'always interested in social justice, supporting progressive nonprofits and mentoring bright young women from underprivileged backgrounds' and donations can be made to Highways Performance Space.

HOTCHKISS, Joan

Born: 9/21/1927, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.

Died: 9/27/2022, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.

 

Joan Hotchkiss’ westerns – actress:

Frontier (TV) – 1956 (Ellen Landry)

Iron Horse (TV) – 1967 (Catherine Falconer)

The Outcasts (TV) – 1968 (Melissa Carver)