Actress Pat Colbert, perhaps best known for her roles in Dallas and Leonard Part 6, has passed away at the age of 77.
The actress’s sister, Tami Colbert, revealed to The Hollywood Reporter that she died on June 23 at her home in Compton, California. According to the outlet, the news follows her having suffered three strokes over the past decade.
Sandra Patricia Colbert was born on January 16, 1947, in Los Angeles. Her father, LeRoy, worked in construction and built the family home, while her mother, Eula, balanced homemaking with a career in foster care.
She attended Centennial High School in Compton, followed by junior college. Before becoming an actress, she worked as a model for department store print campaigns and served as a fashion consultant.
Colbert made her television debut in 1979’s Eischied as a model before co-starring in Flamingo Road, which aired from 1980 to 1981. Colbert appeared in the pilot and had a recurring role throughout the first season.
From there, she secured roles in several television shows, including Capitol, Benson, The Fall Guy, Knots Landing, A Death in California, Sisters, and True Colors.
Pat Colbert’s ‘Dallas’ Role is Praised by Modern Culture Critics
However, Dallas became one of her most acclaimed projects. She appeared in 67 episodes of the popular prime-time soap opera, which aired from 1983 to 1991.
Colbert joined the cast of Dallas in its sixth season, portraying Dora Mae, the host of the Oil Baron’s Club. This exclusive venue frequently appeared in the series as a setting for the Ewing family and their associates to host events and conduct business.
Colbert had a strictly supporting role in the series. Still, Hill Place blogger Shaun Chang for her elegance and intelligence in the role.
“The leading characters, and the show itself, treated her with respect and without any sense of condescension,” Chang told THR. “Dallas had many recurring supporting characters who helped create a sense of community for a show set in a major city, and Dora Mae was part of the fabric of the series.”
According to her IMDb page, she starred in several films, notably portraying a nurse in S.O.B. and Hysterical. Additionally, Colbert played Bill Cosby’s character’s wife in the 1987 spy send-up, Leonard Part 6.
Meanwhile, Colbert seemingly took a hiatus from acting in the late ’90s and 2000s. She reemerged in 2014 with Thom and Dusty Go to Mexico and in 2015 with If Not For His Grace, marking her last onscreen appearances.
Colbert is survived by her son, Michael, and her siblings, Tami, Aaron, and Johnetta.