Heather Michele O'Rourke (December 27, 1975 – February 1, 1988) was an American
child actress. She had her breakthrough starring as
Carol Anne Freeling in the
supernatural horror film ''
Poltergeist
In German folklore and ghostlore, a poltergeist ( or ; ; or ) is a type of ghost or spirit that is responsible for physical disturbances, such as loud noises and objects being moved or destroyed. Most claims or fictional descriptions of polter ...
'' (1982), which received critical acclaim and established her as an influential figure in the genre. She went on to reprise the role in ''
Poltergeist II: The Other Side'' (1986) and ''
Poltergeist III'' (1988), the last of which was released posthumously.
O'Rourke also worked in television, appearing in the recurring roles of Heather Pfister on the comedy series ''
Happy Days
''Happy Days'' is an American television sitcom that aired first-run on the American Broadcasting Company, ABC network from January 15, 1974, to July 19, 1984, with a total of 255 half-hour episodes spanning 11 seasons. Created by Garry Marsha ...
'' (1982–1983) and Melanie in the sitcom ''
Webster'' (1983), as well as starring as Sarah Brogan in the television-film ''
Surviving: A Family in Crisis'' (1985).
Throughout her career, O'Rourke was nominated for six
Young Artist Award
The Young Artist Award (originally known as the Youth in Film Award) is an accolade presented by the Young Artist Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded in 1978 to honor excellence of youth performers, and to provide scholarships for young ...
s, winning once for her role in ''Webster''. On February 1, 1988, O'Rourke died following two cardiac arrests, her cause of death later being ruled as
congenital
A birth defect is an abnormal condition that is present at childbirth, birth, regardless of its cause. Birth defects may result in disability, disabilities that may be physical disability, physical, intellectual disability, intellectual, or dev ...
stenosis
Stenosis () is the abnormal narrowing of a blood vessel or other tubular organ or structure such as foramina and canals. It is also sometimes called a stricture (as in urethral stricture).
''Stricture'' as a term is usually used when narrowing ...
of the intestine complicated by
septic shock
Septic shock is a potentially fatal medical condition that occurs when sepsis, which is organ injury or damage in response to infection, leads to dangerously low blood pressure and abnormalities in cellular metabolism. The Third International C ...
.
Early life
Heather Michele O'Rourke was born on December 27, 1975, in
San Diego
San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...
,
to Kathleen and Michael O'Rourke. Her mother worked as a seamstress and her father was a
carpenter
Carpentry is a skilled trade and a craft in which the primary work performed is the cutting, shaping and installation of building materials during the construction of buildings, ships, timber bridges, concrete formwork, etc. Carpenter ...
. She had an older sister, Tammy O'Rourke, also an actress. Her parents divorced in 1981, and O'Rourke's mother married part-time truck driver Jim Peele in 1984, while they were living in a trailer park in
Anaheim, California
Anaheim ( ) is a city in northern Orange County, California, United States, part of the Greater Los Angeles area. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 346,824, making it the most populous city in Orang ...
.
Her success later allowed the family to purchase a home in
Big Bear Lake, California
Big Bear Lake is a city in San Bernardino County, California, located in the San Bernardino Mountains along the south shore of Big Bear Lake, and surrounded by the San Bernardino National Forest. The city is about northeast of the city of San ...
.
Between acting jobs, O'Rourke attended Big Bear Elementary School, where she was president of her fifth grade class. At the time of her death, the family was living in
Lakeside, California
Lakeside is a census-designated place (CDP) in the East County region of San Diego County, California. The population was 21,152 at the 2020 census, up from 20,648 as of the 2010 census.
History
Lakeside was home to the Kumeyaay prior to ...
, a suburb of San Diego.
Acting career
In a contemporary interview with ''American Premiere'' magazine, producer
Steven Spielberg
Steven Allan Spielberg ( ; born December 18, 1946) is an American filmmaker. A major figure of the New Hollywood era and pioneer of the modern blockbuster, Spielberg is widely regarded as one of the greatest film directors of all time and is ...
explained that he was looking for a "beatific four-year-old child...every mother's dream" for the lead in his horror film ''
Poltergeist
In German folklore and ghostlore, a poltergeist ( or ; ; or ) is a type of ghost or spirit that is responsible for physical disturbances, such as loud noises and objects being moved or destroyed. Most claims or fictional descriptions of polter ...
'' (1982). While eating in the
MGM
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, commonly shortened to MGM or MGM Studios) is an American Film production, film and television production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered ...
commissary,
Spielberg saw five-year-old O'Rourke having lunch with her mother while older sister Tammy O'Rourke was shooting ''
Pennies from Heaven''.
[ ('' A Current Affair'')] After his lunch, Spielberg approached the family and offered O'Rourke the ''Poltergeist'' role; she was signed the next day over
Drew Barrymore
Drew Blythe Barrymore (born February 22, 1975) is an American actress, talk show host, and businesswoman. A member of the Barrymore family of actors, she has received multiple List of awards and nominations received by Drew Barrymore, awards a ...
, who instead received the role of Gertie in ''
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
''E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial'' (or simply ''E.T.'') is a 1982 American science fiction film, science fiction film produced and directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Melissa Mathison. It tells the story of Elliott Taylor, Elliott, a boy w ...
''.
In ''Poltergeist'', O'Rourke played
Carol Anne Freeling, a young suburban girl who becomes the conduit and target for supernatural entities. During production, Spielberg twice accommodated the child actress when she was frightened; when she was scared by performing a particular stunt, Spielberg replaced O'Rourke with a
stunt double
In filmmaking, a double is a person who substitutes for another actor such that the person's face is not shown. There are various terms associated with a double based on the specific body part or ability they serve as a double for, such as stunt ...
wearing a blonde wig, and when she was disturbed by the portrayal of
child abuse
Child abuse (also called child endangerment or child maltreatment) is physical abuse, physical, child sexual abuse, sexual, emotional and/or psychological abuse, psychological maltreatment or Child neglect, neglect of a child, especially by a p ...
, Spielberg did not require her to perform the
take
A take is a single continuous recorded performance. The term is used in film and music to denote and track the stages of production.
Film
In cinematography, a take refers to each filmed "version" of a particular shot or "setup". Takes of each ...
again. For her work on the film, O'Rourke earned between $35,000 and $100,000.
''Poltergeist'' would go on to receive a
cult following
A cult following is a group of fans who are highly dedicated to a person, idea, object, movement, or work, often an artist, in particular a performing artist, or an artwork in some medium. The latter is often called a cult classic. A film, boo ...
and critical acclaim, garnering three
Academy Award
The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...
nominations and a
Young Artist Award
The Young Artist Award (originally known as the Youth in Film Award) is an accolade presented by the Young Artist Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded in 1978 to honor excellence of youth performers, and to provide scholarships for young ...
nomination for O'Rourke. She was lauded for her performance, with ''The New York Times'' noting that she played a key role, writing that "With her wide eyes, long blonde hair and soft voice, she was so striking that the sequel played off her presence."
Her delivery of the lines "They're here!" in the first film, and "They're baa-aack!" in the second (that film's
tagline
In entertainment, a tagline (alternatively spelled tag line) is a short text which serves to clarify a thought for, or is designed with a form of, dramatic effect. Many tagline slogans are reiterated phrases associated with an individual, so ...
), placed her in the collective
pop culture consciousness of the United States. "They're here!" is ranked No. 69 on the
American Film Institute
The American Film Institute (AFI) is an American nonprofit film organization that educates filmmakers and honors the heritage of the History of cinema in the United States, motion picture arts in the United States. AFI is supported by private fu ...
's list of
100 Movie Quotes,
and
PopSugar
PopSugar Inc. is an American media and technology company that is the parent to the media property PopSugar (stylized POPSUGAR) and a monthly subscription business PopSugar Must Have. The company was founded in 2006 by married couple Brian and Lis ...
included the line on their list of "100 Greatest Movie Quotes".
After her work in ''Poltergeist'' (1982), O'Rourke secured several television and TV movie roles. In April 1983, she starred as herself alongside
Morey Amsterdam
Moritz Amsterdam (December 14, 1908 – October 28, 1996) was an American actor, comedian, writer and producer. Between 1948 and 1950, he hosted his own TV sitcom ''The Morey Amsterdam Show''. He played Buddy Sorrell on CBS's ''The Dick V ...
and well-known
Walt Disney
Walter Elias Disney ( ; December 5, 1901December 15, 1966) was an American animator, film producer, voice actor, and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the Golden age of American animation, American animation industry, he introduced several develop ...
animated characters in the hour-long television special, ''Believe You Can...and You Can!''
She also appeared in ''
CHiPs
''CHiPs'' is an American crime drama television series created by Rick Rosner and originally aired on NBC from September 15, 1977, to May 1, 1983. After the final first-run telecast on NBC in May 1983, the series went into reruns on Sundays fr ...
'', ''
Webster'', ''
The New Leave It to Beaver'', ''
Our House'', and had a recurring role on ''
Happy Days
''Happy Days'' is an American television sitcom that aired first-run on the American Broadcasting Company, ABC network from January 15, 1974, to July 19, 1984, with a total of 255 half-hour episodes spanning 11 seasons. Created by Garry Marsha ...
'' as Heather Pfister.
For ''Webster'', O'Rourke won her first Young Artist Award. She also appeared in the television movies ''
Massarati and the Brain'' and ''
Surviving: A Family in Crisis''.
O'Rourke went on to reprise the role of Carol Anne Freeling in 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, although O'Rourke's performances were praised. ''Poltergeist III'' was her final feature, released in June 1988, four months after her death.
Illness and death
In early 1987, O'Rourke became ill with
giardiasis
Giardiasis is a parasitic disease caused by the protist enteropathogen ''Giardia duodenalis'' (also known as ''G. lamblia'' and ''G. intestinalis''), especially common in children and travellers. Infected individuals experience steatorrhea, a typ ...
, which she contracted from
well water
A well is an excavation or structure created on the earth by digging, driving, or drilling to access liquid resources, usually water. The oldest and most common kind of well is a water well, to access groundwater in underground aquifers. The ...
at her family's home in Big Bear Lake.
She was subsequently diagnosed as having
Crohn's disease
Crohn's disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that may affect any segment of the gastrointestinal tract. Symptoms often include abdominal pain, diarrhea, fever, abdominal distension, and weight loss. Complications outside of the ...
. She was prescribed
cortisone
Cortisone is a pregnene (21-carbon) steroid hormone. It is a naturally-occurring corticosteroid metabolite that is also used as a pharmaceutical prodrug. Cortisol is converted by the action of the enzyme corticosteroid 11-beta-dehydrogenase ...
injections to treat the disease during the time she was filming ''Poltergeist III''. The steroidal injections resulted in facial swelling of the cheeks, which O'Rourke's mother said she was very self-conscious about.
On January 31, 1988, O'Rourke began exhibiting flu-like symptoms. The following morning, she collapsed in her home, and was rushed to Community Hospital in
El Cajon.
[ En route, she suffered ]cardiac arrest
Cardiac arrest (also known as sudden cardiac arrest CA is when the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating. When the heart stops beating, blood cannot properly Circulatory system, circulate around the body and the blood flow to the ...
, but paramedics were able to restart her heart at 9:25a.m.[ She was subsequently flown to the Children's Hospital of San Diego,][ where it was discovered she had intestinal ]stenosis
Stenosis () is the abnormal narrowing of a blood vessel or other tubular organ or structure such as foramina and canals. It is also sometimes called a stricture (as in urethral stricture).
''Stricture'' as a term is usually used when narrowing ...
and went into emergency surgery. She survived the surgery, but suffered another cardiac arrest while in the recovery room. Doctors performed CPR for over 30 minutes, but O'Rourke was pronounced dead at 2:43 that afternoon. O'Rourke's cause of death was ruled congenital
A birth defect is an abnormal condition that is present at childbirth, birth, regardless of its cause. Birth defects may result in disability, disabilities that may be physical disability, physical, intellectual disability, intellectual, or dev ...
stenosis of the intestine complicated by septic shock
Septic shock is a potentially fatal medical condition that occurs when sepsis, which is organ injury or damage in response to infection, leads to dangerously low blood pressure and abnormalities in cellular metabolism. The Third International C ...
.
Daniel Hollander, the head of gastroenterology at the University of California, Irvine Medical Center stated that O'Rourke's death was "distinctly unusual" as she lacked prior symptoms of the bowel defect: "I would have expected a lot of igestivedifficulties throughout her life and not just to have developed a problem all of a sudden."[ However, Dr. Hollander further stated that it was possible for congenital bowel narrowing to cause sudden death without symptoms if an infection caused the bowel to rupture.][ A private funeral was held for O'Rourke on February 5 in Los Angeles,] and she was entombed at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery
Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park and Mortuary is a cemetery and Morgue, mortuary located in the Westwood, Los Angeles, Westwood area of Los Angeles. It includes a crematory for cremation services. Its location is at 1218 Glendon Av ...
.
Filmography
Film
Television
Accolades
Awards and nominations
O'Rourke was nominated for a collective six Young Artist Awards
The Young Artist Award (originally known as the Youth in Film Award) is an accolade presented by the Young Artist Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded in 1978 to honor excellence of youth performers, and to provide scholarships for young ...
, one of which was won for her performance on the series ''Webster'' in 1985.
Heather was nominated for a collective six Young Artist Awards
The Young Artist Award (originally known as the Youth in Film Award) is an accolade presented by the Young Artist Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded in 1978 to honor excellence of youth performers, and to provide scholarships for young ...
, one of which was won for her performance on the series ''Webster'' in 1985.
Honors
* On the American Film Institute
The American Film Institute (AFI) is an American nonprofit film organization that educates filmmakers and honors the heritage of the History of cinema in the United States, motion picture arts in the United States. AFI is supported by private fu ...
's 2005 list of " 100 Movie Quotes", O'Rourke's delivery of "They're here!" in ''Poltergeist'' is ranked No. 69.
* On PopSugar
PopSugar Inc. is an American media and technology company that is the parent to the media property PopSugar (stylized POPSUGAR) and a monthly subscription business PopSugar Must Have. The company was founded in 2006 by married couple Brian and Lis ...
's 2021 list of "100 Greatest Movie Quotes", O'Rourke's delivery of "They're here!" in ''Poltergeist'' is listed.
References
Sources
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External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Orourke, Heather
1975 births
1988 deaths
20th-century American actresses
Actresses from Anaheim, California
Actresses from San Diego
American child actresses
American film actresses
American television actresses
Burials at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery
Deaths from digestive disease
Deaths from sepsis in the United States
Child deaths from disease
People from Big Bear Lake, California
People from Lakeside, California