Jennifer Leak, a remarkable woman who had a long and successful career in Hollywood, passed away at the age of 76 on March 18 at her home in Jupiter, Florida. Leak was known for her incredible talent and strength, as well as her courage in battling progressive supranuclear palsy, a rare neurological disease, in her final years.
Jennifer Leak met Tim Matheson while playing step-siblings in the 1968 film Yours, Mine and Ours. In the movie, Matheson portrayed Mike, the son of Henry Fonda’s character, while Leak played Colleen, the daughter of Lucille Ball’s character. The film revolved around a blended family of 18 children.
Leak began her screen career in the mid-1960s with the Mike Nichols-directed pilot for Wojeck. She later appeared in soap operas such as The Young and the Restless, Another World, and Guiding Light. She transitioned to a career in real estate sales in the mid-1980s after largely retiring from acting.
Leak is survived by her husband James D’Auria and her brother. Her former husband Tim Matheson paid tribute to Leak on Facebook, remembering her as an incredible woman who was strong, lovely and incredibly talented. He expressed his deepest condolences to D’Auria and their many friends.