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Actress Jennifer Leak, Known For The Young And The Restless, Soap Opera Roles In The Guiding Light, And More, Passes Away At 76
With her passing at 76, Jennifer Leak leaves behind a rich legacy in the entertainment industry. Her talent and dedication were evident in her diverse range of performances on the big and small screens.
The industry has lost one of its shining stars. Former soap actress Jennifer Leak has passed away at 76. Her ex-husband and fellow actor, Tim Matheson, announced via Facebook.
“It is with a heavy heart that I shared the news of Jennifer Leak’s passing,” he wrote on Wednesday, March 27. “She wasn't just my screen sister in Yours, Mine, and Ours, but also my beloved first wife. Jennifer was a remarkable woman, strong, lovely, and incredibly talented. My deepest condolences go out to her husband of 47 years, James D’Auria, and their multitude of friends,” he added.
According to her obituary published in the East Hampton Star, Leak passed away on March 18 at her home in Jupiter, Florida, due to a rare neurological disease.
Take a look at Jennifer Leak’s life and legacy below!
Jennifer Leak — Early Life, Career, and Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, her cause of death
Jennifer Leak was born in Cardiff, Wales, in 1947, and started her acting career with Mike Nicholas directional pilot for Wojeck in the mid-1960s. She was also offered a role in Nicholas’ sophomore feature, The Graduate, but had to drop out of the project due to immigration complications. 
Leak’s film debut came in the 1968 film, Yours, Mine, and Ours, in which she starred as Lucille Ball’s daughter. She showcased her acting prowess on TV as well, snagging roles in television dramas such as Hawaii Five-O, Nero Wolfe, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and more.
She also appeared as Gwen Sherman on The Young and the Restless, as Olive Springer Gordon Randolph on Another World, and as Blanche Bouvier on Guiding Light. Leak’s last on-screen appearance was in Loving, in 1992. The actress spent her later years working as a sales agent for a real estate company.
Leak was married twice in her life. Her first marriage with Tim Matheson (Animal House, The West Wing) was between 1968 to 1971.
Leak wed D’Auria in 1977. Sharing details of his beloved wife’s death due to progressive supranuclear palsy, D’Auria said, “Her courage and bravery tried in vain to fight the disease.” He also informed that Leak donated her brain tissue to the Mayo Clinic to aid in further research of the disease, also known as Steele-Richardson-Olszewski.
The condition, which affects walking, balance, eye movements, and swallowing, per the Mayo Clinic, does not have a cure at the moment. Leak was diagnosed with the illness seven years earlier. She is survived by her husband and her brother Kenneth.
Jennifer Leak’s other notable acting credits
Jennifer Leak has 24 acting credits to her name according to her IMDb profile.
Some of the actress’ notable works include One Life to Live (1 episode), Ryan’s Hope (1 episode), Ironside (1 episode), A Time for Love, Lost Flight, Bright Promise, Eye of the Cat, and A Flame in the Wind.
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