0 ) ▁was ▁an ▁American ▁actress ▁and ▁director ▁of ▁film ▁and ▁the ater . ▁Richard ▁Bro dy ▁of ▁The ▁New ▁York er ▁described ▁L oden ▁as ▁the ▁" f em ale ▁counter part ▁to ▁John ▁Cass av etes ". ▁ ▁Born ▁and ▁raised ▁in ▁North ▁Carolina , ▁L oden ▁began ▁her ▁career ▁at ▁an ▁early ▁age ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁as ▁a ▁commercial ▁model ▁and ▁ch orus - line ▁dan cer . ▁L oden ▁became ▁a ▁regular ▁side k ick ▁on ▁the ▁irre ver ent ▁Er nie ▁K ov acs ▁Television ▁Show ▁in ▁the ▁mid - 1 9 5 0 s ▁and ▁was ▁a ▁lifetime ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁f amed ▁Act ors ▁Studio . ▁She ▁appeared ▁in ▁several ▁projects ▁directed ▁by ▁her ▁second ▁husband , ▁El ia ▁Kaz an , ▁including ▁S pl endor ▁in ▁the ▁Gr ass ▁( 1 9 6 1 ). ▁Her ▁subsequent ▁performance ▁in ▁a ▁ 1 9 6 4 ▁Broadway ▁production ▁of ▁After ▁the ▁Fall ▁earned ▁her ▁a ▁Tony ▁Award ▁for ▁Best ▁Fe ature d ▁Act ress . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 0 , ▁L oden ▁wrote , ▁directed , ▁and ▁star red ▁in ▁W anda , ▁a ▁ground bre aking ▁independent ▁film ▁that ▁won ▁the ▁International ▁Crit ics ▁Award ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 ▁Ven ice ▁Film ▁Festival . ▁Through out ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s , ▁she ▁continued ▁to ▁work ▁direct ing ▁Off - B road way ▁and ▁regional ▁the ater ▁produ ctions , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁direct ▁two ▁short