Of Greek descent, she was born in Lorain, Ohio, on October 23, 1932. Her acting career began at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago. She first gained attention after appearing in Arthur L. Kopit's Broadway play Indians in the 1960s in which she played a Native American character who spoke with an Italian accent. She went on to appear in multiple stage, television and film productions, including the 1973 classic The Sting.