 |
Eileen Dietz | |
|---|---|
 Dietz in 2017 | |
| Born | January 11, 1944 Queens, NY, U.S. |
| Other names | Eileen Dietz Elber Eileen Scott |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1963–present |
| Height | 157 cm (5 ft 1 in) |
| Website | http://www.eileendietz.com |
Eileen Dietz (born January 11, 1944) is an American actress who is best known for her appearances in many horror films such as the face of the demon in The Exorcist and for her portrayal of characters on the soap operas Guiding Light and General Hospital .
As a child, Dietz appeared in commercials with her twin sister Marianne DeFossey, and beginning at the age of 12 she started studying acting at the Neighborhood Playhouse. She made her television debut in 1963 in a small guest role on The Doctors . Shortly thereafter she landed a recurring role on the soap opera Love of Life . She made her film debut starring in the 1966 movie Teenage Gang Debs as Ellie. The following year she portrayed Penny Wohl in the critically acclaimed independent film David Holzman's Diary . The film never got much in the way of theatrical distribution despite having Dietz's nude scene featured in Life Magazine's photo spread and in the book of the film. She did not recall if she auditioned for the role of Penny but she added, "it was a fun shoot." [1]
Dietz spent much of the late 1960s and early 1970s appearing in theatre productions. She notably appeared Off-Broadway as the Young Girl in the premiere of Bruce Jay Friedman's Steambath at the Truck and Warehouse Theater in 1970. In 1972, she portrayed an androgynous runaway in the premiere of Joyce Carol Oates' Ontological Proof of My Existence. Her portrayal in the play led to an invitation to do a screen test for The Exorcist . She was cast in two memorable roles in the film: Pazuzu the demon (better known as the face of death), and the 'possessed Regan' (the Linda Blair character) in some scenes. She performed in scenes that were too violent or disturbing for Blair to perform, including the crucifix scene and the fistfight with Father Karras. [2] [3] She recalled that director William Friedkin gave her no notes and said, "I wasn't playing a little girl, I was playing the demon that possessed a little girl." Blair, who recalls Friedkin telling her the film would not succeed if she was not in as many shots as possible, estimates that Dietz is in 17 seconds of the film. Dietz, angry that her contribution to the film had been minimized, claimed in the media to have performed all the possession scenes. Warners ultimately measured her screen presence at 28.25 seconds, but denied that her contribution was dramatically significant. [4] : 75
After The Exorcist, Dietz had a highly active career on television during the 1970s, appearing as a guest star on such shows as Planet of the Apes , Korg: 70,000 B.C. , Barnaby Jones , and Happy Days among others. She also portrayed the recurring role of Linette Waterman in the soap opera The Guiding Light and appeared in the films You Light Up My Life (1977) and Parts: The Clonus Horror (1979).
In 1980, Dietz joined the cast of General Hospital as Sarah Abbott, a role she played for several years. She also appeared as a guest star on Trapper John, M.D. (1982) and in the horror film Freeway Maniac (1989). More recent film credits include Naked in the Cold Sun (1997), Hurricane Festival (1997), Bad Guys (2000), Exorcism (2003), The Mojo Cafe (2004), Neighborhood Watch (2005), Constantine (2005), Karla (2006), Creepshow III (2006), Dog Lover's Symphony (2006), and Tracing Cowboys (2008).
Dietz appeared as Winnie Gilmore in Halloween II (2009) in an uncredited role.
Dietz was cast in the thriller Eden Falls, co-written by Victor Miller, creator of Friday the 13th , and then slated for a 2017 release.[ citation needed ] However, as of August 2020 [update] , the project was still in development.
| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1966 | Teenage Gang Debs | Ellie | Credited as Eileen Scott |
| 1967 | David Holzman's Diary | Penny Wohl | |
| The Game People Play | Credited as Eileen Scott | ||
| 1973 | The Exorcist | Pazuzu's face | Uncredited |
| 1974 | Road Movie | ||
| 1977 | You Light Up My Life | Bridesmaid | |
| 1979 | Parts: The Clonus Horror | Dana | |
| 1989 | Freeway Maniac | Costume Girl | |
| 1997 | Naked in the Cold Sun | Sadie | |
| Hurricane Festival | Junkie | ||
| 2000 | Bad Guys | Bank Teller | |
| Left-Overs | — | Set director | |
| 2003 | Exorcism | Evil Nurse | |
| 2004 | The Mojo Cafe | Oscar | Short film |
| 2005 | Constantine | Zombie | Uncredited |
| Neighborhood Watch | Mrs. Crews | ||
| 2006 | Karla | Helen | Uncredited |
| Creepshow III | Claire The Homeless Woman | Segment: Call Girl direct-to-video | |
| Dog Lover's Symphony | Frightened Mother | ||
| 2008 | Tracing Cowboys | Marilyn | |
| She Turns Back and Faces Forward at Peace | Judy | Short film | |
| 2009 | Sibling Rivalry | Mrs. Peters | |
| The Queen of Screams | Eleanor Maxwell | ||
| Void | Helen | Short film | |
| Halloween II | Winnie Gilmore | Uncredited | |
| 2010 | Kadís | Librarian | Short film |
| Freeway Killer | Alice Bonin Benton | ||
| Hookers for Jesus | Blanch | Short film | |
| Monsterpiece Theatre Volume 1 | Nina | Segment: Rottentail | |
| Butterfly | Joy Greenstahl | also associate producer | |
| The Custom Mary | Mother | post-production | |
| See How They Run | Grace | post-production | |
| The Legend of the Mountain Witch | Creepy Lady | post-production | |
| Scream Queen Campfire | Ethel | Segment: Motherly Love | |
| Hallow Pointe | Fran | ||
| 2011 | Little Big Boy | Jimmy's Mother - middle aged | |
| Dead Girls Don't Cry | Diane Thomas | filming | |
| Stingy Jack | Esther Flower | pre-production | |
| 2012 | Witches Playground | filming | |
| 2015 | Fire Twister | Sadie - The Mountain Woman | Television film |
| 2017 | Eden Falls | Barbara | pre-production |
| 2019 | Itsy Bitsy | Sally | Post-production |
| 2019 | For We Are Many | Mrs. Vasile | Segment: The Damned Statue |
| 2019 | The Assent | Rhonda | |
| 2020 | The Amityville Harvest | Mrs. O'Brian | |
| 2022 | Staycation | Griselda E. Necromancer | |
| 2023 | The Fearway | Old Woman | |
| 2023 | Night of the Caregiver | Lillian Gresham | |
| 2023 | Lady Dreadcore | Lady Dreadcore | Short film |
| 2023 | Las Vegas Frankenstein | Shopkeeper's Wife | |
| Television | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1963 | The Doctors | Guest role | |
| Love of Life | Recurring role | ||
| 1974 | Korg: 70,000 B.C. | Sala | |
| Planet of the Apes | Jillia | Episode: The Good Seeds credited as Eileen Dietz Elber | |
| 1975 | Barnaby Jones | Carol Deelon | Episode: Dangerous Summer |
| 1976 | Helter Skelter | Family Girl | Television film credited as Eileen Dietz Elber |
| How to Break Up a Happy Divorce | Television film uncredited | ||
| 1977 | Happy Days | Rebecca | Episode: Time Capsule |
| 1978 | The Next Step Beyond | Episode: A Matter of Pride | |
| Guiding Light | Linette Waterman | ||
| 1980–1981 | General Hospital | Sarah Abbot | |
| 1982 | Trapper John, M.D. | Sister Charity | Episode: The One and Only |
| 2004 | What Should You Do? | Vicki | Episodes: Bee Sting, Near Drowning |
| 2005 | Dante's Cove | Emily | Episodes: In the Beginning, Then There Was Darkness |
| 2009 | Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! | Mother | Episode: Origins |
Brook Kerr is an American actress, best known for her role as Whitney Russell on the NBC daytime soap opera Passions, which she portrayed from 1999 to 2007. Since 2020, she has portrayed Dr. Portia Robinson on the ABC daytime soap opera General Hospital.
Linda Denise Blair is an American actress and activist. Her portrayal of Regan MacNeil in the horror film The Exorcist (1973) established her in popular culture and as a scream queen, earning her a Golden Globe Award, as well as an Academy Award nomination. She reprised the role in two sequels: Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977) and The Exorcist: Believer (2023).
Exorcist II: The Heretic is a 1977 American supernatural science fiction horror film directed by John Boorman and written by William Goodhart. It is the second installment in The Exorcist film series and the sequel to The Exorcist (1973), and stars Linda Blair, Richard Burton, Louise Fletcher, Max von Sydow, Kitty Winn, Paul Henreid, and James Earl Jones. It was the last film to feature veteran actor Paul Henreid. Set four years after the previous film, the film centers on the now 16-year-old Regan MacNeil, who is still recovering from her previous demonic possession.
Deborah Ann "Debbi" Morgan is an American film and television actress. Morgan has appeared in a number of film and TV productions, and may be best known for the role of Angie Baxter–Hubbard on the ABC soap opera All My Children.
The Exorcist is a 1973 American supernatural horror film directed by William Friedkin from a screenplay by William Peter Blatty, based on his 1971 novel. The film stars Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, Jason Miller, and Linda Blair, and follows the demonic possession of a young girl and the attempt to rescue her through an exorcism by two Catholic priests.
Lesley-Anne Down is a British actress and singer. She made her motion picture debut in the 1969 drama film The Smashing Bird I Used to Know and later appeared in films Assault (1971), Countess Dracula (1971) and Pope Joan (1972). She achieved fame as Georgina Worsley in the ITV period drama series, Upstairs, Downstairs (1973–75).
Lori Petty is an American actress, director, and screenwriter. She made her big screen debut appearing in the 1990 comedy film Cadillac Man and later starred in films Point Break (1991), A League of Their Own (1992), Free Willy (1993), In the Army Now (1994), The Glass Shield (1994) and played the title role in Tank Girl (1995). She created and starred in the short-lived Fox sitcom Lush Life in 1996 and acted in number of independent movies in her later career.
Sydney Margaret Penny is an American actress. She began her career as a child performer appearing in made-for-television movies. She made her big screen debut in the Western film Pale Rider directed by Clint Eastwood. She received total six Young Artist Awards nominations, winning two for playing Young Meggie Cleary in the miniseries The Thorn Birds (1983), and for Pale Rider. Penny also starred in the sitcom The New Gidget (1986–1988), and played Bernadette Soubirous in the French drama film Bernadette (1988) and its sequel The Passion of Bernadette (1990) both directed by Jean Delannoy.
Stacy Haiduk is an American actress. She starred as Lana Lang in the syndicated superhero series Superboy (1988–1992) and as Katherine Hitchcock in the NBC science fiction series, seaQuest DSV (1993–1994). Haiduk also had leading roles in the NBC prime time soap opera, The Round Table (1992) and Fox supernatural horror series, Kindred: The Embraced (1996), and has appeared in a number of feature and made-for-television movies.
Eileen Brennan was an American actress. She made her film debut in the satire Divorce American Style (1967), followed by a supporting role in Peter Bogdanovich's The Last Picture Show (1971), which earned her a BAFTA Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
Patrika Darbo is an American actress. She made her big screen debut appearing in the 1988 romantic comedy film It Takes Two and later appeared in The 'Burbs (1989), Daddy's Dyin': Who's Got the Will? (1990), Spaced Invaders (1990), Leaving Normal (1992), In the Line of Fire (1993) and Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (1997). Darbo played Roseanne Barr in the 1994 biographical television film Roseanne & Tom: Behind the Scenes.
Regan Teresa MacNeil is a fictional character in the 1971 novel The Exorcist and one of the supporting characters in its 1973 film adaptation and the 1977 film Exorcist II: The Heretic, while being one of the main protagonists in the first season of the television series The Exorcist (2016–2017). She was portrayed by Linda Blair in both films and by Geena Davis in the television series. Blair reprised the role in the 2023 film The Exorcist: Believer.
Brenda Jean Bakke is an American actress, best known for her roles in 1990s films Hot Shots! Part Deux, Gunmen, Demon Knight, Under Siege 2: Dark Territory, and L.A. Confidential.
Pazuzu is a fictional character who is the main antagonist in The Exorcist horror novels and film series, created by William Peter Blatty. Blatty derived the character from Assyrian and Babylonian mythology, where the mythic Pazuzu was considered the king of the demons of the wind, and the son of the god Hanbi. In The Exorcist, Pazuzu appears as a demon who possesses Regan MacNeil.
Joan Pringle is an American actress known for her role as vice principal Sybil Buchanan in the CBS drama series, The White Shadow (1978–1981), for which she received NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series. She later starred in the soap opera, Generations from 1989 to 1991 and had the recurring roles in One on One and Girlfriends.
The Exorcist III is a 1990 American supernatural psychological horror film written for the screen and directed by William Peter Blatty, based on his 1983 novel Legion. It is the third installment in The Exorcist film series, and the final installment in Blatty's "Trilogy of Faith" after The Ninth Configuration (1980). The film stars George C. Scott, Ed Flanders, Jason Miller, Scott Wilson, Nicol Williamson, and Brad Dourif.
The Exorcist is an American horror media franchise that originated with William Peter Blatty's 1971 horror novel of the same name and most prominently featured in a 1973 film adaptation of the novel, and many subsequent prequels and sequels. All of these installments focus on fictional accounts of people possessed by Pazuzu, the main antagonist of the series, and the efforts of religious authorities to counter this possession.
Daniel Zovatto Blanco is a Costa Rican and American film and television actor. Since 2012, he has starred in films of the horror genre, Beneath (2013), It Follows (2014), and Don't Breathe (2016), The Pope's Exorcist (2023), Woman Of The Hour (2024) as well as the romantic comedy Laggies (2014). Zovatto made his television debut in 2014, guest starring in an episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. He has since held recurring roles as Gideon LeMarchal in Revenge (2014), and Jack in Fear the Walking Dead (2016). In 2018, he appeared in one of the lead roles in HBO's Here And Now, and a year later, he was cast in Penny Dreadful: City of Angels as the series protagonist, which premiered in 2020.
Chloe Lanier is an American actress. She is best known for her role on the ABC soap opera General Hospital as the villainous Nelle Benson. For her portrayal, Lanier was nominated for three consecutive Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series, winning in 2018.
The Exorcist: Believer is a 2023 American supernatural horror film directed by David Gordon Green, who co-wrote the screenplay with Peter Sattler from a story by Scott Teems, Danny McBride, and Green. The sixth installment in The Exorcist franchise, it serves as a direct sequel to The Exorcist (1973). The film stars Leslie Odom Jr., Lidya Jewett, Olivia O‘Neill in her film debut, Jennifer Nettles, Norbert Leo Butz, and Ann Dowd. Ellen Burstyn and Linda Blair reprise their roles from the original film. Its plot follows a photographer who must confront the nadir of evil when his daughter and her best friend are possessed.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
