Kate Jackson is an American actress, producer, and director known for her leading television roles and efforts in health advocacy. After beginning her career as an NBC page and tour guide, Kate Jackson quickly transitioned into television roles, first appearing as the mysterious ghost Daphne Harridge on the daytime soap opera Dark Shadows (19701971). Her early film work included Tracy Collins in the related movie Night of Dark Shadows (1971). Jackson then joined the cast of the popular crime drama The Rookies as Nurse Jill Danko, a role she held from 1972 to 1976.
For her impactful work, she earned the Power of Love Award from the American Heart Association in 2003. In 2008, she guest-judged on the popular reality competition series Shear Genius, further extending her media presence. Her last acting role was as Ambassador Elizabeth Prentiss in an episode of Criminal Minds in 2007.