Trivia

After divorcing Bill Bixby, she reunited with former girlfriend Tammy Bruce, conservative pundit and openly gay radio talk show host. Benet had been distraught over the death of her and Bixby's six-year-old son Christopher, who had recently died from a sudden throat infection. On April 7, 1982, two weeks after Bruce and Benet again parted ways, Bruce showed up for a planned lunch with Benet at the home they previously shared in Mandeville Canyon in west Los Angeles. She found the bathroom door locked. Police came and broke down the door to find Benet dead from a self-inflicted .38-cal. gunshot wound to the head.

She had one child with then-husband Bill Bixby, Christopher, born in 1974. In 1981, shortly after her breakup with Bixby, she and Don Edmonds took Christopher on a winter vacation to Mammoth Lakes, CA. Christopher developed a sudden, severe illness. The child was rushed to the hospital, where personnel attempted to treat him. When doctors tried to insert a breathing tube down his throat, he suddenly went into cardiac arrest and died a short time later.

She played bouffant-brunette beauties for most of her "nice girl" career, but is best known for her portrayal of villainess Lee Dumonde on the daytime soap Days of Our Lives (1965). She was on the show for three years until her suicide.

Spoke French, Italian and Greek.

Had always wanted to be a performer and took dance lessons at an early age. Her mother paid for these lessons by taking jobs cleaning and sewing.

Ex-sister-in-law of Patty Petersen.

In her book The Death of Right and Wrong, talk radio host Tammy Bruce writes of her personal involvement with Bill Bixby and Benet. On the day of Benet's suicide, Bruce thought that she would be meeting her for lunch. According to Bruce, Benet was locked inside the bathroom of her home when she arrived. Bruce sensed something was wrong and went to get help. After Bruce stepped outside, Benet shot herself.

Although many of the characters she portrayed seemed to be either sweet or seductive, she became perhaps best known for her role as scheming villainess Lee Dumonde on the daytime serial Days of Our Lives, a role she played from 1979 until her death in 1982.

Body cremated.

She is best known for her roles on the soap operas The Young Marrieds (1965-1965) and Days of Our Lives (1979-1982).