Our community mourns the passing of an icon. Diana Basehart, longtime animal activist, actress, sculptor, and mother, passed away April 12 at Cottage Hospital, surrounded by family and friends.
Diana’s career as an actress took her from England to New York, and to Los Angeles, where she became a sculptor and an advocate for animal protections, a heartfelt dedication she continued through the Diana Basehart Foundation when life brought her to Montecito.
“Too many times, an elderly person has no choice but to give up their pet — sometimes their only friend — just because of financial strain,” Basehart said. “That is heartbreaking and unacceptable to me. We can provide a lifeline for people and their pets.”
Diana was born May 29, 1934, in London, England, the daughter of Edward and Gwenyth Lotery. In 1939, the family fled to New York to escape WWII. After the war, Diana traveled back to England and realized her dream of becoming an actress. At age 16, she moved to New York City to study under the renowned Sanford Meisner at The Actors Studio. She performed in numerous theatrical productions and believed her career was about to take off. It was then that she decided to try her luck in television and film, and she moved across the country to Los Angeles.
In 1958, in a chance meeting at the Beverly Wilshire hotel, Diana met her future husband, actor Richard Basehart. After a whirlwind romance, they married in 1962. Once Richard came into her life, Diana’s focus shifted to sculpting, and acting took a back seat. She dedicated the next 30 years to her magnificent artwork. Her masterful stone sculptures created by hand have found homes with celebrities ranging from Jacques Cousteau to Angie Dickinson.
Having a successful career in the art world simply did not fulfill her heart’s passion for animals. In 1971, Diana and Richard founded “Actors and Others for Animals” with the objective to provide proper care for and prevent the inhumane treatment and destruction of animals.
Diana’s passion and exuberance for the cause attracted many of her celebrity friends, including Betty White, Doris Day, Lucie Arnaz, Earl Holliman, Lily Tomlin, Loretta Swit, Jo Anne Worley, and others. With Diana’s never-ending love and dedication to the cause, the group saw its many years of hard work pay off when the California Legislature outlawed the use of decompression chambers.
In 1990, Diana was instrumental in orchestrating “The March for Animals,” in which tens of thousands of protesters descended on Washington, D.C. It was the first global event that brought together people from every state, and thousands of representatives from other countries, together for the animals.
After Richard’s death in 1984, Diana began working with Last Chance for Animals, working tirelessly with the group until she moved to Montecito in 1990. There, she began drawing beautiful botanical works of art, continuing her magnificent creative journey.
It was about this time that Diana began volunteering at the county animal shelter. There, seeing the need to help people keep their animals, she started her next nonprofit, the Diana Basehart Foundation, along with her close friend Lynne Shaw.
The foundation provided financial help for essential and critical veterinary care to people on low, fixed incomes, including seniors, people with disabilities, and veterans with service animals. The foundation enabled people and their beloved pets to stay together, while also minimizing the number of animals being turned over to shelters due to financial struggles. After four successful years and more than 2,000 animals benefiting from the program, the Basehart team decided to join forces with the CARE4Paws family, and they became the Basehart Lifeline Fund.
With her constant eyes on the welfare of animals, Diana heard the story of a 5-month-old puppy named Davey, who was abused and tortured by his owner and later died. After receiving the devastating news, she knew she had to bring more awareness of animal abuse happening in our own backyard.
“This is not the finish; it’s the beginning,” Diana vowed. “We will continue marching and protesting and will not stop until the laws are changed.”
The March on State Street attracted more than a thousand people and brought awareness to abused and neglected animals here in Santa Barbara County. When a little dog named Floyd was also killed by his owner, again Diana was on the front lines. Along with other animal advocates, Diana showed up to every court hearing. In Floyd’s honor, she partnered with Bud Bottoms and Michele Morrow to erect a statue of Floyd, which now sits in a garden at Elings Park.
Up until the time of her passing, Diana was discussing with friends her next move. Her endless energy, love, and dedication will be greatly missed by all of us. She was one of a kind and a force for positive change in the world. Diana is survived by her two daughters, Gayla and Jenna Basehart. To make a donation in Diana Basehart’s memory, please consider CARE4Paws (care4paws.org) and Actors and Others for Animals (actorsandothers.com).
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