Her favorite movie of all time was Disney's. The work-ups consisted of X-rays and other imaging studies of Heathers stomach and intestines. Was an avid reader; her former 7th Grade English teacher honors this passion of hers by making all her students observe what she calls "Heather O'Rourke Love of Reading Week"; the last book she was reading was "Anne Frank: The Diary of A Young Girl". O'Rourkeov navtevovala zkladn kolu v Big Bear Lake v Kalifornii, kde bola predsednkou triedy v piatom ronku. Heather O'Rourke's unexpected death in 1988 at the age of 12 sent shock waves across the entertainment industry. Heather O'rourke is an American journalist working for WABC-TV in New York serving as a traffic reporter. 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. O'Rourke, Heather . Egy nvre szletett, Tammy. In January 1987, Heather began to have flu-like symptoms and her legs and feet swelled. 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. Heather is most known for her portrayal as Carol Anne Freeling in the 1982 hit movie Poltergeist and its sequels. Heather O'Rourke Height and Weight. That crap story ended up killing the girl." Due to these facts, we have retracted the original story. Heather O'Rourke Husband O'Rourke is very private about her personal life therefore it is not known if she is in any relationship. Born In: Santee, California, United States, place of death: Encinitas, California, United States. At first, they didnt recognize him but when he introduced himself as Steven Spielberg to them, they became quite flustered. O'Rourke likes spending her free time with her husband . The ORourkes family and closest friends consoled and supported the grieving couple as they coped with their loss, and they resolved to get on with their lives. 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. . For a pet, she had a St. Bernard. This proved to be a wise choice because MGM studios had big plans for her future. She also holds the distinction of being the youngest (age 5 at the time) actor/actress to utter the line that made the list. 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. Mr. ORourke was a carpenter by trade, and Mrs. ORourke occasionally worked part-time in order to help make ends meet. I'm tired of this one, kind of. Heather however, who wasnt paying particular attention to what was being said, was more interested in eating her lunch. 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. After Heather was born, Tammy continued with classes and performances until her teacher took her mother aside one day and said that she was good enough to consider her dancing not just a hobby, but a serious talent that could be developed. That miracle was finally realized when, two days after Christmas 1975, in San Diego, California, Heather Michele ORourke was born. Tammy received this praise with enthusiasm and began dancing in small productions and entering local talent shows, often coming home with top honors. 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. LOS ANGELES (AP) The death of 12-year-old Poltergeist actress Heather O'Rourke was distinctly unusual because she lacked prior symptoms of the bowel defect that reportedly killed her, gastrointestinal doctors say. More information about her husband will be updated as soon as possible. While her family was initially too distraught to make a statement, after. Her mother noticed her fingers were blue and her hands were cold. Well, after you see it a lot of times, it isn't so much. 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. Despite this impressive resume, Heather remained largely undiscovered until director Steven Spielberg happened upon her by chance. She has managed to keep her personal life away from the limelight hence she has not disclosed any information about her parents. The shock prompted full cardiac and pulmonary arrest. O'Rourke had an elder sister named Tammy, who was also an actress. 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. Next day, again at lunch, Spielberg was back at their table and this time he sat and talked for a little while. When the Pennies from Heaven production would break at noon everyday, Tammy would join Heather and their mother for lunch in the legendary MGM Studios Commissary which, at mealtimes, was often packed with any number of directors, actors, and hundreds of stage personnel, all of them hungry. A top entertainment lawyer has confirmed that the child star of movie Poltergeist, Heather O'Rourke, was killed by an elite Hollywood pedophile ring. 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. 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. Unfortunately, the rising star met a tragic end at the young age of 12; she died of complications caused by a misdiagnosed intestinal stenosis. So, while Heather was gone filming, the house in Big Bear was sold and they began the moving process. The next morning, February 1, sitting at the breakfast table, she couldn't swallow her toast or Gatorade. 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. They had also overlooked one other important detail: No one had yet contacted any of the original cast most of whom by then, had thriving careers and other commitments, but with a larger production budget than the first film, they were able to avoid disaster by offering generous financial compensation. A year later, she appeared in Poltergeist III, the third installment of the Poltergeist film series. She told Heather to get dressed but shortly after getting up from the table, Heather cried out to her mother as she slumped to the floor holding her stomach. She suffered a cardiac arrest while being taken to the hospital. It is also not known if O'Rourke has any siblings. Her facial features were puffier than usual in Poltergeist 3, due to the . In one early collaboration, a genuine sister act, Tammy did a dance routine while Heather sang. Drugs were commonplace. Heather O'Rourke Parents and Siblings. 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. 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. 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. It was both Heather and Tammys love of sweets (especially chocolate) that gave them the idea to share their delicious obsession with other Big Bear residents by becoming entrepreneurs for a while. Back then it never crossed my mind that the girl could have been sexually abused. With the actors now secure, they found their director in Brian Gibson, an Englishman who had directed many projects for British film and television but was a relative newcomer to the U.S. film industry. She is best remembered for her roles of 'Carol Anne Freeling' in the Poltergeist horror movie franchise (1982, 1986, and 1988). She started with tap lessons, and liked it so much that after a short time began performing in little recitals with her class. Heather already had a small list of non-acting credits to her name. She was 12. Heather O'Rourke's death at the age of 12 is well-documented because of a medical malpractice lawsuit her parents filed against her doctors for misdiagnosing the condition blamed for her death. When MGM started the Pennies from Heaven production in the summer of 1980, rehearsing and filming was several days a week beginning early in the morning and often lasting all day long. He asked her to scream a lot. She planned to attend UCLA and major in filmmaking. Before O'Rourke began acting, the family lived in a trailer park in Anaheim. She had Irish, English, German, and Danish ancestry. The paramedics asked her how she was feeling. The overwhelming infection and build-up of bacterial toxins eventually caused septic shock, and the situation was now life-threatening and required immediate emergency surgery to remove the obstruction and to repair Heathers small intestine. He had not yet found a suitable actress to play a key role in the movie though and as the project took shape, began running out of time. Finally, he cued her for a screaming demonstration. When I have to look really frightened, I concentrate on scary things like losing my kittens or something like that. Heather bubbled with enthusiasm about this film and to the amusement of her co-stars became an active participant in technical and other discussions at script readings and frequently offered her professional opinion and advice. If there is a sequel, a 'Poltergeist IV,' I hope it's the last. Performed from age 3 in numerous commercials before her, As a gift from the crew, she got to keep the goldfish from. Heather O'Rourke was the child actress made famous by Poltergeist, directed by Steven Speilberg . And I'd be able to work on scripts. 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. Heather O'Rourke's Husband, Children/Kids O'Rourke is married to her lovely spouse, whose names are currently under review. Heather O'Rourke's Parents and Siblings. Now thoroughly alarmed, Kathleen called the local hospital, which advised her to bring Heather in right away. Heather was started on medication for Crohns disease to minimize further inflammation and damage to her intestine. Laboratory tests soon revealed what was causing her illness: Heathers intestinal tract had become infected with a microorganism called Giardia lamblia, which was common in mountain and other wilderness areas and usually contracted by drinking from an untreated water source. Heather O'rourke Husband Heather is a married woman. The film, which was released in 1982, made her an instant child star. In 1982, O'Rourke was also cast in the recurring role of Heather Pfister in the television series Happy Days. 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. Heather Michele O'Rourke (December 27, 1975 - February 1, 1988) [3] was an American child actress. She joined the station in October 2011. 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 Her father Jzsef Barsi was an abusive alcoholic, who steadily grew more . 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. They finally decided upon a road trip and so Heathers stepfather Jim Peele, also a part-time truck driver, drove Heather and her mother in the tractor of his semi-trailer rig from Chicago to Disney World in Florida and back across the southeastern United States, finally arriving in California at the end of August. 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 thanked them, said goodbye to Heather (who ignored him and continued eating her lunch) and left. She appears to be tall in his pictures. This was not only convenient, but also proved to be providential because two years later Heathers next big role was playing herself in a made-for-TV special entitled: Believe You CanAnd You Can! The story revolved around Heather at Disneyland and would be filmed entirely on location. Heather O'Rourke is a Capricorn and was born in The Year of the Rabbit Life Heather O'Rourke was born in Santee, CA on Saturday, December 27, 1975 (Generation X generation). One scene in particular was very physically demanding and could not be performed convincingly with a stunt double. Her mother worked as a seamstress and her father was a carpenter. Drew Barrymore had auditioned, but Spielberg felt she wasnt quite right for that particular movie (he gave her a part in ET instead though, which launched her career) and so he kept on looking. Details about O'rourke's husband are not available currently. During the month that followed, Kathleen recovered emotionally somewhat but continued to feel all the normal symptoms, and still show some signs, of being pregnant. 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. class in school that day but never said why. He left his card, and they arranged an interview and a scream test. 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. The following clip showed him strolling down the street at 2 a.m., heading to work. Was given the clapperboard from her final movie Poltergeist III. She had an older sister, Tammy O'Rourke, also an actress. This time, doctors thought it possible that Heather was having some kind of reaction to an insect or spider bite. 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. She was only twelve years old. Actress. Shortly before pre-production on Poltergeist III was to start, Heather began to show signs and symptoms of a kind of illness never before seen by her mother. She also loved to make and sweets. O'Rourke had an elder sister named Tammy, who was also an actress. 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. A multitalented girl, she was skilled in drawing, calligraphy, singing, and dancing. It is also not known if O'Rourke has any siblings. The next day he offered the role to her. 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. They, along with their mother and stepfather, enjoyed outdoor activities too and as a family, would ski together in winter, and in summer go on long bicycle rides through the picturesque areas that surrounded their home. But the first time you see it, it really jumps you. 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. Kathleen however, felt otherwise and wanted to be sure that Heather was not more ill than she seemed to be. 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 . Ever since completing the first Poltergeist, Heather had marveled about its success to her agent and so was not totally taken by surprise when he contacted her about reprising her role in a sequel so soon after the original. However, the real cause of her death might be infinitely more disturbing: Hollywood depravity. 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. By the end of summer, they had completed their relocation back to East San Diego County, settling in Lakeside, which was very close to Santee. 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 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. This caused countless parents to believe that the movie was OK for children to watch. 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 had an older sister, Tammy O'Rourke, who was also an actress. 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. She had German, Danish, English, and Irish ancestry. Soon enough she was earning an estimated $100,000 a year, money which her parents came to depend on. 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. You meet a lot of people. However, the surgery did not help and the little girl died later that day. Kathleens maternal instincts told her otherwise though, and she declined to have anything done and instead, waited. She is best remembered for her roles of 'Carol Anne Freeling' in the Poltergeist horror movie franchise (1982, 1986, and 1988). She died during surgery in 1988 after being misdiagnosed with Crohn's disease. [4] Spielberg [photo with Heather] promptly casted her in the horror film Poltergeist (1982) as Carol Anne Freeling, Tammy O'Rourke, her older sister, is also an actress. Spielberg was looking for a. After a few more featured appearances in some of Heathers shows, Tammy would retire from acting for good. When she told her doctor, he assured her that the condition would pass but as a precaution, suggested that she have a procedure to remedy what might be the cause. The first one really kept you going. O'Rourke also made a guest appearance in The New Leave It to Beaver the same year. Producer Steven Spielberg came up to them and wanted O'Rourke for the part of Carol Anne. . 95 8 1 Pepperann. She is 46 years old and is a Capricorn. Heather O'Rourke Family O'Rourke has managed to keep her personal life away from the limelight hence she has not disclosed any information about her parents. Owing to her success, her family was able to purchase a house in Big Bear Lake, California. She may not have felt well, but Heather seldom, if ever, complained about feeling sick, and so eventually she went to the class. 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