Lesleh Donaldson (born April 7, 1964) is a Canadian actress who has worked in stage and film. After making her film debut in the drama Running (1979), she would appear in several horror films in the early 1980s, which earned her the title of "scream queen" among genre fans.[1] These films include: Funeral Home (1980), Happy Birthday to Me (1981), Curtains (1983), and Deadly Eyes (1982). She also had a featured guest appearance on the Friday the 13th: The Series (1987).
Lesleh Donaldson | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 7, 1964 |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1979–present |
Early life
editDonaldson was born in Toronto, Ontario. As a child, she studied at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Canada and appeared in early television commercials for Ford automobiles, as well as print ads for Sears.[2] Donaldson's father was a professional operatic tenor.[2]
Career
editIn the late 1970s, she appeared in several made-for-television movies including On My Own about a teenager suffering from epilepsy.[3]
Her first theatrical film appearance was in Running (1979) starring Michael Douglas.[2] She then starred in a number of theatrically released horror movies, including William Fruet's Funeral Home (also known as Cries in the Night) (1980), J. Lee Thompson's Happy Birthday to Me (1981), Deadly Eyes (1982) and Curtains (1983).
In 1982 Lesleh was nominated for the Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role Genie Award for her performance in Funeral Home. She also appeared in an episode of the television horror series Friday the 13th: The Series.
Filmography
editMovies
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Running | Andrea Andropolis | |
| 1980 | Funeral Home | Heather | |
| 1981 | Happy Birthday to Me | Bernadette O'Hara | |
| 1982 | Deadly Eyes | Martha | |
| 1983 | Thanks for the Ride | Short | |
| Curtains | Christie Burns | ||
| 1987 | Hearts of Fire | Penny | |
| 1992 | Hurt Penguins | Norma | |
| 1994 | You Love Me I Hate You | Mother | Short |
| 2010 | What the F*ck Doug E. Doug? | Woman in park | |
| 2011 | Octoberfeast | Heather | Video |
| 2014 | Fall to Rise | Melanie | |
| The Night Before Easter | Janice Sykes | ||
| Tales of Poe | Evelyn Dyck / Woman in black | ||
| In the Future Love Will Also | Multiple (Voice) | Short | |
| Behind Bars | Nancy | Short | |
| 2017 | Swamp Freak | Professor Belinda Southworth | Voice Role |
| 2017 | Witness Protection | Eleanor | Television film |
| 2018 | Abnormal Attraction | Anne | |
| 2018 | A Simple Favor | Bus Tourist |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Hot Wheels | TV Short | |
| 1983 | The Littlest Hobo | Natalie Wilson | 1 Episode, Second Sight |
| 1984 | Special People | Robin | TV movie |
| 1985 | The Undergrads | Kim Barrett | TV movie |
| Star Wars: Droids | Kea Moll | 13 episodes | |
| 1986 | Adderly | Dale | 1 Episode, Brotherly Love |
| Ewoks | 13 episodes | ||
| 1987 | Friday the 13th: The Series | Lyla | 1 Episode, The Great Montarro |
| 1988 | Night Heat | Janet Crossleigh | 1 Episode, Woof |
| Chasing Rainbows | TV mini-series | ||
| 1994 | Street Legal | Carol Murphy | 1 Episode, The Firm |
| 2011 | Joe Zaso's Cafe Himbo | Guest Star | |
| 2015 | High Falls | Lulu | 3 episodes |
| 2018 | The Handmaid's Tale | Neighbouring Martha #2 | 1 Episode, The Word |
| 2019 | Jett | Sweeney's Sister | 1 Episode, "Frank Sweeney" |
Stage credits
edit| Title | Venue |
|---|---|
| The Diary of Anne Frank | Manitoba Theatre Centre |
| Criminals in Love | The Factory Theatre |
| The Moundbuilders | Equity Showcase Theatre |
| You Can't Take It With You | Manitoba Theatre Centre |
| Burn This | Manitoba Theatre Centre |
| How Could You, Mrs. Dick | Winter Garden & Tivoli |
| Wonderful Tennessee[4] | Sanford Meisner Theatre |
References
edit- ^ Doupe, Tyler (March 31, 2014). "Scream Queens of the '80s: Where Are They Now?". ComingSoon.net. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
- ^ a b c "Losing Her Head: An Interview with Lesleh Donaldson". Terror Trap. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
- ^ "Official Website - bio". Official Website. Archived from the original on 2009-10-04. Retrieved 2011-09-04.
- ^ Willis, John, ed. (2000). Theatre World 1997–1998. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 133. ISBN 978-1-557-83409-6.