Amy Steel

For the netball player, see Amy Steel (netball).

Amy Steel
Born	(1960-05-03) May 3, 1960 (age 64)
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1980–2004, 2009, 2013, 2014, 2021–present
Children	2

Amy Steel (born May 3, 1960) ^[1] is an American film and television actress. She made her acting debut in the comedy film Fat Chance (1981) directed by Manuel Summers. She then gained recognition for her role as aspiring child psychologist Ginny in the Steve Miner-directed horror film Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981). She had other movie roles in the mystery April Fool's Day (1986), the slapstick Walk Like a Man (1987), the thriller Play Nice (1992), and the anthology Tales of Poe (2014).

Steel had lead roles in the science fiction television series The Powers of Matthew Star (1982–83) and the drama For Love and Honor (1983–84)—both series aired for one season. Outside of these leading roles, she had guest appearances in shows such as Family Ties (1982), The A-Team (1983), Quantum Leap (1990), Home Improvement (1994), American Gothic (1995), and Millennium (1997). Steel additionally acted in television films such as First Steps (1985) and What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1991).

She portrayed Dr. Ginny Field in the fan film Jason Rising (2021) — reprising her Friday the 13th character in a voice role.

Career

Film

Steel made her theatrical debut in Manuel Summers' comedy film Fat Chance (1981), in which she portrayed the supporting role of Allison. ^[2] The same year, Steel obtained the lead role of Ginny Field in Steve Miner's slasher film Friday the 13th Part 2 , a sequel to Friday the 13th (1980). She won the role through an audition, and it went on to become one of her most recognizable performances. ^{[3] [4]} Steel had two days of shooting in the daytime and the rest at night. ^[5] The shoot was physically and mentally exhausting for the actress to the point of her stating: "I hope I never have to do another horror film the rest of my life." ^[5] The film earned over $21 million ($71 million inflated) at the box office. ^[6] Steel turned down a sequel offer due to her agent pushing her for higher-budgeted roles and being exhausted from the second film. ^[7] Steel's next feature role was Kit in Fred Walton's hybrid black comedy mystery slasher film April Fool's Day (1986) which she described as a different shooting experience compared to Friday. Steel appeared as Penny in Melvin Frank's comedy Walk Like a Man (1987), opposite Howie Mandel. ^[8] The film grossed $460k ($1 million inflated). ^[9]

I think it would be really cool to come back as Ginny again. The funny thing is that I've never been asked since Part 3. But I think it's time to see Ginny again in a Friday the 13th movie. She has some unfinished business.

—Steel on the possibility of returning to the Friday the 13th series ^[10]

In 2014, Steel made her first acting appearance in 11 years in the anthology horror film Tales of Poe . She starred alongside Adrienne King and Caroline Williams. In 2021, Steel appeared as Dr. Ginny Field in the medium-length horror film Jason Rising: A Friday the 13th Fan Film — in a voice role cameo. ^[11]

Television

Steel began her career with guest roles on the CBS soap opera Guiding Light alongside fellow Friday the 13th star Kevin Bacon, as Trudy Wilson from 1980–1981, and as Peggy Warner on All My Children in 1980. In 1982, Steel had guest roles on the television series Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1982) as Allison Freleng, Family Ties (1982) as Stephanie Brooks (Michael J. Fox's character's first sexual encounter), CHiPs as Kelly Monahan, The A-Team (1983) as Kathy Ludlam, before being cast as Pam Elliott in the sci-fi series The Powers of Matthew Star alongside Peter Barton, who went on to appear in Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter . The series lasted until 1983. She was subsequently cast in the television films Women of San Quentin (1983) as Liz Larson and First Steps (1985) as Nan Davis. From 1983–1984, Steel portrayed Sharon on the short lived television series For Love and Honor.

In 1985, she had a guest appearance in Stir Crazy as Lisa Grant. The following year, Steel was cast in the television thriller film The Red Spider. In 1987, and again in 1989, Steel a guest roles in Jake and the Fatman . In 1990, Steel guest starred on Father Dowling Mysteries and Quantum Leap before being cast as Connie in the television film What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? , a remake of the 1962 film of the same name. The same year, she guest starred on China Beach and Walter & Emily . In 1992, Steel was cast in the television film Perry Mason: The Case of the Reckless Romeo . The same year, she was cast in the horror film Play Nice.

In 1994, Steel guest starred on Viper , Home Improvement and Diagnosis: Murder before being cast in the television films Ray Alexander: A Taste for Justice and The Innocent . In 1995, she was cast in the television series The Commish and the television film Damaged and Deceived. In 1996, she guest starred on American Gothic and Chicago Hope . The following year, she portrayed Dr. Liz Michaels in an episode of Millennium . In 1999, Steel was cast in the films Valerie Flake and Tycus . The following year, she portrayed Commander Samantha Woodling in a guest appearance on JAG .

In 2003, Steel was cast as Claire Goodman Isenberg in the television film A Time to Remember . After this role, Steel took an extensive break from acting and became a psychotherapist.

Personal life

During the filming of the 1985 television film First Steps, Steel developed a friendship with Nan Davis. In an interview, Steel said:

"We have a good relationship, we don't fret if we don't talk for a month. The filming ended last May, and we've seen each other two or three times since then. We get on the phone and it's as if we've not been out of touch at all." ^[12]

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1981	Fat Chance	Alison
1981	Friday the 13th Part 2	Ginny Field
1983	Exposed	Party Guest	Cameo[ citation needed ]
1986	April Fool's Day	Kit Graham	[13]
1987	Walk Like a Man	Penny	[13]
1992	Play Nice	Nancy
1999	Valerie Flake	Denise
1999	Tycus	Little Girl's Mother	Direct-to-video film [13]
2014	Tales of Poe	Mother of Dreams / Poetic Narrator
2021	Jason Rising: A Friday the 13th Fan Film	Dr. Ginny Field	Voice role [11]

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1980	All My Children	Peggy Warner	Recurring role
1980–1981	Guiding Light	Trudy Wilson	Recurring role
1982	Seven Brides for Seven Brothers	Allison Frelang	1 episode
1982–1983	The Powers of Matthew Star	Pam Elliott	Main role
1982	Family Ties	Stephanie Brooks	1 episode
1983	CHiPs	Kelly Monahan	1 episode
1983	The A-Team	Kathy Ludlam	1 episode
1983	Women of San Quentin	Liz Larson	Television film
1983–1984	For Love and Honor	Sharon	12 episodes
1985	Stir Crazy	Lisa Grant	1 episode
1985	First Steps	Nan Davis	Television film
1987–1989	Jake and the Fatman	Samantha Shay / Mia Delaine	2 episodes
1987	Home Fires	Cathy Ash	Television film
1987	The Red Spider	Kate O'Day	Television film
1990	Father Dowling Mysteries	Murphy	1 episode
1990	Quantum Leap	Maggie Spontini	1 episode
1991	China Beach	Maria Koloski	1 episode
1991	Walter & Emily	Ginny	1 episode
1991	What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?	Connie Trotter	Television film
1992	Perry Mason: The Case of the Reckless Romeo	Roxanne Shields	Television film
1993	Space Rangers	Sarah Boon	1 episode
1993	Time Trax	Laura Darrow	1 episode
1994	Viper	Lisa Hinkle	1 episode
1994	Home Improvement	Eve	1 episode [13]
1994	Diagnosis: Murder	Jenny Morley	1 episode
1994	Ray Alexander: A Taste for Justice	Dr. Gail Baker	Television film
1994	The Innocent	Molly	Television film
1995	The Commish	Rhonda Shonick	1 episode
1995	Abandoned and Deceived	N/A	Television film
1996	American Gothic	Christie	1 episode
1996	Chicago Hope	Lisa Erickson	1 episode [13]
1997	Millennium	Dr. Liz Michaels	Episode: "A Single Blade of Grass"
2000	JAG	Commander Samantha Woodling	1 episode [13]
2003	A Time to Remember	Claire Goodman Isenberg	Television film
2009	His Name Was Jason: 30 Years of Friday the 13th	Herself	Television documentary

References

1. "Amy Steel". AllMovie . Retrieved March 31, 2020.
2. Keneas, Alex (November 27, 1982). "Fat characters, thin comedy". Newsday . Retrieved July 22, 2021.
3. Carman, Jay (March 17, 1985). "'First Steps' changed Amy Steel's life". The Index-Journal. p. 47. Retrieved July 22, 2021.
4. Wixson, Heather (March 5, 2010). "Dread Central's Final Girls: Amy Steel". Dread Central. Retrieved October 15, 2016.
5. "Celebrity". The Palm Beach Post . June 13, 1981. p. 26. Retrieved July 22, 2021.
6. "Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981)". The Numbers . Retrieved July 10, 2015.
7. "The Girl That Got Away from Jason: An Interview with Amy Steel from Friday the 13th Part 2". January 13, 2017.
8. Eldridge, John (June 1, 1987). "'Walk Like a Man' dogs it as a comedy". The Miami News . p. 17. Retrieved July 22, 2021.
9. "Walk Like a Man (1987)". The Numbers . Retrieved July 22, 2021.
10. "Dread Central's Final Girls: Amy Steel". Dread Central . US. March 5, 2010.
11. "Jason Rising – A Friday the 13th Fan Film". Indiegogo . Retrieved August 28, 2021.
12. Hill, Michael (March 17, 1985). "AMY STEEL'First Steps,' a Film That 'Meant Something to Me' BY MICHAEL E. HILL". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
13. Collum, Jason Paul (January 27, 2015). Assault of the Killer B's. McFarland. p. 86. ISBN   978-0-7864-8041-8.

External links

• Amy Steel at IMDb
• Amy Steel on Twitter