Theresa Saldana dead: ‘Raging Bull’ actress, advocate for stalker victims was 61

Celebrity deaths in 2016

Actress Theresa Saldana is seen in Los Angeles, July 1992.

(The Associated Press)

“The Commish” star Theresa Saldana is dead, according to multiple reports. She was 61.

A family member told the Los Angeles Times that Saldana dies Monday in L.A. after an undisclosed illness. She had been hospitalized at Cedars-Sinai but no cause of death has been announced.

Saldana may be best remembered for her role as Lenora, the wife of Joe Pesci’s character, Joey LaMotta, in “Raging Bull.” Two years later, she made national headlines when she survived a knifing attack by a stalker in 1982, getting stabbed 10 times.

Variety reports the near-death experience inspired her to become an advocate for victims of stalkers, founding the Victims for Victims organization that fought for anti-stalking laws. She also played herself in the Emmy-nominated 1984 TV movie, “Victims for Victims: The Theresa Saldana Story.”

The actress later went on to be nominated for a Golden Globe award for playing Rachel Scali opposite Michael Chiklis in the ’90s series “The Commish.”

“Painful to hear the news of Theresa’s passing. My family and I extend our love, condolences & support to her family in their time of grieving,” Chiklis wrote on Twitter Tuesday.

Saldana also had roles in Robert Zemeckis’ 1978 Beatles film “I Wanna Hold Your Hand” and appeared on television shows like “The Twilight Zone,” “All My Children,” “Law & Order,” “Matlock,” “T.J. Hooker” and “New Kids on the Block.”

She retired from acting in 2004. She is survived by her husband, Phil Peters, and a daughter.