Since Heather was in the habit of imitating her older sister, it was natural to expect that she would follow in her footsteps and so when she was barely old enough, Heather began showcasing her own talents with some onstage singing and dancing. But the first time you see it, it really jumps you. They eventually closed-up shop for good and Heather decided to stick with acting. Heather is most known for her portrayal as Carol Anne Freeling in the 1982 hit movie Poltergeist and its sequels. She had an older sister, Tammy O'Rourke, also an actress. O'Rourke and her husband are proud parents to their 2 children, whose identities are under review. Heather was prescribed a medication called Flagyl and her condition improved over the next few weeks. She reprised her role in the films second and third installments as well. Sam's cheeks were shaven, getting rid of the stubble anymore that had grown out during his vacation. During her three-year tenure as a student at Big Bear Elementary School, Heather was elected President of her 5th grade class (a position that she considered a great honor), took lessons in flute, struggled with math, and was an avid reader of Nancy Drew mysteries and love stories. The obstruction caused an infection that, in turn, brought on septic shock. I'm tired of this one, kind of. Spielberg was looking for a. Hollywood columnist Sidney Skolsky dubbed them the "Irish Mafia", but they preferred to call their group the "Boy's Club". That miracle was finally realized when, two days after Christmas 1975, in San Diego, California, Heather Michele O'Rourke was born. But her mother was not convinced and again returned to San Diego when Heathers symptoms persisted despite taking the prescribed medications. The next day he offered the role to her. She died in Children's Hospital and Health Center in San Diego on February 1, 1988. At first, they didnt recognize him but when he introduced himself as Steven Spielberg to them, they became quite flustered. Unfortunately, the rising star met a tragic end at the young age of 12; she died of complications caused by a misdiagnosed intestinal stenosis. I just thought it was too boring. Kathleen O'rourke is the mother of poltergeist actress, #Heatherorourke. Heather Michele O'Rourke was born on December 27, 1975 in Santee, San Diego, California, to Kathleen, a seamstress, and Michael O'Rourke, a construction worker. Not quite satisfied, Spielberg asked her to scream again, but louder and longer this time. This living arrangement made it easier for Tammy to fulfill her dance role, but it also meant giving up certain things such as spending time with family and school friends from Santee. She had Irish, English, German, and Danish ancestry. She was on medication throughout the filming of her next project, Poltergeist III (1988), and her cheeks were puffy in some scenes. Heather Michele O'Rourke was born on December 27, 1975, in San Diego, [3] [4] to Kathleen and Michael O'Rourke. It wasn't. . Her mother was a seamstress while her father worked as a carpenter. 131 Heather O Rourke Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images CREATIVE Collections Project #ShowUs Creative Insights Custom Content EDITORIAL VIDEO BBC Motion Gallery NBC News Archives MUSIC BLOG BROWSE PRICING BOARDS CART SIGN IN Editorial Images Images Creative Editorial Video Creative Editorial FILTERS CREATIVE EDITORIAL VIDEO All Before O'Rourke began acting, the family lived in a trailer park in Anaheim. You meet a lot of people. Because she was believed to have Crohn's, she wasn't tested for other issues. Heather O'rourke Husband ,Married and Children Heather is a married woman. She had taken a break from TV acting but was looking forward to the following spring, which was when some additional filming of Poltergeist III would need to be done in order to make its scheduled release in the Summer of 1988. . Heather O'Rourke Age. Despite this impressive resume, Heather remained largely undiscovered until director Steven Spielberg happened upon her by chance. Soon enough she was earning an estimated $100,000 a year, money which her parents came to depend on. With her mothers permission, doctors performed an exploratory procedure and promptly discovered that Heather indeed had an obstruction in her small intestine that had become infected and had already burst. He has managed to keep his family away from the media. 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. The paramedics asked her how she was feeling. In the early Spring of 1975, Kathleen ORourkes doctor delivered the wonderful news that she and her husband Michael had waited for several weeks to hear: they were going to have their second child. In this interview Kathy talks about how her daughter got into acting and her death Show more. 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. Official Sites. In 1982, O'Rourke was also cast in the recurring role of Heather Pfister in the television series Happy Days. Mala stariu sestru Tammy, ktor sa venovala tie herectvu. She started with tap lessons, and liked it so much that after a short time began performing in little recitals with her class. But, like any other young girl her age she most of all, loved the occasional all-day shopping excursion, which at times, was exhausting for her mother and sister Tammy. Heather O'Rourke Height and Weight. 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.. Acted in her middle school Library/Literature Club's production of "'Twas The Night Before Christmas" in her nightgown with her favorite teddy bear in December of 1987. Heather O'Rourke Husband O'Rourke is very private about her personal life therefore it is not known if she is in any relationship. . Her mother noticed her fingers were blue and her hands were cold. Her mother climbed into the cab for the short trip to the local emergency room. It is also not known if O'Rourke has any siblings. Appeared on the doll box for Mattel's "My First Barbie" in 1980. 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. Heather played the character Carol-Anna Freeling in all three of Steven Spielberg's Poltergeist films. Her ex boyfriend strangled her. As terribly heartbreaking as this is there may be more . This website is dedicated to the life and memory of child actress Heather O'Rourke. However, the surgery did not help and the little girl died later that day. O'Rourke died from an acute bowel obstruction . He thanked them, said goodbye to Heather (who ignored him and continued eating her lunch) and left. The question of whether or not Heather was seriously ill was answered some minutes later when Kathleen noticed that Heather was having difficulty eating and that she seemed lethargic. The next day at the commissary, Spielberg told her and her family, "I don't know what it is about her, but she's got the job." Her mother worked as a seamstress and her father was a carpenter. She died in 1988 at the age of 12 from intestinal stenosis - a severe bowel obstruction. 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. Heather is most known for her portrayal as Carol Anne Freeling in the 1982 hit movie Poltergeist and its sequels. O'Rourke also made a guest appearance in The New Leave It to Beaver the same year. 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. The initial examination had determined that Heather was in shock, but they also noticed that her stomach looked swollen and other signs of what strongly indicated a bowel obstruction. It seemed that he wanted to get to know Heather better and that maybe she might be right for the part after all. That would make me happy because I'd be bringing others pleasure while doing something I like. Heather O'Rourke was born on December 27, to Kathleen and Michael O'Rourke. About Latest Posts Heather had been Ill before we started shooting and her parents had been taking her to doctors. The only unanswered questions were, could she act, and more importantly, could she scream convincingly? She had an older sister, Tammy O'Rourke, who was also an actress. Still feeling the same several weeks after her last visit, she returned to her doctors office insisting that she was carrying a child and asked for another examination to be sure. Tammy O'Rourke, her older sister, is also an actress. With the filming going on, his family (Tammy, Heather, and their mother) was away from home almost 5-days out of a week. Heather O'Rourke, familiar to moviegoers as the child swept into another world by ghosts in ''Poltergeist'' and its sequel, ''Poltergeist II,'' died at Children's Hospital and Health Center in San . O'Rourke had an elder sister named Tammy, who was also an actress. If there is a sequel, a 'Poltergeist IV,' I hope it's the last. With plenty of relatives living close-by, the ORourkes and their extended family enjoyed a typical and comfortable suburban existence. He thought she was just too young (she had just turned five), and he was actually looking for a girl at least 6 years old, but he saw something in her and asked her to come in a second time with a scary story book. . Was in a school play two months before her final breath. class in school that day but never said why. More information about her husband will be updated as soon as possible. She made her debut after being discovered by director Steven Spielberg while visiting MGM studios. She made her debut after being discovered by director Steven Spielberg while visiting MGM 's studios. She quickly won the respect, admiration, and especially the affection of the entire cast and crew, and, as an added consolation for her suffering, Heather was also allowed to take home the two goldfish that had been used for one of her less scary scenes. [on the first two Poltergeist movies]: The first one I saw 12 times. Heather Michele O'Rourke was born in San Diego, California, on December 27, 1975, to Kathleen and Michael O'Rourke. The young actor played Carol-Anne Freeling in all three of Steven Spielberg's Poltergeist films and also had parts in popular TV shows Webster and Happy Days. The shot was painstakingly setup by Spielberg himself and had all the promise of being a spectacular effect on film. Monday morning, February 1st, Heather awakened for school as usual, and joined her mother who was in the kitchen preparing breakfast. Ranked #65 on VH1's '100 Greatest Kid Actors' special. She appears to be tall in his pictures. O'Rourke was buried at the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery. Heather O'Rourke had an undiagnosed birth defect Wikimedia Commons According to Heather O'Rourke's death certificate, she died from a tragic combination of an acute bowel obstruction, suspected septic shock, and cardio-respiratory arrest on February 1, 1988, just a few weeks after her 12th birthday. She spent the remainder of the day resting on the sofa, while her mother periodically checked on her. O'Rourke was also known for making numerous television appearances as a guest. By age five, barely after starting kindergarten, she would be making her first TV show appearance on ABCs Fantasy Island. And I'd be able to work on scripts. This time, doctors thought it possible that Heather was having some kind of reaction to an insect or spider bite. Still a bit shy in front of the stranger, Heather just looked at her mother, who answered for her. Heather's parents, who live in Big Bear but are also believed to have a home in San Diego, were too distraught to comment, Wardlowe said. She would never be alone though. 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. 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. O'Rourke suffered from giardiasis in 1987 and was later diagnosed with Crohn's disease. She had German, Danish, English, and Irish ancestry. The little actress never refused an autograph. Heather O'Rourke (December 27, 1975 February 1, 1988) was an American child actress. She was prescribed prednisone to treat the disease, which caused her cheeks to appear puffy and large. But the illness lingered and as pre-production for Poltergeist III approached, Heathers mother and even her agent and manager were worried that she was still ill. I wonder who the studio suit actually is, the one who murdered this young girl, mostly known for her role as Carol Anne in the Poltergeist movies. However, the girl's health kept worsening. After the miscarriage she was still feeling life inside of her. 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. Ron Pennington, a spokesman for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. This was the famous closet-sucking scene for which they used a special moveable room. Heather however, who wasnt paying particular attention to what was being said, was more interested in eating her lunch. O'Rourke studied at Big Bear Elementary School. 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. She had an older sister, Tammy O'Rourke, also an actress. When they werent acting, Heather and Tammy also kept busy with plenty of other hobbies as well. C b c mt ch gi, Tammy O'Rourke, cng l mt din vin. He then asked Heather if she had ever made a movie. Her older sister, . Her mother called out to her, and Heather came into their room and crawled into bed with them for a few hours. 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. Slightly concerned, Kathleen questioned Heather again about how she was feeling. Jej rodiia sa rozviedli v roku 1981 . Naturally, Heather was the first actor to be contacted for Poltergeist III because by now, MGM knew fully well that any future successes depended upon her. This was mainly sparked by her love of acting, but her experiences with a variety of media types and her admiration of Sylvester Stallone and Michael Landon, both of whom were long time successful actors turned directors, were further inspiration. Sam captioned the post, "From landing to TV . By the time O'Rourke was airlifted to San Diego, she was in critical condition, and the surgeons could not save her. Eventually, the medications were to be gradually reduced according to the standard of treatment and so by the end of principal filming in June of 1987, Heathers appearance began returning to normal. It is also not known if O'Rourke has any siblings. She also loved to make and sweets. Kathleen however, felt otherwise and wanted to be sure that Heather was not more ill than she seemed to be. Heather O'rourke Parents Details about her parents are not known to the public, however, she has a sibling, an elder sister. Heather O'Rourke . A child . Soon, her feet were swollen, and after more tests, doctors said she had a bacteria and prescribed some medicines to kill it. She made more toy commercials, several made-for-TV movies/specials such as Massarati and the Brain, Believe You Can, And You Can, and Surviving: A Family in Crisis, and had guest appearances on a string of the most popular primetime and syndicated shows from the 1980s such as CHiPs, Webster, Matt Houston, Finder of Lost Loves, Our House, The New Leave It To Beaver, the short-lived series Rocky Road, and lastly, Here to Stay, an unsold television pilot. Heather O'Rourke was born on December 27, 1975, in San Diego, California, to Kathleen and Michael O'Rourke. On January 31, 1988, she started vomiting and the following day, she collapsed. 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. They immediately set to the task of writing the screenplay and by the spring of 1983 (not quite a year since the release of the first Poltergeist) had completed it. That means she died of shock caused by infection in the blood, which in turn was caused by a birth defect that made a section of her intestine abnormally narrow. Tammy was still a bit too young for pre-school (nor did she particularly like that idea) and day-care would have been an additional expense, so the answer was: dance class. In addition to that, Tammy was being tutored a few hours a day to keep up with her schoolwork. The final outcome was that their parents separated, and later divorced, and the girls and their mother permanently relocated to the L.A. area. Well, after you see it a lot of times, it isn't so much. 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. They returned home and her mother was told to monitor her condition and to bring her back if needed. After a few more featured appearances in some of Heathers shows, Tammy would retire from acting for good. 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. In between TV appearances she would go on to film Poltergeist II and ultimately Poltergeist III, reprising her now famous character Carol Anne in both films. [19] On January 31, 1988, O'Rourke suddenly became ill again, vomiting and unable to keep anything in her stomach. After Heather was stabilized, her mother was informed of her critical condition and that she would have to be transported by LifeFlight helicopter to another hospital. Spielberg realized that this was Heathers way of telling him that the interview was over and so he called in her mother. 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 mother worked as a seamstress and her father was a carpenter. 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