Helen Slater

Last updated
Helen Slater
10.17.09HelenSlaterByLuigiNovi.jpg
Slater at the October 17, 2009 Big Apple Convention in Manhattan, New York City, New York
Born
Helen Rachel Slater

(1963-12-15) December 15, 1963 (age 60)
Occupation(s)Actress, singer-songwriter
Years active1982–present
Spouse
Robert Watzke
(m. 1989)
Children1
Website www.helenslater.com

Helen Rachel Slater (born December 15, 1963) [1] is an American actress and singer-songwriter. She is best known for playing the DC Comics superheroine Supergirl in the 1984 film Supergirl , as well as appearing in films such as The Legend of Billie Jean (1985), Ruthless People (1986), The Secret of My Success (1987), City Slickers (1991), Chantilly Lace (1993), and Lassie (1994). She provided the voice of Talia al Ghul in Batman: The Animated Series , portrayed Lara-El in Smallville , and played Eliza Danvers in the 2015 Supergirl TV series.

Contents

Early life

Slater was born in Bethpage, New York to Alice Joan (née Citrin), a lawyer and nuclear disarmament peace activist based in New York City; and Gerald Slater, a television executive.[ citation needed ] Her parents divorced in 1974. [2] She is Jewish. [3] [4] [5] She has a brother, David, who is a lawyer in New York City. Slater attended Great Neck South High School [6] and then transferred to the High School of Performing Arts from which she graduated in 1982. [7]

Career

Film and television

Slater played Supergirl in the 1984 film Supergirl . [8] She has starred in several further films including The Legend of Billie Jean (1985), Ruthless People (1986), The Secret of My Success (1987), and City Slickers (1991). She has additionally found work as an actress in television and stage projects.

Following Supergirl, Slater has made multiple appearances in Superman media such as Superman's mother Lara-El in the TV series Smallville , [9] Supergirl's adoptive mother Eliza Danvers in the Supergirl TV series, and Clark Kent's adoptive mother Martha Kent in DC Super Hero Girls: Hero of the Year and the associated film. Slater's likeness was used to portray Supergirl in a CGI cameo appearance in the film The Flash (2023).

In 1985, DC Comics included Slater as one of the honorees in the company's 50th anniversary publication Fifty Who Made DC Great for her work on the Supergirl film. [10]

Stage work

Slater in 2016 Helen slater florida 2016.jpg
Slater in 2016

In 1987, Slater co-founded the New York theater group, The Naked Angels , with Gina Gershon. In 1991, she also co-founded, with her husband, Robert Watzke, the L.A. based theater group The Bubalaires. [11]

Slater appeared in two off-Broadway plays: Almost Romance and Responsible Parties. She also starred in The Big Deal at the Pasadena Playhouse. [12]

Music career

In 2003, she released the album, One of These Days, consisting of her original songs. The tracks were real-time recordings with Slater singing and playing piano, accompanied by six other musicians; no multitracking, editing, or dubbing was employed. In 2005, she released a second album, Crossword, which used the same recording approach as her first album. Both albums were produced by Phillip Swann. In 2008, Cortes Alexander recorded Slater's "Any Day Now" and "Love'll Come & Do Just That" on his album Swell. [13]

Writing

In 2010, Slater wrote a Supergirl story, "A Hero's Journey", which appeared in the fiftieth issue of the fifth volume of the Supergirl comic book. [14]

Film and television credits

Film [15] [16] [17]
YearTitleRoleNotes
1984 Supergirl Kara Zor-El / Linda Lee / Supergirl
1985 The Legend of Billie Jean Billie Jean Davy
1986 Ruthless People Sandy Kessler
1987 The Secret of My Success Christy Wills
1988 Sticky Fingers Hattie
1989 Happy Together Alexandra PageAlso features singing by Slater
1991 City Slickers Bonnie Rayburn
1993 Betrayal of the Dove Ellie West
1993 A House in the Hills Alex Weaver
1994 Lassie Laura TurnerAlso features singing by Slater
1995 The Steal Kim
1995 No Way Back Mary
1997 The Long Way Home HerselfVoice, documentary film
1999Carlo's WakeLisa Torello
2001Nowhere in SightCarly Bauers
2004 Seeing Other People Penelope
2011 Beautiful Wave Jane DavenportDirect-to-video
2012Model MinorityMrs. Ambrose
2014Echo ParkJulia
2015 The Curse of Downers Grove Diane
2016 DC Super Hero Girls: Hero of the Year Martha Kent Voice [18]
2016A Remarkable LifeIris
Television [19] [15] [17] [16]
YearTitleRoleNotes
1982 ABC Afterschool Special Amy WatsonEpisode: "Amy & the Angel"
1988 Improv Tonite HerselfGuest host [20]
1990 The Great Air Race Jacqui CochraneTelevision miniseries
1990 Capital News Anne McKennaTelevision film
1991 The Hidden Room LaurenEpisode: "Wasting Away" [1]
1992 Seinfeld Becky GelkeUncredited; episode: "The Good Samaritan"
1992 Dream On SarahEpisode: "Theory of Relativity"
1992–1994 Batman: The Animated Series Talia al Ghul Voice, 4 episodes
1993 12:01 Lisa FredericksTelevision film
1993 Chantilly Lace HannahTelevision film
1994CouplesNinaTelevision film
1994 Parallel Lives Elsa FreedmanTelevision film
1997 Caroline in the City Cassandra ThompsonUncredited; episode: "Caroline and the Monkeys"
1997 Toothless Mrs. LewisTelevision film
1997–1998 Michael Hayes Julie Siegel3 episodes
1998Best Friends for LifePammy CahillTelevision film
2000American AdventureKathyPilot [1]
2001 Will & Grace Peggy TrumanEpisode: "Moveable Feast"
2003 Boston Public Mrs. McNealEpisode: "Chapter Seventy-Four"
2004 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Susan CoyleEpisode: "Families"
2005 Grey's Anatomy Nadia SheltonEpisode: "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer"
2006 Jane Doe: The Harder They Fall Stella AndreTelevision film
2006 The New Adventures of Old Christine LizEpisode: “Teach Your Children Well”
2007 Crossing Jordan Elaine TallridgeEpisode: "Seven Feet Under"
2007–2010 Smallville Lara-El 3 episodes
2009 Supernatural Susan CarterEpisode: "Family Remains"
2009 Eleventh Hour Susan WynneEpisode: "Medea"
2009 Greek Dr. Magda StephanopoulosEpisode: "Guilty Treasures"
2010–2011 Gigantic Jennifer Brooks10 episodes
2010 CSI: NY Elizabeth HarrisEpisode: "Do Not Pass Go"
2011 Private Practice ErinEpisode: "Two Steps Back"
2011Rock the HouseDiane PetersenTelevision film
2011 Drop Dead Diva Penny BreckerEpisode: "Hit and Run"
2011–2013 The Lying Game Kristin MercerMain cast
2013The Good MotherCheryl JordanTelevision film
2014CaperLuke's MomEpisode: "All Hands on Peltas". YouTube and Hulu series. [21]
2014 The Young and the Restless Dr. Chiverton4 episodes [22]
2015 Mad Men SheilaEpisode: "Person to Person"
2015–2021 Supergirl Eliza Danvers 13 episodes
2015 Agent X Helen EckhartEpisode: "Fidelity"
2016 DC Super Hero Girls: Super Hero High Martha Kent Voice, television film [18]
2023Chantilly BridgeTelevision film

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References

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