Who Is Shera Danese? The Inspiring Journey of Peter Falk’s Widow and Her Life in the Spotlight

Shera Danese is an American actress best known as the wife, and later the widow, of Peter Falk, the star of Columbo. Born Sherry Lynn Kaminski in Hartsdale, New York, she won a state beauty title in 1970, moved into television in the mid 1970s and played six roles in the Columbo series. She also appeared in Risky Business and John Q, and she stayed married to Falk for more than 33 years. This guide covers her early life, screen career, marriage, the court case over Falk’s care and the law that followed, so you can find verified facts in one place.

Shera Danese Bio and Quick Facts

Shera Danese is an American actress born on October 9, 1949, in Hartsdale, New York. The table below gathers the key details from Wikipedia, MeTV, TMDB and other published sources.

Detail	Information
Birth name	Sherry Lynn Kaminski (some sources print Shera Lynn)
Known as	Shera Danese, Shera Danese Falk
Date of birth	October 9, 1949
Age	77 (as of November 2026)
Birthplace	Hartsdale, New York, United States
Nationality	American
Occupation	Actress
Height	5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Pageant title	Miss Pennsylvania World 1970
Years active	1975 to 2010
Spouse	Peter Falk (married December 7, 1977; he died June 23, 2011)
Stepdaughters	Catherine Falk and Jackie Falk
Children together	None reported
Best known for	Columbo, Risky Business, John Q, Alpha Dog
Most visible TV role	Six appearances in Columbo (1976 to 1997)

Danese built a steady career in television and a handful of film roles. Most readers know her through her link to Columbo, which ran in two eras on American television.

She has always kept her private life quiet. That is why many online profiles contain errors, and this article sticks to details that reliable references confirm.

Early Life and Name Change

Shera Danese was born Sherry Lynn Kaminski on October 9, 1949, in Hartsdale, a community in Westchester County, New York. One database lists Philadelphia as her birthplace, but Wikipedia, TMDB and most other references give Hartsdale.

In 1974, she legally changed her name to Sherry Lynn Danese. She later adopted Shera as her first name. The change came just before her first screen credit, which suggests she chose it with an acting career in mind.

Reliable sources say little about her parents or schooling. Several low-quality websites invent school names and awards for her. This article leaves those claims out because no trustworthy source supports them.

From Miss Pennsylvania World to Television

Shera Danese won the Miss Pennsylvania World title in 1970. The pageant brought her public attention and gave her a first step toward a career in front of the camera.

Pageant winners often moved into modeling and acting in that era, and Danese followed a similar path. By the mid 1970s she was working in Los Angeles television.

Her first credited role came in 1975. She played Kitty in the Medical Story episode “An Air Full of Death” and appeared under the name Sherry Danese. Some databases date her debut to 1976 and a guest part in One Day at a Time, so early credits vary slightly by source.

Early Television Credits in the 1970s and 1980s

Danese worked in guest roles across the big network series of the period. Her listed credits include Serpico, Baretta, Three’s Company, Kojak, Family, Hart to Hart, Starsky and Hutch and Charlie’s Angels.

These parts gave her regular work during a busy decade for American crime and drama television. They also placed her on sets where she met some of the industry’s best-known performers.

Guest work of this kind rarely brings fame, yet it builds a résumé. For Danese, that résumé later led to her most recognizable screen association.

Shera Danese on Columbo

Shera Danese appeared in six episodes of Columbo, and she played a major supporting role in each. Her episodes were “Fade in to Murder” (1976), “Murder Under Glass” (1978), “Murder, a Self Portrait” (1989), “Columbo and the Murder of a Rock Star” (1991), “Undercover” (1994) and “A Trace of Murder” (1997).

She was not yet married to Peter Falk when she filmed her first episode in 1976. Wikipedia notes that she played the killer only once across those six appearances.

MeTV and Wikipedia both state that she appeared in more Columbo episodes than any other actress. A fan blog disputes that claim, so treat the record as widely reported rather than settled. MeTV also recorded that Falk once told an awards audience, “I’m crazy about my wife.”

In a 1991 interview with the Los Angeles Times, Danese said she wanted people to see her as more than Falk’s wife. That comment shows she wanted her own acting identity, even on a show led by her husband.

Film Roles and Later Screen Work

Danese’s best-known film role came in Risky Business (1983). She played Vicki, a character in the comedy that starred Tom Cruise and Rebecca De Mornay.

Her later credits include Enemies of Laughter (2000), where she played Helen. In 2002 she appeared in John Q as the wife of a heart transplant patient and in Who’s Your Daddy? as Honey Mack.

She played Lana Parker in an episode of Cold Case in 2003. In 2005 she played Rhonda Apple in Checking Out, a film in which she acted opposite Falk.

In 2006 she played Abby in Alpha Dog. Wikipedia lists her years active as 1975 to 2010, so her final credits came around 2010.

Marriage to Peter Falk

Shera Danese met Peter Falk on the set of the film Mikey and Nicky. She became his second wife on December 7, 1977, a year after his divorce from Alyce Mayo.

The marriage made Danese stepmother to Falk’s two adopted daughters, Catherine and Jackie. Public biographies list no children from the marriage itself.

The couple stayed together for more than 33 years. Falk died on June 23, 2011, at age 83, from complications of Alzheimer’s disease and pneumonia.

His headstone carries a line that mentions her: “I’m not here. I’m home with Shera.” The inscription remains the clearest public sign of how Falk viewed the marriage.

The Conservatorship Dispute and Peter Falk’s Law

Doctors diagnosed Peter Falk with dementia in 2008, and his health decline led to a public court fight. His daughter Catherine filed for conservatorship in December 2008, saying she wanted information about his condition and the right to visit him.

Danese opposed the petition. Court papers reported at the time said Falk had entrusted her with his care and affairs, and Fox News reported that he named her his caregiver and estate manager in 2005. Her attorney also said that he believed money motivated the petition, a charge Catherine denied when she withdrew her request to control his finances.

The court placed Falk under conservatorship and appointed Danese as conservator. It also ordered her to allow Catherine to visit, and those visits took place at a friend’s home down the street from the couple. Catherine later said she learned of her father’s death through the media.

Catherine then campaigned for what became known as Peter Falk’s Law. The measure requires conservators to give close family members reasonable notice of a conservatee’s condition and death. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the law in 2016, and more than ten states have passed similar rules.

Both sides of this dispute appear in court filings and press reports. Danese has made few public statements about it, so the full family account remains disputed.

Estate, Life After Falk and Legacy

Falk left most of his estate to Danese. Reports from 2011 value it at about $5 million, and he also left money to Catherine and Jackie.

Danese has kept a low profile since his death. No reliable source reports a remarriage, and no verified acting work follows her 2010 credits.

Her legacy rests on two things. Columbo fans know her as the real-life Mrs. Columbo, and legal advocates know her name through the law that grew from the Falk family dispute.

Conclusion

Shera Danese built a television and film career that spanned about 35 years, from her first credit in 1975 to her last around 2010. Her six Columbo roles, her part in Risky Business and her long marriage to Peter Falk define her public record. Her name also stays tied to the debate that produced Peter Falk’s Law. Readers who want more detail can start with the sources listed below.

Frequently Asked Questions About Shera Danese

Who is Shera Danese?

Shera Danese is an American actress born on October 9, 1949, in Hartsdale, New York. She is best known for her six Columbo appearances, her role in Risky Business and her marriage to actor Peter Falk. She was married to Falk from 1977 until his death in 2011.

How old is Shera Danese?

Shera Danese is 77 years old as of November 2026. She was born on October 9, 1949, so she turned 77 last month, in October 2026. Her birthplace is Hartsdale, New York, according to Wikipedia and TMDB, and she holds American nationality by birth.

Was Shera Danese married to Peter Falk?

Yes. Shera Danese married Peter Falk on December 7, 1977, and became his second wife. They met on the set of Mikey and Nicky. The marriage lasted more than 33 years and ended when Falk died on June 23, 2011, at age 83.

Which Columbo episodes did Shera Danese appear in?

She appeared in six episodes: “Fade in to Murder” (1976), “Murder Under Glass” (1978), “Murder, a Self Portrait” (1989), “Columbo and the Murder of a Rock Star” (1991), “Undercover” (1994) and “A Trace of Murder” (1997). Wikipedia says she played the killer only once.

What movies and shows has Shera Danese appeared in?

Her film credits include Risky Business (1983), John Q (2002), Checking Out (2005) and Alpha Dog (2006). On television she guest starred in Serpico, Baretta, Kojak, Three’s Company, Hart to Hart, Charlie’s Angels and Cold Case, along with her Columbo roles.

Did Shera Danese win a beauty pageant?

Yes. Shera Danese won the Miss Pennsylvania World title in 1970. The win came before her television debut in 1975. Reliable biographies cite this title as her main pageant achievement, and it marks the start of her public career before she moved into acting.

Did Shera Danese and Peter Falk have children?

Public biographies list no children from their marriage. Falk had two adopted daughters, Catherine and Jackie, from his first marriage to Alyce Mayo. Danese became their stepmother in 1977. Catherine Falk later became a public campaigner for Peter Falk’s Law.

What is Peter Falk’s Law?

Peter Falk’s Law requires conservators and guardians to notify an incapacitated person’s close relatives about serious changes in the person’s condition and about death arrangements. Catherine Falk pushed for it after her father’s illness. New York signed it in 2016, and more than ten states have passed similar laws.

What did Shera Danese inherit from Peter Falk?

Peter Falk left most of his estate, including his art collection, to Shera Danese. Media reports in 2011 valued the estate at about $5 million. He also left money to his daughters Catherine and Jackie, according to the Daily Mail report cited by Wikipedia.

Is Shera Danese still acting?

No verified acting credits appear after 2010, and Wikipedia lists her years active as 1975 to 2010. She has kept a private life since Peter Falk’s death in 2011. Readers should treat unsourced claims about her recent projects with caution.