Wikipedia

Desiree Gould

Desiree Joan Gould (March 27, 1945 – May 24, 2021) was an American actress. She was known for her role as Aunt Martha in the 1983 slasher film Sleepaway Camp.[3][4][5]

Desiree Gould
Desiree Gould in 2009
Born
Desiree Joan Gould[1]

(1945-03-27)March 27, 1945
New York City, U.S.
DiedMay 24, 2021(2021-05-24) (aged 76)[2]
OccupationActress
Years active1979–2014 (acting)
1992–2021 (real estate)
Notable workSleepaway Camp (1983)

Early life

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Desiree Gould was born on March 27, 1945,[6] in New York City.[7] She was the daughter of a Jewish mother and a Russian-Italian father.[8] When she was five years old, she took singing and tap-dancing classes, later having vocal training with Harry Garland, Roger Leonard, Herb Greene, developing a mezzo-soprano vocal range for musical theater, while she later took lessons in Ballet at the New York Conservatory of Dance, with Pat Doukodovsky, and, the Ballet Academy East, with Don Paradise.[9] This led to her desire to choose acting as a career path, which did not immediately occur, and she spent over twenty years between several different jobs, before deciding to take acting classes,[7] training with the Gene Feist Theatre Foundation, Barbara Loden Actor's Workshop, Paul Mann Actor's Workshop, Warren Robinson, HB Studio, and, Boston Center for the Arts.[9]

Career

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Acting

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In the beginning of her acting career, she appeared in commercials and theater productions, and received her first on-screen role at the age of 33, appearing in the 1979 television film You Can't Go Home Again, starring Lee Grant, and based on the 1940 novel of the same name by Thomas Wolfe.[10] She was introduced to casting director Mary Jo Slater, who cast Gould in brief guest roles in television soap operas including One Life to Live, The Edge of Night, and Love of Life.[7][9]

She is most recognized for her role as Aunt Martha in the 1983 cult classic slasher horror Sleepaway Camp, in which she plays the eccentric aunt of character Angela (Felissa Rose), and mother of Ricky (Jonathan Tiersten).[11] Gould received the part when she was with the agency Marje Fields Talent in Manhattan, and her agent, Dorothy Scott, urged her to audition for the role. She appeared in just two scenes in the film. Gould was contacted in November 2000 to participate in an interview with Sleepawaycampfilms.com,[12] followed by an appearance at the "Sleepaway Camp Reunion" convention in April 2001,[13] as well as a 2008 documentary Return to Sleepaway Camp: Behind the Scenes,[14] and the 2014 documentary At the Waterfront After the Social: The Legacy of Sleepaway Camp.[14]

Despite the success of Sleepaway Camp, Gould decided to refrain from acting for several years in order to become a real estate agent, before making an official return in 2006, when she was cast in Under Surveillance (also known as Dark Chamber), which featured her Sleepaway Camp co-star Felissa Rose.[15] Her more recent credits include a short film titled Caesar and Otto meet Dracula's Lawyer (2010),[16][17] a guest appearance on the television series Joe Zaso's Cafe Himbo (2011),[18] and, a role in the anthology film Tales of Poe (2014).[19]

She performed in a number of films including The Switch, Morning Glory, Going the Distance, and, Arthur, and the television series, Law & Order, Damages, and, Mercy.[9]

In the past, she has served as a member of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA).[20]

Real estate

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Gould went on to a successful career in real estate for Douglas Elliman[7] in 1992, while still appearing on films in between her real estate career. She left the firm in 2012.[21] Gould worked for Halstead Property real estate from 2013 up until her death.[21] She was licensed to sell property in New York and Florida, and served as a member of The Real Estate Board of New York and The Long Island Board of Realtors.[20]

Death

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Gould died on May 24, 2021, at the age of 76. The cause of death was not disclosed.[2][22][23][24]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes Ref(s)
1983 Sleepaway Camp Aunt Martha Thomas Also known as Nightmare Vacation [25]
2006 Under Surveillance Norma Besler Also known as Dark Chamber [15]
2010 Caesar and Otto Meet Dracula's Lawyer Deborah Short film [26]
2014 Tales of Poe Nurse Malliard Segment: "The Tell-Tale Heart" [19]

Television

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Year Title Role Notes Ref(s)
1979 You Can't Go Home Again Hooker Television film [9]
Unknown One Life to Live Nurse Soap opera [7]
Unknown The Edge of Night Angelica Soap opera [7]
Unknown All My Children Wedding Party Guest Soap opera [9]
Unknown Love of Life Margo Soap opera [7]
2011 Joe Zaso's Cafe Himbo Herself 1 episode [27]

Stage

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References

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  1. ^ "Desiree Gould". Verifythem.com. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
  2. ^ a b Squires, John (May 25, 2021). "[R.I.P.] 'Sleepaway Camp' Actress Desiree Gould Has Passed Away". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  3. ^ Whittaker, Richard (May 31, 2014). "DVDanger: Robert Hiltzik on 'Sleepaway Camp'". The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  4. ^ Goldman, Eric (November 24, 2018). "Sleepaway Camp Blu-ray Review". IGN. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  5. ^ Rouner, Jef (August 31, 2016). "The New Sleepaway Camp and How to Love Problematic Things". Houston Press. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  6. ^ "Desiree Gould, 76". Classic Images (553): 43. September 2021.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g Gould, Desiree (Interviewee) (August 23, 2008). A conversation with Desiree Gould. Fourth Horizon Cinema on YouTube. Retrieved June 5, 2018.
  8. ^ indiemacuser (May 25, 2021). "Actress Desiree Gould (Sleepaway Camp) passes away". Indie Mac User. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Desiree Gould". Cni.castingnetworks.com. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved May 5, 2018.
  10. ^ "You Can't Go Home Again". tcm.com. Archived from the original on May 6, 2021. Retrieved November 26, 2022.
  11. ^ Hough, Q.V. (July 16, 2021). "Know the Cast: 'Sleepaway Camp'". vaguevisages.com. Retrieved November 26, 2022.
  12. ^ "Interview With Desiree Gould (2000 & 2001)". Sleepawaycampfilms.com. Retrieved June 6, 2018.
  13. ^ "Sleepaway Camp Reunion". Returntosleepawaycamp.com. Retrieved June 5, 2018.
  14. ^ a b "Sleepaway Camp Behind the Scenes". Returntosleepawaycamp.com. Retrieved June 5, 2018.
  15. ^ a b "Dark Chamber". Us.davecampfield.com. Archived from the original on February 11, 2019. Retrieved June 5, 2018.
  16. ^ "Caesar and Otto meet Dracula's Lawyer". Blu-ray.com. Retrieved June 5, 2018.
  17. ^ "Caesar & Otto Meet Dracula's Lawyer". YouTube. May 4, 2016. Retrieved June 5, 2018.
  18. ^ "Joe Zaso's Cafe Himbo with Desiree Gould". YouTube. January 1, 2012. Retrieved June 5, 2018.
  19. ^ a b "Tales of Poe - Finishing Funds for Poe's anthology". Kickstarter.com. Retrieved June 5, 2018.
  20. ^ a b "Agent Profile Desiree Gould". Halstead.com. Archived from the original on August 6, 2013. Retrieved June 6, 2018.
  21. ^ a b "Desiree Gould". LinkedIn. Retrieved June 5, 2018.
  22. ^ Dick, Jeremy (May 25, 2021). "Desiree Gould Dies, Sleepaway Camp Star Was 76". movie web.com. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
  23. ^ Hamman, Cody (May 25, 2021). "R.I.P.: Sleepaway Camp's Desiree Gould has passed away at 76". joblo.com. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
  24. ^ Sprague, Mike (May 26, 2021). "RIP: SLEEPAWAY CAMP Star Desiree Gould Has Died at 76". deadcentral.com. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
  25. ^ Lentz, Harris M. (2001). Science Fiction, Horror & Fantasy Film and Television Credits, Vol. 2: Filmography (2nd ed.). p. 1527. ISBN 978-0786409518.
  26. ^ "Caesar & Otto Meet Dracula's Lawyer Short Horror". YouTube. May 4, 2016. Retrieved June 9, 2022.
  27. ^ "Joe Zaso's Cafe Himbo with Desiree Gould". YouTube. January 1, 2012. Retrieved June 9, 2022.
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