He introduced himself as Steven, asked her what her name was, and if he could talk to her. Heather Michele O'Rourke ( San Diego, 27 de dezembro de 1975 San Diego, 1 de fevereiro de 1988) foi uma atriz mirim americana, conhecida pelo papel de Carol Anne Freeling na trilogia dos filmes . I want to continue acting, but I want to be a director. O'Rourke had an elder sister named Tammy, who was also an actress. However, the girl's health kept worsening. She never regained consciousness and as was feared, her brain showed no activity. Actress: Poltergeist. Heather also did not particularly care for the movie itself personally, but for her this was work and so she completed the role with her usual dedication and professionalism, which was something rarely seen in a nine-year-old actor. She was born on December 27, 1975 in Santee, San Diego, California and entered American cinematic pop-culture before she entered first grade. Heather was well until January 31, 1988, Super Bowl Sunday. She also loved to make and eat sweets, and was the student-body president at her school. Heather was still alert during most of the trip and was able to talk to her attending paramedics but shortly before arriving to the hospital she lapsed into unconsciousness. Next day, again at lunch, Spielberg was back at their table and this time he sat and talked for a little while. The NeverEnding Story was released in 1984, five years after the German novel upon which it is based. A top entertainment lawyer has confirmed that the child star of movie Poltergeist, Heather O'Rourke, was killed by an elite Hollywood pedophile ring. Official Sites. Anyja varrnknt, apja ptmunksknt dolgozott. This proved to be a wise choice because MGM studios had big plans for her future. The shock prompted full cardiac and pulmonary arrest. After that series ended, Heather continued to audition and receive offers and over the course of the next five years she was a familiar face on television. O'Rourke studied at Big Bear Elementary School. Now thoroughly alarmed, Kathleen called the local hospital, which advised her to bring Heather in right away. The second one I only saw twice because I didn't think it was too great. That crap story ended up killing the girl." When her mother returned, the stranger introduced himself as Steven Spielberg. It was a terrible shock for their small household, especially for three-year-old Tammy ORourke, who couldnt quite understand why she was not going to have a new baby brother or sister that year. The movie was Poltergeist. They had a lengthy segment on heather where they interviewed her parents. The diagnosis however, puzzled doctors, health officials, and Heathers parents because neither her sister nor her parents got the parasite and this seemed unusual since they lived in the same house and supposedly drank the same water. Nonetheless, Heather had gotten the cinematic exposure that her young career needed and it soon became obvious that she had attracted the attention of casting agents for television. It was covered up at the time, but the ending of Poltergeist 3 was reshot after she died and they had to reduce how much Carol Anne appeared in it. She had German, Danish, English, and Irish ancestry. She was sitting alone in the MGM Commissary waiting for her mother when a . She screamed until she broke down in tears. Even so, as with the original Poltergeist, Heathers career gained additional momentum and as more roles and experience accumulated on her resume, she now began to get ideas about where else she wanted to apply her talents and interests. Heather Michele O'Rourke was born on December 27, 1975 in San Diego, California, USA, to Michael and Kathleen. She is best remembered for her roles of 'Carol Anne Freeling' in the Poltergeist horror movie franchise (1982, 1986, and 1988). But I like acting a lot. Heather was born on December 27, 1975, to Kathleen and Michael O'Rourke. The unexpected death of the child star Heather O'Rourke at age 12 cemented an urban legend that was circulating for years: The movie "Poltergeist" was cursed. When they werent acting, Heather and Tammy also kept busy with plenty of other hobbies as well. She never complained during filming and did not appear sick to fellow cast members.When filming was completed in June, Heather and her family went on a road trip from Chicago, to New Orleans, to Orlando and all the way back to Lakeside where they lived at the time. Heather screamed until the windows rattled. On this particular day, Heather was sitting by herself waiting, as usual, for her mother and Tammy to return. A couple of years ago, I decided it would be a different experience to work behind the camera. She died in Children's Hospital and Health Center in San Diego on February 1, 1988. Owing to her success, her family was able to purchase a house in Big Bear Lake, California. Soon, her feet were swollen, and after more tests, doctors said she had a bacteria and prescribed some medicines to kill it. Heather however, who wasnt paying particular attention to what was being said, was more interested in eating her lunch. In 1987, she got featured in an episode each of Our House and Rocky Road. Unfortunately, the rising star met a tragic end at the young age of 12; she died of complications caused by a misdiagnosed intestinal stenosis. Eventually, they began staying in L.A. and Anaheim during the week and going home to Santee on the weekends to be with their father, or sometimes he came up to visit them on his days off. At the end of each day, Tammy and Heather were often so exhausted that they fell asleep during the more-than-two-hour drive home. She had an older sister, Tammy O'Rourke, also an actress. Heather even had a daring side to her personality: she had an ATC (a three-wheeled all-terrain-cycle) that her stepfather got her while working at the local Honda dealer and so, clad in an extra-small sized helmet and size 1 riding boots, she could often be seen rumbling (cautiously) around the trails and back roads of Big Bear. More information about her husband will be updated as soon as possible. Her parents split in 1981, and O'Rourke's mother married part-time truck driver Jim Peele in 1984 while . But in . Her older sister, . Heather O'rourke Family Information about her parents and siblings is not available but will be updated as soon as possible. Culkin was interviewed by a french magazine this late december of 2017. O'Rourke grew up in Bergen County, New Jersey. When I have to look really frightened, I concentrate on scary things like losing my kittens or something like that. That would make me happy because I'd be bringing others pleasure while doing something I like. They had been living in Big Bear Lake for three years and had many wonderful times there, but Heather and Tammy had been longing for some time to return to their hometown of Santee to be closer to family, and to attend their old schools and see their childhood friends again. She arrived there in stable, yet critical condition and remained unconscious and unresponsive while they evaluated her and prepared for possible surgery. Heather O'Rourke was chosen for the film when she was eating lunch with her mother and sister at an "MGM" commissary. You could fall asleep. . [on the first two Poltergeist movies]: The first one I saw 12 times. The most well-known death that sparked and fuels the " Poltergeist curse" fire to this day was the shocking loss of Heather O' Rourke, who played Carol Ann the young, angelic face of the. Heather was prescribed a medication called Flagyl and her condition improved over the next few weeks. Still a bit shy in front of the stranger, Heather just looked at her mother, who answered for her. Cha m c b ly d nm 1981 v m ca Heather kt hn vi ti x xe ti Jim Peele vo nm 1984. She was on medication throughout the filming of her next project, Poltergeist III (1988), and her cheeks were puffy in some scenes. Appeared on the doll box for Mattel's "My First Barbie" in 1980. Actress. Heather seemed confident about being able to do this and so together, they relayed back and forth, Spielberg giving lines and direction, and Heather following along. Heather O'Rourke (December 27, 1975 - February 1, 1988) was an American child actress. She was sitting alone in the MGM Commissary waiting for her mother when a stranger approached her asking her name. Poltergeist II, although not as successful as the first, did reasonably well at the box-office nonetheless. Monday morning, February 1st, Heather awakened for school as usual, and joined her mother who was in the kitchen preparing breakfast. Unable to discover the source of the infection, they could not prove conclusively that Heather had gotten Giardia from water in Big Bear. Heather died Feb. 1 on the operating table at Children's Hospital of San Diego. This was the famous closet-sucking scene for which they used a special moveable room. Hon var med i en del filmer samt reklamfilmer fr bland annat McDonald's och leksaksfretaget Mattel. The audition lasted practically all day as more than 350 kids danced their hearts out but when the dust settled, only ten of them were left standing. Even though this was a mandatory requirement to comply with the existing labour laws for child actors, it only added to her already grueling schedule that included commuting with her mother and Heather from Santee to the MGM Studios in Culver City on an almost daily basis. Although the Giardia infection was cured, the inflammation in Heathers small intestine had remained and doctors suspected that she might be in the early stages of developing Crohns disease, an inflammatory bowel disease that is known to sometimes occur following an infection involving the gastro-intestinal tract. Shortly after Heather turned three, she herself won a local Little Miss pageant as well. Poltergeist II began production in the summer of 1985 and Heather was very excited to be working with her onscreen family again but filming with director Brian Gibson soon became an arduous task as the production was plagued with delays and other strange occurrences. Heather answered with surprising frankness for a four-year-old when she informed him that she was not allowed to talk to strangers and that she was waiting for her mother and sister to return with their lunch. That is when she found out she was pregnant with Heather. Spielberg was looking for a. By the following day though, it was apparent that Heather was ill. Sunday morning, Heathers mother and stepfather were awakened to the sound of her being sick. She is best remembered for being a popular young actress in the 1980s with numerous television shows and the Poltergeist films where she had the starring role as Carol Anne Freeling. I'm really not afraid of spooky things. For more than half an hour, doctors tried desperately to rescuscitate her but finally, all hope was lost, and Heather died peacefully at 2:43p.m. When Poltergeist was released in June of 1982, movie audiences and die-hard Spielberg fans alike were not disappointed, but its box office draw was soon eclipsed by Spielbergs other summer film release, the kiddie oriented E.T.. While her family was initially too distraught to make a statement, after. Further suspecting that the obstruction might have already burst and started an infection, they made preparations to transport her to another facility that specialized in pediatric critical care. "But you're a stranger, and I can't talk to you". . Actress. Heather O'Rourke appeared destined for greatness after breaking through as a child star in the Poltergeist movies and on Happy Days in the 1980s. Heather O'Rourke. They eventually closed-up shop for good and Heather decided to stick with acting. At this point Kathleen became very concerned and took a closer look at her daughter. Heather was well known for her role as Carol Anne Fleming in the blockbuster 1982 Steven Spielberg film series Poltergeist. Her big break came when she auditioned for The Don Crichton Dancers, a dance troupe consisting of 5 boys and 5 girls that was scheduled to appear regularly on CBSs The Tim Conway Show. You meet a lot of people. Said that if a Poltergeist IV would to happen it would have been her last film in the series. Publicity Listings They continued until pulling up to the entrance of the emergency room where a team of doctors and nurses, who had been notified and were prepared for their arrival, met them. They admitted her to the hospital this time and did a complete examination. In a strange and yet consistent coincidence, MGM, as with the original Poltergeist, was once again unable to entice the writer/producer/director team of Poltergeist II to do another sequel that soon, and so again scrambled to find someone to take the helm for the third film. Her mother worked as a seamstress and her father was a carpenter. Ranked #65 on VH1's '100 Greatest Kid Actors' special. With plenty of relatives living close-by, the ORourkes and their extended family enjoyed a typical and comfortable suburban existence. Heather would continue to remain busy with her many guest spots on television shows and commercials and by the end of 1983, Tammy, who was now 12, had started junior high school and worked only occasionally. This website is dedicated to the life and memory of child actress Heather ORourke. They returned home and her mother was told to monitor her condition and to bring her back if needed. She had been getting tired of doing sequels to Poltergeist (1982) as she didn't want to be typecast. Heather Michele O'Rourke was born on December 27, 1975, in San Diego, [3] [4] to Kathleen and Michael O'Rourke. The local doctor in Big Bear said that it was winter, they lived in the mountains, it was, after all, cold and flu season, and Heathers symptoms seemed to be flu-like. The operation was a common procedure with a high rate of success and recovery, and was routinely performed on pediatric patients at Childrens Hospital, and Heathers mother immediately agreed to it, but because of the overwhelming bacterial infection, septic shock, and apparent brain damage that she had suffered, Heathers condition was uncertain even before the surgery was attempted, and so her mother was also informed that Heather might not survive. She is not dating anyone. O'Rourke also made a guest appearance in The New Leave It to Beaver the same year. The same year, she did the television film Massarati and the Brain as well. Heather O'rourke is an American journalist working for WABC-TV in New York serving as a traffic reporter. In the ensuing year, she appeared in episodes of the TV series CHiPs, Matt Houston and Webster. Born to a middle-class family, she attended Big Bear Elementary School. O'Rourke died at the age of 12 of cardiac arrest and septic shock caused by a misdiagnosed intestinal stenosis on 1 February 1988. . Tammy O'Rourke, her older sister, is also an actress. They started a candy selling business in front of the Honda dealership where their stepfather was employed. Before Heather had left for Chicago to begin the filming of Poltergeist III, the family decided to move back to the San Diego area. To the surprise and delight of everyone, it showed that she was indeed still pregnant, though when they found out how and why, the discovery itself was not without some sadness. Heathers signs and symptoms were again becoming flu-like and so her mother kept her comfortable and gave her fluids as recommended by the advice nurse with whom she had consulted earlier by phone. Heather Michelle O'Rourke was born to Kathleen and Michael O'Rourke and she had a sister Tammy O'Rourke who was born four years before Heather. In one early collaboration, a genuine sister act, Tammy did a dance routine while Heather sang. Along with Heathers growing success came a growing salary and so with a newly formed corporation in her name and with her earnings from Poltergeist II and her latest TV appearances, she and her family picked out a new house in Big Bear with the intention of making it their permanent home. But in addition to having regular fun, the two ORourke sisters also found ways to express themselves artistically. Under medical supervision with a local doctor in Chicago though, Heather seemed to improve, and she tolerated the duration of the treatment quite well. Heather's middle school put up a tree in her memory after she passed away, however, this was later removed due to renovations, the school does still have "Heather O'Rourke Love of Reading Week". Her ex boyfriend strangled her. Heather O'rourke Husband Heather is a married woman. Other non-acting TV appearances included: an afternoon on the 1986 Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon where she took phone pledges as part of a panel of child actors, two stints as a celebrity judge on a special childrens edition of the popular amateur talent show called Puttin On The Hits, and as a guest on shows including The Merv Griffin Show, and various AM talk shows and PM entertainment shows. The paramedics immediately began attempting to revive her as the ambulance radioed ahead that cardiac arrest had occurred. The response of audiences to her presence in the first film was so profound that the writers quickly realized she should be the focal point of the second movie as well. They had heard of Spielberg and knew that he was a film director, and so they thought that he just happened to be passing-by, until he told them that he was casting a little girl for a movie that he was making. Team Owner. She had a twin brother who died during pregnancy. Still not convinced, he asked her to scream again, and again, and again, until finally, Heathers patience (which was unusual for a 4-year-old to have) began to run out and she informed him (politely) that she was finished screaming and that she would like to go home. First, 22-year old Dana actress Dominique Donne was killed in 1982; then even more infamously Carol Anne actress Heather O'Rourke passed away in 1988 aged just 12. . She was unable to keep anything in her stomach and crawled into bed with her parents that night, saying that she didn't feel well. It didn't excite me, it didn't even scare me. When this occurred, the infectious contents spilled into Heathers abdomen and bacteria had entered her bloodstream, where they rapidly multiplied and spread throughout her body. [19] On January 31, 1988, O'Rourke suddenly became ill again, vomiting and unable to keep anything in her stomach. Sees candies, which were not normally available in Big Bear, were the featured sale item as well as hot chocolate and a few other goodies. O'Rourke, Heather . May 25, 1988. When the paramedics came in, Heather insisted that she was "really okay" and was worried about missing school that day. class in school that day but never said why. O'Rourke became ill in early 1987 and was misdiagnosed by doctors at Kaiser Permanente Hospital as having Crohn's disease. Heather O'Rourke Husband, Is She Married? Heather O'rourke Family and Relationship Father (Dad): Not Known Mother: Not Known Siblings (Brothers and Sisters): An elder sister Marital Status: Married Husband/Spouse: Married to Anonymous Dating / Boyfriend: Not Applicable Children: Two Heather O'rourke Networth and Salary Net Worth: Under Review Salary: $28,774 - $71,519 She was already accustomed to the hustle-and-bustle of these surroundings and so was not worried when a bearded and bespectacled man approached her table. She has been working with the station since 2002. Poltergeist is regarded Heather stands at an average height and in moderate weight. Spielberg quickly offered her the role of Carol Anne Freeling in his upcoming movie Poltergeist. She was prescribed prednisone to treat the disease, which caused her cheeks to appear puffy and large. C b c mt ch gi, Tammy O'Rourke, cng l mt din vin. She died in 1988 at the age of 12 from intestinal stenosis - a severe bowel obstruction. She had Irish, English, German, and Danish ancestry. Check out our heather o'rourke selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our shops. Performed from age 3 in numerous commercials before her, As a gift from the crew, she got to keep the goldfish from. A child . Heather O'Rourke Age. After Heather moved to Big Bear, she continued to work steadily but her acting always revolved around her home life. She was ranked at No 65 on VH1's list of '100 Greatest Kid Actors'. Spielberg, who was just finishing up Raiders of the Lost Ark, was preparing to film ET but also had another film project in the works. Later, that same year, the new family decided to leave Anaheim and move to the city of Big Bear Lake, located high in the San Bernardino Mountains east of Los Angeles. MGM was persistent though, and eventually offered the writing and production of Poltergeist II to Steven Spielbergs co-writers from the first film. We don't have much information about She's past relationship and any previous engaged. She died of a heart attack caused by septic shock brought on by congenital stenosis of the intestine. Heather Michele O'Rourke is best known as the little girl (Carol Anne Freeling) in the Poltergeist movies. Kathleen O'rourke is the mother of poltergeist actress, #Heatherorourke. She was thrilled to be doing a movie again so soon but the surprising disappointment for her was that due to a small production budget, only one of her original co-stars would appear in the movie with her. Aside from her TV and movie roles, she was, at heart, a regular kid who loved school, performed household chores, quarreled with her sister, and lived for shopping. Heather O'Rourke (December 27, 1975 - February 1, 1988) played the recurring role of Heather Pfister, the 7-year-old daughter of Ashley Pfister, a divorcee who was Fonzie's steady girlfriend in Season 10 of Happy Days, appearing in five episodes that season. The paramedics asked her how she was feeling. The show premiered in March 1980 and lasted until September 1981, and the experience and the exposure on national television helped boost Tammys fledgling career as a dancer. The following clip showed him strolling down the street at 2 a.m., heading to work. Shortly thereafter, Tammy and their mother returned,and they were quite surprised to find a man sitting with Heather. Heather O'rourke Parents Details about her parents are not known to the public, however, she has a sibling, an elder sister. I'm tired of this one, kind of. Her favorite movie of all time was Disney's. After her parents' divorce, O'Rourke rarely saw her birth father and called her stepfather "Dad". Her mother worked as a seamstress and her father was a carpenter. She had German, Danish, English, and Irish ancestry.Heather entered American cinematic pop-culture before first grade. She also holds the distinction of being the youngest (age 5 at the time) actor/actress to utter the line that made the list. With this setup, they could tilt the entire room and camera and with fans blowing, make things look like they were being sucked into the closet by a spectral vacuum cleaner when in reality, objects were sliding by gravity towards the low end of the room. Overjoyed, they announced their pregnancy to family and friends, and with all of the accompanying anxiety, excitement, and anticipation of the arrival of another ORourke, they started planning for the birth that was to be expected at the end of that year. She initially failed the . Their family was proud of their talents and the girls even became a little famous locally, but to Tammy and Heather, it was all a normal everyday thing and they were really just a couple of kids having a lot of fun. The following three years that Heather, Tammy, and their mother Kathy lived in Anaheim would be a bit of struggle for them and yet, the girls had adapted remarkably well to their new lives and surroundings and were very happy. Spielberg realized that this was Heathers way of telling him that the interview was over and so he called in her mother. Heather was delighted that she would be able to step out of the door of their mobile home and walk to the set at Disneyland a few blocks away. Heather died in 1988. Soon enough she was earning an estimated $100,000 a year, money which her parents came to depend on. Some of her lesser known creative talents were calligraphy, drawing, baking, singing, and dancing. Poltergeist (1982) -- (Movie Clip) They're Here The younger kids (Oliver Robins, Heather O'Rourke), frightened by thunder, have wound up in bed with their parents (Craig T. Nelson, JoBeth Williams) when young Carol Anne, watching the TV sign-off again, has her most tangible contact yet with the visitors, in the Steven Spielberg-produced . In this interview Kathy talks about how her daughter got into acting and her death Show more. However, the real cause of her death might be infinitely more disturbing: Hollywood depravity. He has managed to keep his family away from the media. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/heather-o-rourke-43478.php, American Female Film & Theater Personalities, 20th Century Film & Theater Personalities, 20th Century American Film & Theater Personalities. Her mother claimed a wrong diagnosis was responsible for her (Heather's) death. Kathleens maternal instincts told her otherwise though, and she declined to have anything done and instead, waited. The ER team immediately took over the resuscitation of Heather and after several long minutes, succeeded in restoring her vital signs. If she had lived, it is likely that she would have gone into directing films like she said she wanted to. Spielberg was looking for a. The final outcome was that their parents separated, and later divorced, and the girls and their mother permanently relocated to the L.A. area. Heather entered American cinematic pop-culture before first grade. Heather responded appropriately with a loud and piercing scream. Sherman chose the John Hancock Center, a skyscraper in his hometown of Chicago, for his version of the ghost story. Heather O'Rourke was an American child actress, who, after being discovered by director Steven Spielberg, played Carol Anne Freeling in the horror movie Poltergeist. She became known for saying the line, "They're here!" She was 12. She had German, Danish, English, and Irish ancestry. She had an older sister, Tammy O'Rourke, also an actress. She was taken to Kaiser Hospital, and they confirmed it was only the flu, but when symptoms continued, they diagnosed her as having Crohn's Disease, a chronic inflammation of the intestine. It's fun. | By the end of 1986 though, that was all to change when once again, MGM proved how important Heather was to them by announcing their plans for a third installment in the Poltergeist series. O'Rourke died from an acute bowel obstruction . But her mother was not convinced and again returned to San Diego when Heathers symptoms persisted despite taking the prescribed medications. To complete it, they used a stunt child double with an obvious and poorly-fitted wig. Heather was born in 1975 and died at the age of only 12 in 1988 from intestinal stenosis a severe bowel obstruction that the girl evidently had from birth. Her home life did not, ironically, include the viewing of certain filmsparticularly not horror films. Of the three Poltergeist films, Heather was most enthusiastic about this particular one because she made the most friends on the set, and, as her director Gary Sherman put it, Heather got to act and not just react, unlike the first two films. Filming was eventually completed behind schedule in late 1985 and after rushed post-production, the movie premiered in May of the following year. Her last words were "I love you" to her mother. The agent handling Tammys career recognized this as well and offered to represent Heather, and so soon enough, the photogenic 4-year-old starting getting some exposure. When her mother and stepfather arrived they were informed of her condition and that she might have already suffered permanent brain damage due to the episode of cardio-respiratory arrest that occurred during the ambulance trip. It wasn't. . This time, doctors thought it possible that Heather was having some kind of reaction to an insect or spider bite. . The shock prompted full cardiac and pulmonary arrest. She also could hear that Heathers breathing had become shallow and labored and that she appeared to be trembling and growing weaker. The work-ups consisted of X-rays and other imaging studies of Heathers stomach and intestines. Sadly, Heather would neither complete the additional filming, nor win her academy award. But in the weeks that followed, Kathleen, who had already gone through a normal pregnancy with her first child, began to feel that something was not quite right about this one.