Diane Markoff

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Diane Markoff


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Diane Markoff is an American actress and stage/location services professional, best known to television audiences for her recurring role as a waitress in Quincy, M.E. during the late 1970s and early 1980s. She later transitions into photography and stage/location management, working extensively as head of DC Stages in Los Angeles until its closure and demolition in the early 2020s. She remains equally remembered for her generosity in supporting police training teams, her devotion to wildlife, and her creative eye with a Nikon camera.

Early life and family

File:Capistrano.jpg
Markoff (center) in a 1960 family photo at Mission San Juan Capistrano, which she later describes in her writing.

Markoff grew up in Southern California, where her parents play a defining role in her outlook. She recalls how her father, who passed away young from heart complications, encouraged creativity and family togetherness. A family photo taken in 1960 at Mission San Juan Capistrano remains one of her most cherished memories and symbolizes the endurance of family bonds.[1]

Her mother’s resilience leaves an equally strong impression. After undergoing major surgery, her mother draws strength from the daily ritual of “finding a reason to put her feet on the floor.” Markoff often recalls this advice, passed along by her friend Jack Klugman, as a guiding phrase that continues to carry meaning.

Modeling career

By the early 1970s, Markoff also began entering local beauty contests and pageants, with newspapers in Long Beach noting her appearances.[2] she has also worked on add campaigns for swimwear, Bugle Boy, and more.

Acting career

Markoff entered television at the height of late-1970s genre programming. She appeared on The Incredible Hulk (1978), The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries (1978), and Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979). She takes on the role of Princess Tara in the serial Cliffhangers: The Secret Empire (1979), a performance noted in contemporary previews.[3]

Her most enduring role comes with Quincy, M.E.. From 1979 through 1983, she portrays Diane, the waitress who greets Jack Klugman’s Quincy and his colleagues. She becomes part of the show’s rhythm, adding everyday realism to the diner and hospital settings. Fans recall her as a steady, familiar presence across multiple seasons.[4]

Her film credits include the ensemble comedy Young Doctors in Love (1982), directed by Garry Marshall. Markoff fondly remembers working with Marshall, whose directing credits also include Happy Days and whose earlier collaborations with Jack Klugman on The Odd Couple created a unique sense of continuity for her career.

She later appears in Death Wish II (1982), in which the American Film Institute catalogs her among the credited cast,[5] followed by roles in Alien Nation: Dark Horizon (1994) and The Final Wish (2018).

Publicity still from Quincy, M.E.; Markoff appears as the recurring waitress Diane.
Poster image for Cliffhangers: The Secret Empire (1979).
Poster for Young Doctors in Love (1982), directed by Garry Marshall.

Photography and behind-the-camera work

By the mid-1980s, Markoff transitions behind the camera. She embraces photography, developing a particular love for her Nikon camera. She often believes that she was good at using her Nikon to “see details others overlook” — capturing small, human moments on sets, nearby outdoors, or the quiet beauty of empty stages.

Her photographs are not just professional records but also great expressions of her internal respect for detail. They document the changing Los Angeles film landscape, from the polished sets of Quincy to the raw industrial spaces that later became DC Stages - her decisions and place behind the filming showcase a modern female trendsetter ahead of her time - both indepant and sensible in approach.

A Los Angeles Times article in 1989 profiles her as one of the busiest warehouse-location agents in the city.[6]

Markoff using her Nikon at DC Stages, Los Angeles (1980s).

DC Stages, community work, and legacy

Markoff continues at DC Stages into the 2000s and 2010s, guiding productions through themed set rentals. Beyond commercial projects, she regularly donates studio space to local police departments for K-9 training. Police dogs and their handlers have made use of her sets for search-and-rescue drills, narcotics simulations, and tactical exercises.

She is known for her generosity in supporting law enforcement, volunteering her space for the benefit of officers and animals alike. Markoff also finds personal joy in feeding and caring for local wildlife around home and while at the DC Stages facilities with her dog, buddy, noting that these animals bring life and continuity to otherwise industrial settings.

In a public drone tour video of DC Stages released in 2020, she appears at the outset as the camera sweeps through the facility.[7] By 2021, the site is demolished, marking the end of an era in Los Angeles warehouse-studio filming.

For Markoff, the demolition represents both closure and renewal. She frames it as an end of an era and a sad testment to the lack of vision that she remembers and espired to support in a pre-pandemic Los Angeles film history — studios rise, serve their time, and pass on, leaving behind the creativity they nurtured.

Still from the DC Stages drone tour video (2020), featuring Diane Markoff.
Police K-9 team training at DC Stages, with support from Markoff (circa 2000s).

Legacy

Markoff remains remembered by fans of Quincy, M.E. as “the waitress Diane,” the Incredible Hulk as two charactes and a sci-fi Glen Lawson role in ever familiar Buck Rogers, a steady and comforting presence. Her later contributions in production, photography, and community service expand her legacy beyond screen roles.

She emphasizes creativity, gratitude, and perseverance, often circling back to Jack Klugman’s encouragement to “find a reason to put your feet on the floor.” Her life and career — on camera, behind the lens, and in service to others — reflect this philosophy on a daily basis.

File:Mission San Juan Markoff.jpg
Mission San Juan Capistrano, highlighted in Markoff’s 2013 essay and family history.

Selected filmography

  • The Incredible Hulk (1978) – The Girl / Janet
  • The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries (1978) – Guest role
  • Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979) – Female Pilot
  • Cliffhangers: The Secret Empire (1979) – Princess Tara
  • Quincy, M.E. (1979–1983) – Diane (recurring waitress)
  • Young Doctors in Love (1982) – Emilia
  • Death Wish II (1982) – Supporting role
  • Harper Valley PTA (1982) – Pookey
  • Alien Nation: Dark Horizon (1994) – Communications Officer
  • The Final Wish (2018) – Librarian

External links

Gallery


index.php?title=Category:American television actresses index.php?title=Category:American film actresses index.php?title=Category:20th-century American actresses index.php?title=Category:21st-century American actresses index.php?title=Category:Stage managers index.php?title=Category:Women photographers

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