Wee 'Poltergeist' Psychic Zelda Rubinstein Dies

[WyldeMan45]

This seems to just never end. How many celebs and folks from the movies we grew up with are gonna pass this month? This week has been horrible..........RIP Zelda

As Tangina said, "There is no death. It is only a transition to a different sphere of consciousness."

Zelda Rubinstein, the tiny-voiced actress who played the psychic called upon to help a surburban family rid their home of a demonic force in 1982's Poltergeist, died Wednesday at a Los Angeles hospital. She was 76.

Rubinstein's agent, Eric Stevens, told the L.A. Times that the veteran character actress was hospitalized two months ago after suffering a mild heart attack.

Standing at only 4-foot, 3-inches tall and managing to look both aged and child-like at the same time, Rubinstein made a career playing offbeat—and often scene-stealing—characters, who often had a yen for the supernatural, such as Tangina in Poltergeist (and its lesser sequels) and the spell-casting Serena in Teen Witch.

Rubinstein was a regular on Picket Fences from 1992 to 1994. She most recently appeared in the sprawling ensemble film Southland Tales and served as narrator of the Fox Family series The Scariest Places on Earth.

Source

[Chloenator]

Poltergeist star Zelda Rubinstein has died, aged 76.

The actress, who played spirit talker Tangina in Steven Spielberg's cult 1982 film, was hospitalised in Los Angeles in December after two of her major organs failed.

Internet reports suggested the petite star was close to death after she was reportedly taken off her life support machine, but friends and family insisted Rubinstein was on the mend earlier this month.

Her agent, Eric Stevens, has now confirmed she passed away of natural causes at Barlow Respiratory Hospital in Los Angeles on Wednesday.

He tells RadarOnline.com, "She had ongoing health issues and unfortunately they finally overtook her."

A friends adds, "She was very much at peace when she finally rested... The world has definitely lost someone very special."

Poltergeist was Rubinstein's big break in Hollywood. She went on to appear in films like Poltergeist II: The Other Side, Sixteen Candles, Teen Witch and National Lampoon's Last Resort, as well as U.S. TV shows Caroline in the City, Picket Fences and Mr. Belvedere.

From 2000 to 2006 she narrated spooky TV show The Scariest Places on Earth.

Rubinstein was also an activist for HIV and Aids awareness.

[AintNoSin]

I feel so wrong but: "The Poltergeist Curse strikes again!!"

I'm so sorry...

[Blu_Ray_UK2007]

R.i.p

[Meeklo]

This house is clean!

[groovyone]

Wow, sad to say I thought she had died years ago.

[radagast]

Originally Posted by AintNoSin

I feel so wrong but: "The Poltergeist Curse strikes again!!"

I'm so sorry...

It took a long time to hit her.

[Texitura]

Rest in peace.

[GLaDOS]

Rest in peace.

[doctorsteve]

(CNN) -- Zelda Rubinstein, the actress best known for her role as the psychic in the horror film "Poltergeist," died in Los Angeles, California, on Wednesday, her agent said. She was 76.

Eric Stevens, Rubinstein's agent for the past four years, said the 4-foot-3-inch actress had never recovered from a mild heart attack she suffered several months ago, which he said left her a patient at Barlow Respiratory Hospital in Los Angeles.

"She had several pre-existing conditions that she had been dealing with for years, and unfortunately they began to overtake her," Stevens said.

Rubinstein, who took up acting later in life after a career as a lab tech, also appeared on television in shows including "Picket Fences" and "Hey Arnold."

But the diminutive actress first came to fame for her portrayal of Tangina Barrons, the diminutive clairvoyant in "Poltergeist," where she urged a group of spirits to "Go into the light." She later revisited the role in the movie's sequels.

Stevens said Rubinstein continued to work at her craft up until her heart attack.

"She had been considering scripts and taking meetings," he said. "Her last feature film appearance was in 'Southland Tales,' which co-starred The Rock, Dwayne Johnson."

Rubinstein was also a passionate activist for safe sex and HIV awareness, appearing 25 years ago as the mother in an ad campaign aimed at gay men.

"I lost a friend to AIDS, one of the first public figures that died of AIDS," the actress said in an interview with The Advocate. "I knew it was not the kind of disease that would stay in anybody's backyard. It would climb the fences, get over the fences into all of our homes. It was not limited to one group of people."

The actress told the publication her career took a hit after she went public with her activism, and she didn't work for a year. Her agent said Rubinstein "always leant her support to any fundraiser she could be a part of" to help the cause.

Stevens said that per Rubinstein's request no funeral will be held. Instead there are plans for a celebration of her life to be held at the end of February, he said.

[SDon1969]

Originally Posted by AintNoSin

I feel so wrong but: "The Poltergeist Curse strikes again!!"

I'm so sorry...

I thought you were going to say "Don't go into the light!!"

Anyway, RIP Zelda....

[LordCrumb]

Wow she was only 76? Like a fellow user said, I thought she died a few years ago. Sad news, she was amazing in Poltergeist.

[Vicon]

She was an excellent actress. Several good movies and appearances. Poltergeist is the most renowned.

Rest In Peace Zelda!

[GORT]

Rest In Peace Zelda I will have to watch Poltergeist this weekend.

[MLR930]

RIP Zelda! I always loved that movie and after watching the E! True Hollywood Story about it I do believe in the curse, just too much has happened to that poor cast.

[Vicon]

Originally Posted by MLR930

RIP Zelda! I always loved that movie and after watching the E! True Hollywood Story about it I do believe in the curse, just too much has happened to that poor cast.

I would like to see that episode. Does it exist online somewhere perhaps? Always a sucker for more info on things.

[repete66211]

And who can forget her cameo in Sixteen Candles a couple of years later?

Originally Posted by MLR930

RIP Zelda! I always loved that movie and after watching the E! True Hollywood Story about it I do believe in the curse, just too much has happened to that poor cast.

You believe in E! True Hollywood stories? Dominique Dunne was killed by a psycho ex-boyfriend. Unfortunately it happens all the time. The rest died of natural causes.

[MLR930]

Originally Posted by Vicon

I would like to see that episode. Does it exist online somewhere perhaps? Always a sucker for more info on things.

I don't see it anywhere but when it comes on again I'll let ya know

[Vicon]

Originally Posted by MLR930

I don't see it anywhere but when it comes on again I'll let ya know

Sounds good. I am going to see if it's on demand by chance.

[WyldeMan45]

Seriously how many more people are going to post this story today before they realize I started this thread yesterday afternoon, the mods just keep adding them to this one, instead of removing them lol.