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| Heather O'Rourke | |
| Birth name: | Heather Michele O'Rourke |
| Gender: | Female |
| Medium(s): | Film |
| Roles: | Actress |
| Date of birth: | December 27th, 1975 |
| Place of birth: | San Diego, California |
| Date of death: | February 1st, 1988 |
| Place of death: | San Diego, California |
| Notable works: | Poltergeist |
Heather Michelle O'Rourke was a child actress of film and television. She was born in San Diego, California on December 27th, 1975 to Michael and Kathleen O'Rourke. As an actress, she was active from the early to late 1980s. Heather grew up in Anaheim and later relocated to Big Bear Lake, California after she began acting. Sadly, Heather O'Rourke passed away at the tender age of twelve after suffering cardiac arrest due to a misdiagnosis relating to intestinal stenosis on February 1st, 1988.
Career[]
Heather O'Rourke did not start out with dreams of becoming an actress, much less a horror icon, but she quickly became a household name after being discovered by filmmaker Steven Spielberg for the 1982 horror film Poltergeist, which was directed by Tobe Hooper. Heather was cast in the role of Carol Anne Freeling - the youngest child of "The Freaky Freelings" who has the misfortune of being abducted by ghosts and trapped inside of a television set. Heather is known for speaking the line, "They're heeeere" in a song-like voice, which has become a trademark of the franchise.
Heather returned to the franchise in 1985 for Poltergeist II: The Other Side in 1986, where she reprised the role of Carol Anne Freeling. Heather's scenes were shot in May of that year and the film was released on May 23rd, 1986. Heather O'Rouke appeared on promotional advertising, theatrical posters and home video release artwork for the film.
Heather came back to the series one last time for Poltergeist III, which proved to be her final role. Heather passed away in February, 1988, forcing the production crew to reshoot many of her scenes in the movie.
Body of work[]
Film[]
| Film | Year | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Poltergeist | 1982 | Carol Anne Freeling |
| Poltergeist II: The Other Side | 1986 | Carol Anne Freeling |
| Poltergeist III | 1988 | Carol Anne Freeling |
Television[]
| Series | Episode | Role |
|---|
Notes & Trivia[]
- Heather O'Rourke shares a birthday with filmmaker Charles Band, who was born in 1951.
- Heather O'Rourke shares a birthday with Re-Animator actress Barbara Crampton, who was born in 1958.
Other works[]
- Heather O'Rourke played the role of Heather Pfister on twelve episodes of the ABC sitcom series Happy Days between 1982 and 1983.
External Links[]
- Heather O'Rourke at AMG
- Heather O'Rourke at IMDB
- Heather O'Rourke at Wikipedia
- Heather O'Rourke at Horrormovies.org
- Heather O'Rourke at Rotten Tomatoes
References[]
 This article relates to actors, crew members and other behind-the-scenes creators pertaining to the Poltergeist franchise. This template will categorize articles that include it into the Poltergeist Crew category. |