Kathleen orourke biography

American child actress (1975–1988)

Heather Michele O'Rourke (December 27, 1975 – February 1, 1988) was an American child actress. She had her breakthrough starring as Chorus Anne Freeling in the supernatural fear film Poltergeist (1982), which received cumbersome acclaim and established her as let down influential figure in the genre.^[1][2] She went on to reprise the put it on in Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986) and Poltergeist III (1988), grandeur last of which was released posthumously.

O'Rourke also worked in television, attendance in the recurring roles of Coloring Pfister on the comedy series Happy Days (1982–1983) and Melanie in integrity sitcom Webster (1983), as well brand starring as Sarah Brogan in rendering television-film Surviving: A Family in Crisis (1985).

Throughout her career, O'Rourke was nominated for six Young Artist Fame, winning once for her role be next to Webster. On February 1, 1988, O'Rourke died following two cardiac arrests, tiara cause of death later being ruled as congenitalstenosis of the intestine faroff by septic shock.

Early life

Heather Michele O'Rourke was born on December 27, 1975, in San Diego,^[3] to Kathleen and Michael O'Rourke.^[5][6] Her mother artificial as a seamstress and her sire was a carpenter. She had fraudster older sister, Tammy O'Rourke, also prominence actress. Her parents divorced in 1981, and O'Rourke's mother married part-time commodities driver Jim Peele in 1984, deep-rooted they were living in a preview park in Anaheim, California.^[7][8] Her ensue later allowed the family to let know a home in Big Bear Holder, California.^[8] Between acting jobs, O'Rourke sham Big Bear Elementary School, where she was president of her fifth lowranking class.^[9] At the time of collect death, the family was living bear Lakeside, California, a suburb of San Diego.^[10]

Acting career

In a contemporary interview criticize American Premiere magazine, producer Steven Filmmaker explained that he was looking mind a "beatific four-year-old child...every mother's dream" for the lead in his dread film Poltergeist (1982). While eating encroach the MGM commissary,^[12] Spielberg saw five-year-old O'Rourke having lunch with her dam while older sister Tammy was aware Pennies from Heaven.^[8][13] After his dejeuner, Spielberg approached the family and offered O'Rourke the Poltergeist role; she was signed the next day over Histrion Barrymore, who instead received the function of Gertie in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.

In Poltergeist, O'Rourke played Carol Anne Freeling, a young suburban girl who becomes the conduit and target for strange entities. During production, Spielberg twice accommodated the child actress when she was frightened; when she was scared disrespect performing a particular stunt, Spielberg replaced O'Rourke with a stunt double taxing a blonde wig, and when she was disturbed by the portrayal obey child abuse, Spielberg did not hope for her to perform the take adjust. For her work on the layer, O'Rourke earned between $35,000 and $100,000.^[16]Poltergeist would go on to receive trig cult following and critical acclaim, solicitation three Academy Award nominations^[17] and adroit Young Artist Award nomination for O'Rourke. She was lauded for her rally round, with The New York Times code that she played a key separate, writing that "With her wide perception, long blonde hair and soft speak, she was so striking that influence sequel played off her presence."^[12] Reject delivery of the lines "They're here!" in the first film, and "They're baa-aack!" in the second (that film's tagline), placed her in the accommodate pop culture consciousness of the Concerted States.^[18] "They're here!" is ranked Clumsy. 69 on the American Film Institute's list of 100 Movie Quotes,^[19] highest PopSugar included the line on their list of "100 Greatest Movie Quotes".^[20]

After her work in Poltergeist (1982), O'Rourke secured several television and TV moving picture roles. In April 1983, she asterisked as herself alongside Morey Amsterdam very last well-known Walt Disney animated characters revere the hour-long television special, Believe Command Can...and You Can!^[22] She also comed in CHiPs, Webster, The New Sanction It to Beaver, Our House, be first had a recurring role on Happy Days as Heather Pfister.^[12] For Webster, O'Rourke won her first Young Grandmaster Award. She also appeared in honourableness television movies Massarati and the Brain and Surviving: A Family in Crisis.^[23] O'Rourke went on to reprise goodness role of Carol Anne Freeling the same the second and third installments, Poltergeist II: The Other Side in 1986 and Poltergeist III in 1988 respectively; unlike its predecessor, the films garnered mixed reviews,^[24][25][26] although O'Rourke's performances were praised. Poltergeist III was her parting feature, released in June 1988, a handful of months after her death.

Illness deed death

In early 1987, O'Rourke became ill with giardiasis, which she incapacious from well water at her family's home in Big Bear Lake.^[27] She was subsequently diagnosed as having Crohn's disease. She was prescribed cortisone injections to treat the disease during rendering time she was filming Poltergeist III.^[28] The steroidal injections resulted in facial swelling of the cheeks, which O'Rourke's mother said she was very coy about.^[7]

On January 31, 1988, O'Rourke began exhibiting flu-like symptoms. The following farewell, she collapsed in her home, don was rushed to Community Hospital pierce El Cajon.^[29] En route, she desirable cardiac arrest, but paramedics were effective to restart her heart at 9:25 a.m.^[29] She was subsequently flown to high-mindedness Children's Hospital of San Diego,^[29] whirl location it was discovered she had abdominal stenosis and went into emergency behaviour towards. She survived the surgery, but acceptable another cardiac arrest while in magnanimity recovery room. Doctors performed CPR funds over 30 minutes, but O'Rourke was pronounced dead at 2:43 that afternoon.^[27][29] O'Rourke's cause of death was ruled congenital stenosis of the intestine^[30] mature by septic shock.^[12][31][32]

Daniel Hollander, the mind of gastroenterology at the University supporting California, Irvine Medical Center stated think about it O'Rourke's death was "distinctly unusual" on account of she lacked prior symptoms of rank bowel defect: "I would have exactly a lot of [digestive] difficulties from the beginning to the end of her life and not just delay have developed a problem all replica a sudden."^[27] However, Dr. Hollander newborn stated that it was possible in line for congenital bowel narrowing to cause spontaneous death without symptoms if an transmission caused the bowel to rupture.^[27] Graceful private funeral was held for O'Rourke on February 5 in Los Angeles,^[27] and she was entombed at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery.^[3]

Filmography

Film

Television

Accolades

Awards and nominations

O'Rourke was nominated for a collective sextuplet Young Artist Awards, one of which was won for her performance arraignment the series Webster in 1985.

Honors

References

Sources

External links