Dana Delany
An actress of sharp intelligence and subtle strength who moved seamlessly from Emmy-winning war drama to cult TV and sharp character roles.
Born 1956 (age 70)·American actress·Birthday: March 13·Baby Boomers
Biography
Dana Delany built a career on precision and presence, avoiding easy typecasting for a path of thoughtful selection. Her breakthrough as nurse Colleen McMurphy on 'China Beach' was no accident; she brought a grounded, weary humanity to a Vietnam War drama, winning two Emmys for a performance that refused glamour. This established a pattern: Delany would never be just a starlet. She voiced Lois Lane with verve in the acclaimed 'Superman: The Animated Series,' embodied a complex frontier woman in 'True Women,' and later, on 'Desperate Housewives,' delivered a masterclass in controlled suburban menace as Katherine Mayfair. Her choices in film, from 'Tombstone' to 'Light Sleeper,' consistently showcased her ability to hold the screen with quiet authority, making her one of television's most reliably compelling and adaptable actors.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Dana was born in 1956, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Dana Was Born
The biggest hits of 1956
#1 Movie
The Ten Commandments
Best Picture
Around the World in 80 Days
#1 TV Show
I Love Lucy
Dana's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1956Born
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1961Started school
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1969Became a teenager
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1972Could drive
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1974Could vote
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1977Turned 21
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1986Turned 30
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 40
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 50
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 60
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 70
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress for her role on 'China Beach.'
- Provided the voice of Lois Lane for 'Superman: The Animated Series' and related DC Animated Universe projects.
- Received a Tony Award nomination for her performance in the 2010 Broadway play 'Time Stands Still.'
Did You Know?
She worked as a waitress at the New York restaurant Serendipity 3 before her acting career took off.
Delany is a licensed pilot.
She turned down the role of Catherine Martell in 'Twin Peaks,' which later went to Piper Laurie.
“I've always been drawn to characters who are survivors, who have a core of strength.”
