Tara Buckman

Last updated
Tara Buckman
Born
OccupationActress
Years active1977–1994

Tara Buckman is an American retired television and film actress. Her active career was mainly confined to the late 1970s to the mid-1990s. Though never reaching feature status, Buckman was nonetheless a regular guest star on many television series. She also appeared in minor roles in feature films.

Contents

Early life

Tara Buckman was born on a navy base in Pensacola on October 2, 1956. Buckman was an Army brat whose longest time living in one house was two years until her family moved to Virginia Beach, Virginia when she was a teenager. Buckman was a drum major, the first in her school’s history, and attended and graduated from Princess Anne High School in 1974. While she was a waitress in a hotel dining room in Norfolk, Virginia, producer James Goldstone saw her, and he later offered her a part in the film Rollercoaster . Three months later, she moved to Los Angeles. After arriving there, she gained a contract with Universal Studios with Goldstone's assistance. [1]

Career

Television

Buckman portrayed Officer Brandy Ames in The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo [2] and Cat Hellman in The Master . [2] :664 She is also remembered for her guest appearances in episodes of such 1970s and 1980s television fare as The Rockford Files , Kojak , CHiPs , The Hardy Boys Mysteries , Quincy, M.E. , Buck Rogers in the 25th Century and Brave New World . She also appeared in the 1979 television movies Death Car on the Freeway and The Man in the Santa Claus Suit , and portrayed Norma Kirkland on the daytime drama Days of Our Lives in 1984–1985.

In film

Often cast in minor roles in larger budget films, Buckman appeared in the Burt Reynolds vehicles Hooper (1978) and The Cannonball Run (1981). Buckman was generally offered largely dimensionless and decorative parts, such as a rollercoaster attendant in the disaster film Rollercoaster (1977), and "Lamborghini Girl #2" (alongside Adrienne Barbeau) in The Cannonball Run .

Buckman also appeared in several b movies from the late-1970s through to the mid-1990s. She appeared in a rape/murder scene, in which her top was torn open and her throat was slit by a man dressed as Santa Claus in the 1984 controversial horror film Silent Night, Deadly Night . Her most recent major role was as Dr. Julie Casserly in Xtro II: The Second Encounter (1991), and her other credits include the films Snowballing (1984), Never Too Young to Die (1986), Terminal Exposure (1987), Blue Angel Cafe (1989), High Finance Woman (1990), and The Marilyn Diaries (1990) alongside porn star Marilyn Chambers.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1977 Rollercoaster Coaster Attendant
1978 Hooper Debbie
1981 The Cannonball Run Jill
1984 Silent Night, Deadly Night Ellie
1984SnowballingCollen
1986 Never Too Young to Die Sacrificed Punkette
1987 Terminal Exposure Mrs. Stacey Karrothers
1987 Silent Night, Deadly Night Part 2 Mother
1989 Blue Angel Cafe Angie
1989 Silent Night, Deadly Night 3: Better Watch Out! Ellie ChapmanUncredited
1990 Night Killer Melanie Beck
1990High Finance WomanBrenda
1990The Marilyn DiariesJane
1991 Xtro II: The Second Encounter Dr. Julie Casserly
1992Round Trip to HeavenPhyllis

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1977 Kojak ToniEpisode: "A Strange Kind of Love"
1977 79 Park Avenue Starlet3 episodes
1977 Switch Young NurseEpisode: "Dancer"
1977 The Rockford Files GirlEpisode: "The Queen of Peru"
1978 Baretta MaryEpisode: "I'll Take You to Lunch"
1978 The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries Bernie LucasEpisode: "Death Surf"
1978The Two-FiveAngelTelevision film
1978 Sword of Justice JillEpisode: "The Skywayman"
1978 Family Aunt JoanneEpisode: "Just Friends"
1979 Hart to Hart SandyEpisode: "Hart to Hart"
1979 Stone Olivia de CarlEpisode: "Pilot"
1979 Death Car on the Freeway Jane GustonTelevision film
1979 Barnaby Jones Linda Wolsey2 episodes
1979 Quincy, M.E. Terry / Julie Reed
1979 Buck Rogers in the 25th Century MajelEpisode: "Unchained Woman"
1979 The Man in the Santa Claus Suit Polly PrimerTelevision film
1980 Brave New World Alpha Teacher
1980–1981 The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo Brandy / Sgt. Cummings16 episodes
1982 CHiPs Marcie PendeltonEpisode: "Anything But the Truth"
1983 Tales of the Unexpected Sally FentonEpisode: "Heir Presumptuous"
1984 The Master Cat Sinclair2 episodes
1984 Highway to Heaven LouellaEpisode: "Hotel of Dreams"
1984–1985 Days of Our Lives Norma Kirkland23 episodes
1985 T. J. Hooker Dorothy UngerEpisode: "Love Story"
1987 Spies Julie KirklandEpisode: "The Game's Not Over, 'Til the Fat Lady Sings"
1990 Freddy's Nightmares Brenda VincentEpisode: "Prisoner of Love"
1990 Mancuso, F.B.I. CherryEpisode: "Night of the Living Shred"
1994 Blindfold: Acts of Obsession BarmaidTelevision film

References

  1. "Fairy tales can still come true". Times-Advocate. California, Escondido. April 5, 1961. p. 38. Retrieved October 5, 2022 via Newspapers.com.
  2. 1 2 Terrace, Vincent (2011). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010 (2nd ed.). Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. p. 617. ISBN   978-0-7864-6477-7.