Do you recall the "Poltergeist" movies, especially the first one that came out in 1982?
Do you remember Heather O'Rourke, the young actress who played the youngest daughter in the Freeling family, Carol Anne?
O'Rourke made three "Poltergeist" movies in the 1980s. Her line, "They're here," probably was as recognizable as Jack Nicholson's cryptic "He–e–e–ere's Johnny!" had been a few years earlier in "The Shining."
In 1987, O'Rourke apparently was misdiagnosed with Crohn's disease. Early in 1988, she became ill and collapsed, suffered cardiac arrest during surgery and died.
She was 12 at the time of her death.
Anyway, I mention O'Rourke because today would have been her 35th birthday.
It seems strange to me to wonder what O'Rourke might have done in the last 23 years. In my mind, she will always be the little girl in "Poltergeist."
If she had lived, I might always have thought of "Poltergeist" whenever I saw her, much the way people of my parents' generation always thought of Dorothy in "The Wizard of Oz" when they saw Judy Garland.
Perhaps I instinctively knew that "Poltergeist" would be the signature of her career, no matter how long that career might be.
I doubt that I suspected that she would die so young. I'm just saying that it may have been one of those cases where you just know that nothing else the actor/actress ever does will match what you're looking at.
Of course, when I think about it, I've never really been able to anticipate what child actors may go on to do — or if they are going to do anything else — in movies or television.
Some, like Jodie Foster, make the transition from child roles to adult roles and enjoy a successful career that includes some quality productions, some award nominations, even an Oscar.
Far more, though, seem to endure troubled and reckless adolescences. If they survive them, they often seem to mostly disappear from public view and only re–appear when they are in trouble with the law.
O'Rourke occupied a third category, I guess. She doesn't seem to have been a troubled kid — perhaps she would have become one if she had lived into her teens. Perhaps she would have had a Foster–like career if fate had not intervened.
I don't know if she would have remained in the business or if she would have pursued a different career path. She did very little outside of the "Poltergeist" films. She didn't have enough time.
Of course, many child actors turn out to be visually appealing but little else — and when they outgrow their childhood cuteness, nothing is left. I don't know if that would have been the case with O'Rourke, but I always sensed there were talents within her. Whether those talents would have been seen on the silver screen or in some other pursuit, I do not know.
It is probably safe to say that, by the age of 35, she may well have had children of her own. She may have been leading a very public life or a very private one. No one can say.
I only know she was far too young to die.
