Made her acting debut off Broadway in the original production of Godspell in the early 1970s; also appeared on Broadway in Grease before moving to Los Angeles in 1978
Played one of TV's first openly gay women on the ABC soap-opera parody Soap in 1979
Made her film debut in the 1979 comedy Fast Break, but her best-known movie role is Lucille LaRusso (the mother of Ralph Macchio's character) in The Karate Kid (1984) and The Karate Kid Part III (1989)
Has had guest roles on more than 50 TV series
Longtime companion Bob Griffard is a TV veteran whose behind-the-camera credits include the ABC sitcoms Two of a Kind, Going Places, Step by Step and Perfect Strangers
Awards
2011Emmy-Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series:nominated