# Dana Wheeler-Nicholson
**Dana Wheeler-Nicholson** (born 1960 in New York City) is an American actress whose screen work spans film and television from 1984 onward. She is known for playing Gail Stanwyk in *Fletch* (1985), Mattie Blaylock Earp in *Tombstone* (1993), and Inga in *The Night We Never Met* (1993).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0923984/) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0923984/bio/) She has lived and worked largely from [Austin, Texas](https://www.edgepedia.org/austin-texas) since 2005, with later credits including *[Friday Night Lights](https://www.edgepedia.org/friday-night-lights-tv-series)* and *Nashville*.[3](https://champselyseesfilmfestival.com/wp-content/uploads/downloads/FilmPacks/LMUS/6Years-PressNotes-EN.pdf)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1960, New York City, New York, USA[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0923984/bio/) |
| Signature film roles | Gail Stanwyk in *Fletch* (1985); Mattie Blaylock Earp in *Tombstone* (1993); Inga in *The Night We Never Met* (1993)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0923984/) |
| First film roles | Katrin in *The Little Drummer Girl* and Jessie Bodyne in *Mrs. Soffel*, both 1984 films starring Diane Keaton[4](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/dana-wheeler-nicholson/) |
| Television roles | Angela Collette on *Friday Night Lights*; Beverly O'Connor on *Nashville* (12 episodes, 2014–2015); series regular Rebecca Giswold on *Beverly Hills Buntz* (1987–88)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0923984/) • [5](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/wheeler-nicholson-dana) |
| Family | Married filmmaker Alex Smith since March 22, 2011; granddaughter of Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson, founder of the comic-book company that became DC Comics[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0923984/bio/) |
| Base | Moved to Austin, Texas in 2005 after 25 years between New York and Los Angeles[3](https://champselyseesfilmfestival.com/wp-content/uploads/downloads/FilmPacks/LMUS/6Years-PressNotes-EN.pdf) |
## Early life and family
Wheeler-Nicholson was born in New York City in 1960, to Douglas Wheeler-Nicholson and Joan Weitemeyer, and graduated from Friends Seminary High School in Manhattan in 1978.[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0923984/bio/) Her grandfather, Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson, had been an officer in the U.S. Cavalry before starting the comic-book firm that later became [DC Comics](https://www.edgepedia.org/dc-comics), the publisher of Superman, Batman, and [Wonder Woman](https://www.edgepedia.org/wonder-woman); because money pressures forced the Major out of that business, his family now holds no financial stake in DC Comics.[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0923984/bio/) Her grandmother was his Swedish-born wife, Elsa Sachsenhausen Björkbom.[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0923984/bio/) The Major's publishing venture, launched with *New Fun* in early 1935, was later treated as foundational to the [American comic book](https://www.edgepedia.org/american-comic-book) as a venue for original characters, and Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, who saw those first comic books, sent him script ideas including a drawing of a super hero on butcher paper.[6](https://majormalcolmwheelernicholson.com/about-the-major/)
## Film career
Her first two movie roles came in 1984 films starring [Diane Keaton](https://www.edgepedia.org/diane-keaton): the political spy thriller *The Little Drummer Girl*, in which she played Katrin, and *Mrs. Soffel*, in which she played Jessie Bodyne.[4](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/dana-wheeler-nicholson/) • [5](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/wheeler-nicholson-dana) Her third film made her the love interest: in *Fletch* (1985), adapted from Gregory Mcdonald's novel, [Chevy Chase](https://www.edgepedia.org/chevy-chase) played the journalist hero, while her character Gail Stanwyk was the wife of a wealthy man ([Tim Matheson](https://www.edgepedia.org/tim-matheson)) who claims to be terminally ill and wants to ensure she receives a hefty insurance payout.[4](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/dana-wheeler-nicholson/) • [7](https://eta.creativecirclecdn.com/sumter/files/20240412-152008-0413Binder1.pdf) The character married the scheme, not the hero, and Wheeler-Nicholson later described the part as "a real shadow part of myself," saying that like Gail she tended to isolate herself.[4](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/dana-wheeler-nicholson/) • [8](https://www.sonyclassics.com/denise/crew/wheeler-nicholson.html)
In the Western *Tombstone* (1993) she played Mattie Blaylock Earp, also known in the credits as Celia Maddon, the spouse of the lawman [Wyatt Earp](https://www.edgepedia.org/wyatt-earp) ([Kurt Russell](https://www.edgepedia.org/kurt-russell)).[5](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/wheeler-nicholson-dana) • [4](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/dana-wheeler-nicholson/) The same year she appeared in *The Night We Never Met* as Inga, a Norwegian tourist, and in *My Life's in Turnaround* as Rachel.[5](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/wheeler-nicholson-dana) Later 1990s credits included *Denise Calls Up* (1996), in which she played Gail Donelly, a role she discussed in a production interview about people who conduct relationships by telephone; *The Pompatus of Love* (1996); and the title role of Jane in the independent film *Nick and Jane* (1997).[5](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/wheeler-nicholson-dana) • [8](https://www.sonyclassics.com/denise/crew/wheeler-nicholson.html) • [9](https://dailybruin.com/1997/11/16/actress-explores-the-unexpecte)
In a 1997 interview around *Nick and Jane*, Wheeler-Nicholson described her career as deliberately non-mainstream: acting in film, television, and theater for over ten years, with good years followed by stretches where she supplemented her income with other work.[9](https://dailybruin.com/1997/11/16/actress-explores-the-unexpecte)
## Television career
Television gave her steady work from the mid-1980s. Credited at the time as Dana Nicholson, she played Marilyn Stewart in several episodes of [Michael Mann](https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-mann)'s NBC series *Crime Story* in 1986 and 1987.[5](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/wheeler-nicholson-dana) She was a series regular as Rebecca Giswold on *Beverly Hills Buntz* (NBC, 1987–88), the short-lived *Hill Street Blues* spinoff starring [Dennis Franz](https://www.edgepedia.org/dennis-franz), and later appeared with him again in an episode of *NYPD Blue*.[5](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/wheeler-nicholson-dana) • [4](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/dana-wheeler-nicholson/) Guest roles followed on widely seen series: Shelly in the *Seinfeld* episode "The Doodle" (1995), Detective White in *The X-Files* (1996), Erika in *The Single Guy*, Laney Berlin in *Sex and the City* (1998), Jenny Peters in *NYPD Blue* (2000), Maggie Callister in *Law & Order* (2000), and FBI agent Monica Price in *Boston Public* (2003).[5](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/wheeler-nicholson-dana) She played Ilene Pringle on the soap *All My Children* in 2001.[4](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/dana-wheeler-nicholson/)
After moving to Austin in 2005, her television work shifted toward Texas-based and recurring roles. She played Angela Collette, the mother of a cheerleader, on NBC's *Friday Night Lights*.[4](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/dana-wheeler-nicholson/) On ABC's country-music drama *[Nashville](https://www.edgepedia.org/nashville-2012-tv-series)* she played Beverly O'Connor in 12 episodes between 2014 and 2015, and she also sang on the series, performing "Friend of Mine" and, uncredited, "Your Good Girl's Gonna Go Bad."[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0923984/) • [4](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/dana-wheeler-nicholson/) Later single-episode appearances included *Grey's Anatomy* (2020), *Bull* (2020), *Chicago Med* (2019), *Emergence* (2019), and *Walker* (2021).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0923984/)
## Austin years and recent work
In 2005, after 25 years spent between New York and Los Angeles, Wheeler-Nicholson moved to Austin, Texas.[3](https://champselyseesfilmfestival.com/wp-content/uploads/downloads/FilmPacks/LMUS/6Years-PressNotes-EN.pdf) Her later films include Alex and Andrew Smith's award-winning *Winter in the Blood* (2013), in which she appeared alongside [David Morse](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-morse) as Malvina, and the Austin-made *Angels Sing* (2013); she was Lillian Zapruder in *Parkland* (2013) and Joanne in *6 Years* (2015).[3](https://champselyseesfilmfestival.com/wp-content/uploads/downloads/FilmPacks/LMUS/6Years-PressNotes-EN.pdf) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0923984/) She played Tricia Bisbee in *Blue Miracle* (2021) and Maybelle in *Miss Arizona* (2018).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0923984/) • [4](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/dana-wheeler-nicholson/)
She has been married to [Alex Smith](https://www.edgepedia.org/alex-smith) since March 22, 2011; her brother-in-law is Andrew J. Smith and her daughter-in-law by marriage is filmmaker Annick Smith, with whom the Smith brothers' Austin work connects her Texas career.[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0923984/bio/) In July 2026 she spoke publicly about what has kept *Friday Night Lights* alive with audiences, saying people can relate to its small-town values.[10](https://www.yahoo.com/news/videos/dana-wheeler-nicholson-keeps-friday-203647609.html)
## References
1. [Dana Wheeler-Nicholson, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0923984/)
2. [Dana Wheeler-Nicholson – Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0923984/bio/)
3. [*6 Years* press notes, Champs-Élysées Film Festival](https://champselyseesfilmfestival.com/wp-content/uploads/downloads/FilmPacks/LMUS/6Years-PressNotes-EN.pdf)
4. [Dana Wheeler-Nicholson – Actress, Singer, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/dana-wheeler-nicholson/)
5. [Wheeler–Nicholson, Dana, *Contemporary Theatre, Film and Television* via Encyclopedia.com](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/wheeler-nicholson-dana)
6. [About the Major – The Secret Origin of DC Comics](https://majormalcolmwheelernicholson.com/about-the-major/)
7. [The Sumter Item – Sumter Scene, April 13–19, 2024](https://eta.creativecirclecdn.com/sumter/files/20240412-152008-0413Binder1.pdf)
8. [Dana Wheeler-Nicholson – *Denise Calls Up* crew page, Sony Pictures Classics](https://www.sonyclassics.com/denise/crew/wheeler-nicholson.html)
9. ["Actress explores the unexpected," Daily Bruin, November 16, 1997](https://dailybruin.com/1997/11/16/actress-explores-the-unexpecte)
10. [Dana Wheeler-Nicholson on what keeps 'Friday Night Lights' alive, FOX News Videos via Yahoo](https://www.yahoo.com/news/videos/dana-wheeler-nicholson-keeps-friday-203647609.html)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 1970s to 1990s › Surnames Wh to W*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 20, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 20, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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