Barbara Brady

Heather Michelle O'Rourke was born to Kathleen and Michael O'Rourke. She had a sister, Tammy O'Rourke, who was born four years before Heather. She is best remembered for being a popular young actress in the 1980s appearing on numerous television shows and the Poltergeist films where she had the starring role as Carol Anne Freeling. See Heather O'Rourke's Acting Career for a list of Heather's acting credits. Heather was born in San Diego in the final week of 1975: her mother Kathleen worked as a seamstress and her father Michael was a carpenter. Her parents divorced in 1981 and Heather lived with her mother, who remarried a part-time truck driver Jim Peele in 1984. At the time they were living in a trailer park in Anaheim. When Heather's career blossomed the family purchased a home in Big Bear Lake California. It's an interesting story how Heather was chosen for the role of Carol Anne in Steven Spielberg's Poltergeist films. Spielberg was having lunch at MGM's commissary and saw Heather eating with her mother while Heather's sister Tammy was shooting 'Pennies from Heaven'. Spielberg offered her the part after his lunch and the following day she was signed, beating Drew Barrymore who was also up for the role. Heather died at only 12 years old on February 1, 1988 in Rady Children’s Hospital, San Diego, California of congenital stenosis of the intestine. She is buried in Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park & Mortuary in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California. See a lovely video showing numerous photos taken during Heather's short life at Heather O'Rourke (1975-1988) and see another video showing her mother talking about Heather's passing, the attorney Heather's mother hired to sue the hospital where Heather passed, and her costar talking about the deaths of other actors after they filmed Poltergeist at Show Biz Today - Memory of Heather O'Rourke - June 14, 1988.