Earlier this week came news that actress Denise Dowse, best known for appearing on Beverly Hills, 90210 for many seasons, had fallen into a coma; it’s now been confirmed that Dowse has passed away. News of her declining health first came form her sister, who has confirmed her passing on Instagram. “It is with a very heavy heart that I inform everyone that my sister, Denise Dowse has gone forward to meet our family in eternal life,” she wrote online. “Denise Yvonne Dowse was the most amazing sister, a consummate, illustrious actress, mentor and director. She was my very best friend and final family member.”
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The post continues, “Denise loved all of you. I know that she is watching over us with all the love she has. I ask for privacy and your continued prayers. I will provide, at a later time, her Celebration of Life information. I will update you here. Again I am so grateful for all the calls, text messages, direct messages, and silent prayers for my sister. We could not have made it so gracefully and painlessly without all of the prayer warriors around the world. Thank you for giving so selflessly.”
Ian Ziering, one of the leads on Beverly Hills, 90210, paid tribute to Dowse in a comment, writing: “This is insanely heartbreaking. Throughout all my years working on Beverly Hills 90210, my scenes with Denise will always be remembered with the utmost in respect for her talent, and fondness for the loving soul she was. Some of my heartiest off camera laughs were between she and I hammering out the the discipline her Mrs. Teasley would dish out to my Steve Sanders. My sincere condolences to her family, and all others who she was dear to. God bless you Denise.”
Dowse appeared across ten seasons of Beverly Hills, 90210, appearing in 23 episodes as Vice-Principal Yvonne Teasley. Coincidentally Dowse first appeared on the show in a single episode, playing Professor Harriet Strathmore a year before she began to appear as Ms. Teasley. Overall her career began as a guest star on multiple TV shows and in feature films, making appearances on Full House, Murphy Brown, Seinfeld, Touched by an Angel, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Chicago Hope, NewsRadio, ER, The West Wing, The Drew Carey Show, Gilmore Girls, Law & Order, and Without A Trace.
In recent years Dowse appeared as Mrs. Mosley on the hit FX series Snowfall, plus as Dr. Rhonda Pine on Issa Rae’s Insecure, and as Auntie Colleen / Agent Cook on Bravo’s Imposters. TV watchers of a certain generation may also recall her voice from the animated Nickelodeon TV series Rocket Power, voicing Officer Shirley on the hit NickToon.
Dowse’s career wasn’t limited to television though with multiple appearances on the big screen happening as well. One of her first film roles was in Phil Alden Robinson’s Sneakers, also appearing in Starship Troopers, Pleasantville, Requiem for a Dream, Ray, Coach Carter, and more.
(Cover photo by Greg Doherty/Getty Images)
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