Actress Jessica Walter has died peacefully in her sleep at her home in New York City. She was 80 years old. Walter enjoyed a distinguished career that included an Emmy win and three other nominations. She made her big screen debut in "Lilith" in 1964 and two years later joined other female stars-in-making for director Sidney Lumet's "The Group". She went on to appear in "Grand Prix", Lumet's comedy "Bye, Bye Braverman" and opposite Charlton Heston in "Number One". However, her star-making role was as the female lead opposite Clint Eastwood in the 1971 thriller "Play Misty for Me", which marked Eastwood's debut as a director. In the film, Eastwood has what he believes is a one-night stand with Walter, who makes it clear she expects them to be in a traditional, monogamous relationship. When Eastwood spurns her, she unveils psychotic and murderous tendencies. Walter's performance was so powerful, it arguably merited an Oscar nomination.
Walter's big screen career never took off, although she did land a plum role in the hit 1984 comedy "The Flamingo Kid". However, she found great success in live theater and on television. She won an Emmy for the 1970s TV series "Amy Prentiss" and would be nominated three other times. In recent years, she played a key role in the popular sitcom "Arrested Development". She also served as 2nd National Vice President of the Screen Actors Guild and also served on the Board of Directors. Click here for more.