Nicholas wrote six episodes of the series, beginning her second career as a writer. Following Room 222 (1969–1974), she eventually appeared as Harriet DeLong in the cast of NBC/CBS' In the Heat of the Night (1989–1995). Nicholas began her television acting career in 1968, with an episode of It Takes a Thief. Nicholas received her BA in Drama from the University of Southern California, after living in Southern California for a number of years. Mark's Playhouse in New York, Nicholas was cast as Liz McIntyre, the Guidance Counselor on ABC series Room 222.

After spending two years touring the deep South with the FST, Nicholas went to New York and joined the Negro Ensemble Company and working in all productions during the first season of that theater ensemble. She left college early to join the Free Southern Theater, during the Civil Rights Movement. Her acting debut was in an all-Spanish play presented by her language class. She subsequently transferred to Tulane University, where she majored in fine arts. While at Michigan she switched her major to Latin-American politics, Spanish and English. She entered the University of Michigan as a pre-law major. Nicholas is the middle child of three, with an older brother, Otto, and a younger sister, Michele, who was murdered. She graduated from Milan High School in 1961. At the age of 16 she appeared on the Augcover of Jet magazine as a future school teacher prospect at the National High School Institute at Northwestern University. With the remarriage of her mother to Robert Burgen, she then moved to Milan, Michigan, a small town south of Ann Arbor. Nicholas was born in Detroit, Michigan, the daughter of Louise Carolyn and Otto Nicholas. She is known primarily for her role as high school guidance counselor Liz McIntyre on the ABC comedy-drama series Room 222, and for her role as Councilwoman Harriet DeLong on the NBC/CBS drama series In the Heat of the Night. Harriet deLong ist Bürgermeisterin von Sparta und zudem beginnt sie ab Staffel 5 eine Beziehung zu Chief Gillespie.ĭenise Nicholas (born Donna Denise Nicholas July 12, 1944) is an American actress and social activist who was involved in the American Civil Rights Movement.

Anfangs trat Harriet immer nur als wiederkehrender gaststar auf, doch als sich die Auftritte häuften, wurde sie ab Staffel 5 endlich in den Haupütcast befördert.

Freshwater road by denise nicholas