Jill Jacobson, the actress known for appearances in shows like Star Trek: The Next Generation and Who’s the Boss? has died. She was 70.
According to friend and publicist Dan Harary, Jacobson died “after a long illness” on Sunday, Dec. 8 at Culver West Health Center in Culver City, California.
“Beautiful, energetic, and positive to the end, she will be deeply missed by numerous relatives, friends, and her beloved dogs Benny and Kowalski,” reads a statement from her family.
The actress, who received awards for her work as a spokesperson for the American Cancer Society, revealed earlier this year that she overcame a two-and-a-half-year struggle with esophageal cancer that “kind of took me out of the game for a while.”
She explained to Jim Masters, “What I went through was pretty intense. You can’t function, you just can’t function. And now I’m so grateful, I just want to keep going, I want to help people. It makes you want to help people.”
Jill Jacobson and Scott Bakula in the Feb. 2, 1974 Quantum Leap episode ‘Thou Shalt Not…’ (Fred Sabine/NBC/Courtesy Everett Collection)
Jacobson’s The New Gidget co-star and close lifelong friend Caryn Richman also remembered Jacobson in a statement. “Jill’s comic timing was brilliant. And her enthusiasm and love of life made our time together on set joyful,” said Richman.
Jacobson appeared in such TV shows as Days of Our Lives, Falcon Crest, Quantum Leap, Murphy Brown and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Arli$$, Party Down, Hung and Castle, as well as multiple indie films since the ’70s.
After graduating from University of Texas in Austin with a BS in Radio-TV-Film/Performance, the Texas native made her onscreen debut in the title role of director Al Adamson’s 1977 cult horror film Nurse Sherri. She went on to appear in such movies as Bad Georgia Road (1977), Forbidden Love (1982), Baby Sister (1983) and Splash (1984).
In addition to multiple stage appearances, Jacobson also performed stand-up comedy at The Improv and The Comedy Store in Los Angeles.
