Poltergeist Actress Zelda Rubinstein Dies

Published on January 28, 2010 by Martyn Conterio · View Comments

zela She was only 4ft 3 inches, but made a great impact as the medium in Tobe Hooper’s Poltergeist way back in the early 1980s. Her role as the psychic helping the family appeared in the two sequels, also. The actress suffered a heart attack and died at L.A.’s Barlow Respiratory Hospital. She was 76 years old.

Her other screen appearances included Sixteen Candles and Southland Tales. Coming to the public’s attention later on in her life – she made her debut in 1981′s Under the Rainbow – her distinct squeaky, yet, calm voice and small height made her instantly recognisable. She was even parodied by Jim Carrey in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective.

But it will always be her role as Tangina in the Poltergeist movies that people will remember her by. Her other interests including campaigning and charity work for a range of causes in including AIDS awareness and setting up a theatre company for small people.

Zelda Rubinstein, actress

1934 – 2010