Maren Jensen

Model-turned-actress Maren Jensen's brief career, which was highlighted by the role of Athena on the original "Battlestar Galactica," was sadly cut short when she was diagnosed with Epstein-Barr syndrome. She studied acting at UCLA and appeared in several of the school's productions, but her screen career took off after she was introduced to talent agent Barbara Gale. A beautiful brunette, Jensen was quickly cast in a small role on "The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries" TV series. She was then given the meaty role of Athena on the short-lived-albeit-beloved 1978 sci-fi drama series "Battlestar Galactica." Soon she met singer Don Henley of the Eagles, and the two were romantically involved until 1986. After "Battlestar Galactica," Jensen made appearances on the hit comedies "The Love Boat" and "Fantasy Island," and worked alongside Sharon Stone in Wes Craven's 1981 Amish country horror thriller, "Deadly Blessing." Eventually, her struggles with chronic fatigue caused her to leave acting behind; she did eventually conquer her illness in the mid-1980s, though she never returned to the screen.