Gail Fisher (born August 18, 1935 in Orange, New Jersey; died December 2, 2000 in Culver City, California) was an African American actress, best known for her role as secretary "Peggy Fair" on the television detective series Mannix, which she played from 1968 through 1975.

Fisher landed her first television appearance at age 25 in the 1960 syndicated program, Play of the Week. Thereafter, her television work was sparse until the late 1960s. She made her first appearance in Mannix during the second season, when Mannix left the detective firm Intertect and set up shop as a private investigator.

In 1968, while a regular on Mannix, she also made appearances on My Three Sons, Love, American Style and Room 222.

In 1970, Gail was honored for her work on this series with an Emmy Award for outstanding performance by an actress in a dramatic supporting role. (She beat out Susan Saint James in The Name of the Game and Barbara Anderson in Ironside. In addition to this honor, Fisher was well regarded as a role model, having served (along with Diahann Carroll in 1968's Julia and Nichelle Nichols in Star Trek) as one of the first African-American women to find substantive work in television.

After the 1975 cancellation of Mannix, her television appearances were few; most notably, she guest-starred in a 1980 episode of The White Shadow.

She was the lyricist for The Buckinghams' hit song, "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy."

She was twice married, with 2 children from her first marriage.

She died of renal failure and emphysema brought on by heavy smoking in 2000, aged 65. Coincidentally, 12 hours later, her brother Clifton, a businessman, died of heart failure.

On December 2, 2000, Gail Fisher passed away at home from lung cancer. 12 hours later, her brother Clifton, a businessman, died of heart failure.

In 1970 she became the very first African American Actress to win an Emmy award for acting, when she received the Emmy for Oustanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her role as Peggy Fair in "Mannix".

Understudied Ruby Dee (I) on Broadway in "Purlie Victorious".

Had two daughters by her first husband: Samara and Jole.

Studied with Lee Strasberg and was later a member of the Repertory Theater at Lincoln Center where she worked with Elia Kazan. Her stage work included "A Raisin In The Sun," "Purlie Victorious" and "Danton's Death".

One of TV's most visible black actors of the late 60s, Gail was nominated for four Emmy Awards for her stylish secretary, winning once, and for three Golden Globe Awards, winning twice.

CBS was hesitant to cast Gail as the widow and altruistic secretary Peggy Fair of detective Joe Mannix, but actor Mike Connors (I) and "Mannix" producer Bruce Geller (I) persisted.

She battled drugs in the popular show's aftermath and finally sought rehab after being arrested in 1978 for cocaine possession.

Became one of the first black actresses to appear in a national TV commercial with speaking lines when she did an ad for All detergent in 1961.

Gail did not make her appearance on "Mannix" (1967) until the show's second season, after Mannix left the detective firm Intertect and set up his own shop as private investigator.

Landed her first television appearance at age 25 in the 1960 syndicated program, "Play of the Week".