Full Name Danielle Roter Website dianeroter.com Role TV actress | Years active 1959–Present Name Diane Roter | |
 | ||
Occupation ActressDirectorTeacherJournalist Similar Roberta Shore, Randy Boone, Gary Clarke Nationality American | ||
James Drury & The Virginian Cast (50th Anniversary) ~ Kanab, UT 2012
Diane Roter is an American actress best known for her appearances in the long-running TV western The Virginian in its fourth season, which ran from 1965 to 1966. She then appeared in an episode of Laredo which was a spin-off from The Virginian series in 1966 and later appeared in an episode of the TV show Family Affair in 1969. She is also known as Danielle Roter and made appearances in television and film from 1959 until 1970. She currently is a professional writer, actor, director, critic and arts journalist. She is a certified teaching artist. She has also worked as an editor, computer tutor, algebra teacher, writing and performance coach and a political organizer. She is as also known as Dani Roter.
Contents
The Virginian Cast Then and Now (2023)
Early life
Her native language is Belgian French. Her family immigrated from post war Europe to the United States. She learned English as a child. Her family is closely associated with theater and acting, so they settled in California close to Hollywood. Her family founded the Santa Monica Playhouse in the early 60’s. She sharpened her innate talent in acting with the Stanislavsky's system as a youth. Her first appearance on television was at age 10 on the General Electric Theater in 1959. She appeared with Charles Laughton. She later appeared on the Dick Powell Show in 1962. She appeared on this show with her brother, Robert. Her first stage performance was in Eugene Ionesco’s The Lesson at age fourteen. From the early 60’s until her casting on the Virginian in 1965, she worked tirelessly to improve her acting skills through the theater.
The Virginian Overview
On The Virginian, she played the character of Jennifer Sommers, Judge Henry Garth's (Lee J. Cobb) niece. She joined the show taking the place of Betsy Garth (Roberta Shore) who left the show in the previous season. Her time in the TV series was cut short when Lee J. Cobb left the series before his contract was completed in the middle of the fourth season. Jennifer Sommers' character was independent, confident, sharing and she helped others in her day to day activities. She was left "home alone" many times as Judge Garth made business trips preparing to become the new Wyoming Territory Governor. Other cast members of The Virginian that she appeared with were James Drury, Doug McClure, Clu Gulager and Randy Boone.
The Virginian Guest Stars
She also worked with a diverse line up of guest stars. These included (alphabetically by last name):
The Virginian Directors
She also worked with a diverse line up of directors. These included (alphabetically by last name):
The Virginian Producers
She also worked with a diverse line up of producers. These included (alphabetically by last name):
The Virginian Awards
She won the Bronze Wrangler award from the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in 1966 for her acting in the episode titled "The Horse Fighter" with the following cast and crew:
Randy Boone, Lee J. Cobb, James Drury, Harry Guardino, Clu Gulager and Doug McClure (actors). Norman MacDonnell and James Duff McAdams (producers). Richard Fielder (writer) and Anton Leader (director).
Television Filmography
On The Virginian the following fourth season episodes were the ones that she had a significant role in the show:
Worked With
In her other roles in film and TV, she worked with a diverse line up of actors and actresses. These included (alphabetically by last name):
Post Television
After her appearances in television, she trained with Marcel Marceau in Paris and performed as a mime at the Mark Taper Forum. She has taught mime and movement, as well as acting and writing in private classes and in schools. She taught algebra to adults at Los Angeles Valley College and earned a BA in Bio-Psychology from UCLA and was honored with a research training award. She has been published in journalism and art criticism in the Los Angeles Times, San Jose Mercury News, The Daily News, LA Weekly and The Advocate.
She joined her fellow cast members from The Virginian for their 50th anniversary celebration at the Memphis Film Festival on May 31, 2012. The event was held south of Memphis in Olive Branch, MS. She appeared with James Drury, Gary Clarke, L.Q. Jones, Roberta Shore, Randy Boone, Sara Lane and Don Quine.
She joined her fellow cast members at a second Virginian 50th anniversary celebration in Kanab, UT at the Western Legends Roundup on August 16, 2012. She appeared with James Drury, Gary Clarke, Sara Lane and Don Quine.
She attended a third Virginian 50th anniversary celebration with James Drury, Gary Clarke, L.Q. Jones, Roberta Shore, Randy Boone, Clu Gulager, Sara Lane and Don Quine in Los Angeles, CA at the Autry National Center and Museum on September 22, 2012. On this same date, The Virginian began a three-year agreement to run on the Inspiration Network cable channel.
Cozi TV the NBCUniversal classic television digital specialty network began airing episodes in 2013. MeTV airs episodes in selected viewing areas. She appeared as a guest star at the Roy Rogers Festival in Portsmouth, OH on July 31, 2013 with fellow Virginian cast member Don Quine and actress & singer Lainie Kazan.
She attended as guest star, the Cowboy Up for Vets Horse Show with fellow Virginian cast members Drury, Shore, Clarke, Boone, Gulager, Lane and Quine. The show was held on March 28, 2014 in Swanton, OH. She took part in a special celebration of James Drury's 80th birthday at the show.
She will be attending as guest star, the largest cast reunion of The Virginian ever assembled at the Cowboy Up for Vets Horse Show to be held April 22-24, 2016 in Swanton, OH. Other cast members to attend are James Drury, Roberta Shore, Gary Clarke, L.Q. Jones, Randy Boone, Clu Gulager, Sara Lane and Don Quine.