# Darlanne Fluegel
**Darlanne Fluegel** (1953–2017) was an American actress and model who appeared in films and television through the 1980s and early 1990s, playing Eve in [Sergio Leone](https://www.edgepedia.org/sergio-leone)'s *Once Upon a Time in America* (1984), Ruth Lanier in *To Live and Die in L.A.* (1985), and Julie Torello in the first season of NBC's *Crime Story* (1986). After retiring from acting in the mid-1990s she taught drama and production at the [University of Central Florida](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-central-florida) from 2002 to 2007.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0283311/bio/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born / died | 1953, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania; December 15, 2017, Orlando, Florida, age 64[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0283311/bio/) |
| Modeling career | Signed with the Eileen Ford and Zoli agencies in New York; at one point earning $300 per hour before turning to acting at about age 25[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0283311/bio/) |
| Screen debut | Lulu, a model role, in *Eyes of Laura Mars* (1978)[2](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/250054) |
| Notable films | Nanelia in *Battle Beyond the Stars* (1980); Eve in *Once Upon a Time in America* (1984); Ruth Lanier in *To Live and Die in L.A.* (1985); Anna Costanzo in *Running Scared* (1986)[2](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/250054) |
| Television | Julie Torello on *Crime Story* (1986); Lacey Marseille on *Wiseguy* (1987); Officer Joanne Molenski on the final season of *Hunter* (1990–91)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0283311/bio/) |
| Teaching | Professor of drama and production, University of Central Florida film faculty, 2002–2007[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0283311/bio/) |
| Death | Diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease at age 56; died of the disease on December 15, 2017[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0283311/bio/) |
## Early life and modeling
Fluegel was born in [Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania](https://www.edgepedia.org/wilkes-barre-pennsylvania), and grew up primarily in [Binghamton, New York](https://www.edgepedia.org/binghamton-new-york), one of six children.[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/darlanne-fluegel/) When she was 16, her father, a chiropractor, died suddenly of a brain tumor, and she turned to modeling so as not to be a burden on her mother, who worked for the Department of Social Security.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0283311/bio/) At 18 she moved to New York City and signed with the modeling agent Eileen Ford.[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/darlanne-fluegel/)
She worked as a model with the Eileen Ford and Zoli agencies beginning in 1974 and remained with the Ford Agency until 1981, when she decided to pursue acting full time.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0283311/bio/) • [3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/darlanne-fluegel/) By her own account she was earning $300 per hour and was nonetheless a success in the industry, but at 25 she decided she "was washed up as a model" and committed to an acting career.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0283311/bio/) As part of that pursuit she studied with the acting teacher Stella Adler.[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/darlanne-fluegel/)
## Film career
Her screen debut came in a supporting role as a model, Lulu, in the thriller *Eyes of Laura Mars* (1978), directed by [Irvin Kershner](https://www.edgepedia.org/irvin-kershner) and starring [Faye Dunaway](https://www.edgepedia.org/faye-dunaway) and [Tommy Lee Jones](https://www.edgepedia.org/tommy-lee-jones).[2](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/250054) • [3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/darlanne-fluegel/) She next played the chief love interest, Nanelia, in Roger Corman's science-fiction production *Battle Beyond the Stars* (1980).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0283311/bio/)
**Breakthrough roles.** Her widely noticed part came as Eve, Robert De Niro's girlfriend and the first person murdered, in Sergio Leone's epic *Once Upon a Time in America* (1984).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0283311/bio/) In 1985 she played Ruth Lanier, a junkie and police informant who is the love interest of [William Petersen](https://www.edgepedia.org/william-petersen)'s Secret Service agent Richard Chance, in *To Live and Die in L.A.*[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0283311/bio/) The following year she was [Billy Crystal](https://www.edgepedia.org/billy-crystal)'s ex-wife Anna Costanzo in the buddy-cop comedy *Running Scared* (1986) and [Kirk Douglas](https://www.edgepedia.org/kirk-douglas)'s girlfriend Skye in *Tough Guys* (1986).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0283311/bio/) • [2](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/250054)
Later film work included Captain Devon Shepard in *Bulletproof* (1988), Sarah "Sunny" Harper in *Freeway* (1988), Melissa in *Lock Up* (1989), Renee Hallow in *Pet Sematary II* (1992), and Dr. Bridget Thorne in the direct-to-video *Darkman III: Die Darkman Die* (1996), her final film appearance.[2](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/250054) • [3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/darlanne-fluegel/)
## Television
Between 1986 and 1991, television was her primary source of income.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0283311/bio/) She played Julie Torello, wife of [Dennis Farina](https://www.edgepedia.org/dennis-farina)'s 1960s Chicago police lieutenant, in the first season of [Michael Mann](https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-mann)-produced *Crime Story* (1986); contemporary reviews singled out the tense, eroding marriage between the two characters as among the premiere's strengths.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0283311/bio/) • [4](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-09-18-ca-11223-story.html) She had a recurring role as Lacey Marseille in the third season of *Wiseguy* (1987).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0283311/bio/)
She also guest-starred in the pilot of *MacGyver* (1985) as Barbara Spencer and in a 1986 episode of *The Twilight Zone*.[5](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/88643/darlanne-fluegel) In the final season of the crime drama *[Hunter](https://www.edgepedia.org/hunter-1984-american-tv-series)* she took over the female lead as Officer Joanne Molenski, but citing "creative differences" with co-star [Fred Dryer](https://www.edgepedia.org/fred-dryer) she wanted to leave the show, and her character was killed off after twelve episodes.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0283311/bio/) Her career then lost direction, and she retired from acting in the mid-1990s.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0283311/bio/)
## Teaching and later life
From 2002 to 2007 Fluegel taught drama and production as a professor on the film faculty of the University of Central Florida in Orlando.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0283311/bio/) She was married to Michael J. Moore from 1983 to 1984 per IMDb's family records (listed as 1983–2004, divorced), with two children, a son, Coulter Small, and a daughter, Jenna Carey, an actress.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0283311/bio/)
Diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease at age 56, she died from the disease at her home in Orlando on December 15, 2017, at age 64.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0283311/bio/) • [6](https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/azcentral/name/darlanne-fluegel-obituary?id=60248474)
## Note on birth records
Most film databases, including IMDb, TV Guide, and FilmAffinity, give her birth date as 1953, in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0283311/bio/) • [7](https://www.filmaffinity.com/us/name.php?name-id=582370617) The NNDB biography database instead lists a birth date of 1958, in [Pasadena, California](https://www.edgepedia.org/pasadena-california).[8](https://nndb.com/people/822/000135417/) The 1953 Wilkes-Barre date is the one consistent with her obituary reporting and with her age at death.[6](https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/azcentral/name/darlanne-fluegel-obituary?id=60248474)
## References
1. [Darlanne Fluegel – Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0283311/bio/)
2. [Darlanne Fluegel filmography, AFI Catalog of Feature Films](https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/PersonDetails/250054)
3. [Darlanne Fluegel – Actress, Model, Educator, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/darlanne-fluegel/)
4. [TV Review: Shoot-'Em-Up Bow for 'Crime Story', Los Angeles Times (September 18, 1986)](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-09-18-ca-11223-story.html)
5. [Darlanne Fluegel, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/88643/darlanne-fluegel)
6. [Darlanne Fluegel Obituary (1953–2017), Legacy.com / The Arizona Republic](https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/azcentral/name/darlanne-fluegel-obituary?id=60248474)
7. [Darlanne Fluegel, FilmAffinity](https://www.filmaffinity.com/us/name.php?name-id=582370617)
8. [Darlanne Fluegel, NNDB](https://nndb.com/people/822/000135417/)
---
*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 Ev to F*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license