Diane Sommerfield

Diane Sommerfield (born Diane Yvonne Young; October 24, 1949 – March 9, 2001) was an American actress known for her appearances in theater, film, and television from the early 1970s until the mid-1980s. She gained recognition for her role as Valerie Grant on NBC's soap opera Days of Our Lives (1981–82). Born in Washington, D.C., Sommerfield began acting as a child and performed in local plays. She attended Calvin Coolidge High School and later Howard University, where she appeared in the lead role of 'Satyricon' at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival. Sommerfield moved to Los Angeles during her junior year of college and graduated with a B.A. in Theater from California State University, Los Angeles in 1971. Throughout her career, she appeared in various films and TV shows.