Mary Dodson was an art director best known for her work on the long-running mystery series Murder, She Wrote. The show followed professional writer and amateur sleuth Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury), as she solved mysteries and wrote novels.

From 1991 to 1996, Dodson served as the art director for the program, on more than 100 episodes as well as on four Murder, She Wrote television specials. She was nominated for three Emmy Awards for her work, in 1992, 1995 and 1996. Dodson also received an Emmy nomination in 1997 for her work on the telefilm Mrs. Santa Claus, also starring Lansbury.

Additionally, Dodson contributed to the series Days of Our Lives, Battlestar Galactica, Delta House, Taxi, Mork & Mindy, Falcon Crest, Full House, Valerie and Columbo, as well as the TV special The Jack Benny Hour and the feature film Thief, starring James Caan.

She received a bachelor’s degree in theater from Carnegie Tech University, and later got her start in New York on programs including The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.

She is also believed to be the first woman to become a member of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Art Directors (now the Art Directors Guild).

Dodson died February 15, 2016, in Woodland Hills, California. She was 83.