Home > News & Advice > News Obituaries > Jill Jacobson (1954–2024), actress in Falcon Crest, Star Trek
Jill Jacobson (Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images)

Jill Jacobson (1954–2024), actress in Falcon Crest, Star Trek

by Linnea Crowther

Jill Jacobson was an actress known for roles in such TV shows as “Falcon Crest,” “The New Gidget,” and two versions of “Star Trek.” 

Jill Jacobson’s legacy 

Though her onscreen career started in the 1970s, it was in 1985 when Jacobson got her first big leg up. She was cast as private detective Erin Jones in the fifth season of “Falcon Crest,” appearing in 22 episodes through Season Six. While she appeared on “Falcon Crest,” she also had a supporting role on “The New Gidget.” She played Larue Wilson, who ran a travel agency with the grown-up Gidget, revisited from her teen years in the ‘60s. 

“Star Trek” fans recognized Jacobson for her appearances in two classic installments of the sci-fi favorite. First, she played Vanessa, an unconfident casino gambler, on a 1989 episode of “The Next Generation.” Then, in 1996, she was cast in an episode of “Deep Space Nine” as Bajoran restaurant owner Aroya. 

Jacobson’s many other TV appearances included guest roles on such shows as “Harper Valley P.T.A.,” “Quantum Leap,” “Newhart,” “Murphy Brown,” “Days of Our Lives,” and “Castle.” She also appeared in small roles in “Splash” and other movies. 

Tributes to Jill Jacobson 

🤎 RIP – #StarTrek's Jill Jacobson | 1954 – 2024 🖖The actress was known for her appearances in Star Trek: #TheNextGeneration as "Vanessa" in the season 2 episode "The Royale" and as "Chalan Aroya" in DS9: "Broken Link".May She Rest In Peace Via Deadline

Trek Central (@trekcentral.bsky.social) 2024-12-15T22:38:23.589Z

NURSE SHERRI has passed. RIP Jill Jacobson. 🙁

Posted by The Official Fred Olen Ray Page on Monday, December 16, 2024

Remembering Jill Jacobson appearing on 8 episodes of THE NEW GIDGET (1987-1988):https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gu8YJJHPB6M

Posted by Mark's Classic TV Guide on Sunday, December 15, 2024

Full obituary: The Hollywood Reporter 

View More Legacy Videos

More Stories