Darlanne Fluegel (November 25, 1953 – December 15, 2017) was an accomplished American actress, fashion model, film producer, and professor. She played the female lead role in a number of films and television shows throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Fluegel began her professional modeling career at the age of 18, after being hired by Eileen Ford. She was represented for 15 years by Ford Models, then by the Zoli Agency in New York. Fluegel transitioned to acting, making her screen debut in the 1978 film Eyes of Laura Mars. Her career in acting saw her featured alongside big names such as Robert De Niro, Kirk Douglas, and Billy Crystal. Besides acting, Fluegel taught acting and drama as a professor at University of Central Florida's School of Film and Digital Media program from 2002 to 2007. In 2010, she turned to film production, co-producing the documentary film The Land of the Rising Fastball. Sadly, Fluegel was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease at age 56 and passed away on December 15, 2017.