Eileen Georgina "Georgie" Collins (née Given; June 12, 1925 – May 3, 2017) was a Canadian film, stage, and television actress. Collins is known for her role in the 1981 cult horror film ''

Ghostkeeper ''Ghostkeeper'' is a 1981 Canadian supernatural slasher film directed by James Makichuk, and starring Riva Spier, Georgie Collins, and Murray Ord. Its plot centers on a trio of snowmobilers in the Canadian Rockies who become stranded at an ab ...

'', as well as her part in '' Lonesome Dove: The Series'' (1995). In addition to working in film and television, Collins was active in the theater community of Calgary since the 1960s. She served as the artistic director of the Pleiades Theater from 1976 until 1990.

Early life

Collins was born Eileen Georgina Given on June 12, 1925 in Calgary, Alberta, to George and Elizabeth Given. She spent her early life on a farm in rural

DeBolt DeBolt is a hamlet in northern Alberta, Canada within the Municipal District of Greenview No. 16. A variant name is Debolt. H. E. Debolt, an early postmaster, gave the community his last name. The hamlet is located in census division No. 18. ...

, Alberta.

Career

Collins made her film debut in ''The Visitor'' (1974), followed by a part in the

Walt Disney Walter Elias Disney (; December 5, 1901December 15, 1966) was an American animator, film producer and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the American animation industry, he introduced several developments in the production of cartoons. As a film p ...

two-part television film ''

The Boy Who Talked to Badgers ''The Boy Who Talked to Badgers'' is a 1975 American made-for-television adventure film directed by Gary Nelson, starring Christian Juttner and Carl Betz. It was produced by Walt Disney Productions and based on the novel '' Incident at Hawk's ...

'' (1975). In 1981, she appeared in a pivotal role in the horror film ''

''. She would later appear in '' Gunsmoke: Return to Dodge'' (1987), and the comedy ''

Housekeeping Housekeeping is the management and routine support activities of running an organised physical institution occupied or used by people, like a house, ship, hospital or factory, such as tidying, cleaning, cooking, routine maintenance, shopping, ...

'' (1988), opposite

Christine Lahti Christine Ann Lahti (born April 4, 1950) is an American actress and filmmaker. She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for the 1984 film '' Swing Shift''. Her other film roles include '' ...And Justice for All'' (19 ...

. She also had a minor part in the television film '' Body of Evidence'' opposite

Margot Kidder Margaret Ruth Kidder (October 17, 1948 – May 13, 2018), known professionally as Margot Kidder, was a Canadian-American actress whose career spanned five decades. Her accolades include three Canadian Screen Awards and one Daytime Emmy A ...

, which was filmed in Calgary. She had supporting parts in the

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Fuller Olsen (born June 13, 1986), also known as the Olsen twins as a duo, are American fashion designers and former actresses. The twins made their acting debut as infants playing Michelle Tanner on the television s ...

film ''

How the West Was Fun ''How the West Was Fun'' is a 1994 Revisionist western film starring Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. Synopsis 8-year-old twin girls Jessica and Susie Martin (Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen) live with their father, Stephen ( Patrick Cassidy), in Philadelp ...

'' (1994). She appeared in a six-episode arc of '' Lonesome Dove: The Series'' between 1994 and 1995. In 2005, she appeared in a guest role on the Steven Spielberg-produced series '' Into the West''. In addition to her work in film and television, Collins had been an active member of the Calgary theater community for multiple decades. She served as the artistic director of the Pleiades Theatre from 1976 until 1990. Now the Vertigo Mystery Theatre, it is the only professional theatre company in Canada that produces a full season of mystery plays. In 2003, Collins was honored by the

Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists The Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA) is a Canadian trade union representing performers in English-language media. It has 25,000 members working in film, television, radio, and all other recorded media. The orga ...

for being a founding member of ACTRA Calgary.

Personal life

Collins was married to Allen Collins in 1943. The couple had two children, Allen and Debi. She died on May 3, 2017 at the age of 91.

Filmography

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Collins, Georgie 1925 births 2017 deaths Canadian film actresses Canadian stage actresses Canadian television actresses Actresses from Calgary 20th-century Canadian actresses 21st-century Canadian actresses