• According to news reports, veteran actor-writer Joan Hotchkis, who was best known for her work on “The Odd Couple” and “Legacy,” passed suddenly on September 27 in Los Angeles at the age of 95.
• Congestive heart failure was reportedly the cause of Hotchkis’ death, according to her daughter Paula Chambers.
• Hotchkis would go on to star in the drama Streetcar Named Desire and the soap opera The Secret Storm before making her Broadway debut in 1960 with Advise and Consent.

According to news reports, veteran actor-writer Joan Hotchkis, who was best known for her work on “The Odd Couple” and “Legacy,” passed suddenly on September 27 in Los Angeles at the age of 95.

Congestive heart failure was reportedly the cause of Hotchkis’ death, according to her daughter Paula Chambers. Hotchkis was the last surviving child of Preston Hotchkis and Katharine Bixby, prominent Los Angeles citizens who controlled organizations like the California Historical Society and the Metropolitan Water District for much of the previous century.

After earning a B.A. in Psychology from Smith College and an M.A. in Early Childhood Education from Bank Street Teacher’s College, Hotchkis originally worked as a nursery school teacher in New York before beginning his career as an actor at the age of 27 in 1954.

She was chosen to play Lizzie, the main character in The Rainmaker, at the Players Ring Theatre in Hollywood. She attended The Actors Studio after returning to New York and soon after received offers for TV commercials and guest appearances. At this time, she began dating filmmaker Bob Foster; the two ultimately wed and had a daughter named Paula.

Hotchkis would go on to star in the drama Streetcar Named Desire and the soap opera The Secret Storm before making her Broadway debut in 1960 with Advise and Consent.

She returned to Los Angeles after her divorce in 1967 and guest starred on several television shows, including General Hospital and Bewitched.

After Legacy was over, Hotchkis was found to have a benign brain tumor called a meningioma, which was successfully removed through surgery. She was able to write for many more years as a result.

Hotchkis’ aspirations reportedly changed after she underwent brain surgery; she stopped starring in TV and movies and returned to stage performances.

With a significant focus on social justice, Hotchkis backed progressive organizations as well as mentees from underprivileged backgrounds. She provided important support to activists like Bogaletch “Boge” Gebre, who fought for the rights of Ethiopian women, and Torie Osborne, who would later chair the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force.

With her enthusiasm, boldness, generosity, and exquisite fusion of elegance and playfulness, Joan Hotchkis influenced numerous people as an actor, writers, producers, performance artists, philanthropists, mentors, and friends. In addition to her daughter Paula, she is survived by a large number of people who will miss her dearly.

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