Jill Schoelen

Born: 1963-03-21

Jill Marie Schoelen (born March 21, 1963) is an American actress. A more unconventional husky-voiced "scream queen" heroine of the 1980s was Jill Schoelen, daughter of well-known fashion designer Dorothy Schoelen. Born and raised in Burbank, she studied at the Acting for Life Theatre in Burbank and started off on TV as a teen in the Fame-influenced TV pilot called Best of Times (1981) (TV) starring the up-and-coming Nicolas Cage and Crispin Glover. She gained in experience with a number of innocuous films geared mostly toward the young, including D.C. Cab (1983), Thunder Alley (1985) and Hot Moves (1984). The dark-eyed, black-haired pretty with the trademark bangs wouldn't find her horror niche until hooking up with Wes Craven and his TV movie Chiller (1985) (TV). From there she scored big with the cult shocker The Stepfather (1987) wherein she played the resourceful stepdaughter terrorized by the lecherous, meek-appearing Terry O'Quinn as the title monster. The sleeper hit put Jill on the map with a seemingly solid future, continuing on with The Phantom of the Opera (1989), this time keeping company opposite Freddy Krueger inhabiter Robert Englund as her deranged pursuer. But a few bumps in the road with such lowgrade fodder as Curse II: The Bite (1989), Cutting Class (1989) and Popcorn (1991) put a permanent damper on her career, despite coming back with a bit of grit in the thriller TV movie When a Stranger Calls Back (1993) (TV). Her object-of-a-stalker days behind her after filming Not Again! (1996), she settled comfortably back and raised two children with husband/musician/composer Anthony Marinelli.


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The Stepfather

as Stephanie Maine
Released: 1987-01-23

A seemingly mild mannered man -- who has just murdered his entire family -- quickly adopts a new...

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Cutting Class

as Paula Carson
Released: 1989-07-01

High school student Paula Carson's affections are being sought after by two of her classmates:...

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The Phantom of the Opera

as Christine Day
Released: 1989-11-04

An aspiring opera singer finds herself transported back to Victorian-era London -- and into the...

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Popcorn

as Maggie
Released: 1991-02-01

While holding a horror film festival, a group of film students find themselves stalked by a...

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When a Stranger Calls Back

as Julia Jenz
Released: 1993-04-04

Julia is babysitting two young kids while a doctor and his wife are out. During the evening, a...

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D.C. Cab

as Claudette
Released: 1983-12-16

The tale of a hapless group of cabbies and a rundown cab company owned by Harold. Albert comes...

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Hollywood Dreams & Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story

as Self
Released: 2022-10-07

Robert Englund has become one of the most revolutionary horror icons of our generation. This...

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Babes in Toyland

as Mary Piper / Mary Contrary
Released: 1986-12-19

11-year-old Lisa has no time for toys; she's too busy taking care of her siblings and cooking...

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Hot Moves

as Julie Ann
Released: 1984-10-04

Four friends, annoyed at how almost everyone else they know is having sex but them, agree to do...

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Curse II: The Bite

as Lisa Snipes
Released: 1989-06-27

After a young man is bitten on the hand by a radioactive snake, his hand changes into a lethal...

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That Was Then... This Is Now

as Angela Shepard
Released: 1985-11-08

A delinquent teenager's only link to society is the attachment he feels towards an older...

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Chiller

as Stacey
Released: 1985-05-22

A wealthy industrialist arranges for his body to be kept on ice in a high-tech cryonic chamber....

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A Taboo Identity

as Herself
Released: 2017-08-01

Sociologist David W. Wahl explores the identity work involved in Kay Parker shifting from being...

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Shattered Spirits

as Allison
Released: 1986-01-06

When his drinking problem takes control of his life, a father tries to leave the bottle behind...

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There Goes My Baby

as Babette
Released: 1994-09-02

It's the summer of 1965, and the members of the graduating class of upscale Westwood High are...

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Adventures in Spying

as Julie Converse
Released: 1992-12-06

Two teens spot a notorious criminal who is supposed to be dead.

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Great Day

as Carla Simpson
Released: 1983-01-01

A comedy film directed by Michael Preece.

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Thunder Alley

as Beth
Released: 1985-08-01

A group of friends start a rock band, but as they start their rise in the music world, they get...

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Rich Girl

as Courtney
Released: 1991-05-03

A rich Beverly Hills girl gets a job as a waitress, and falls in love with a rock singer.

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State Of Mind

as Wishman
Released: 1992-01-01

A couple falls into the clutches of a female psychopath.

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Behind the Mask: The Making of The Phantom of the Opera

as Self
Released: 2015-02-17

Behind the scenes feature for 'The Phantom of the Opera' (1989). Included on the Shout! Factory...

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Murder, She Wrote

as Flora Gerakaris
First aired: 1984-09-30

An unassuming mystery writer turned sleuth uses her professional insight to help solve real-life...

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T. J. Hooker

as uncredited
First aired: 1982-03-13

Sergeant Thomas Jefferson Hooker is a tough-as-nails veteran police officer with the LCPD who...

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Little House on the Prairie

as uncredited
First aired: 1974-09-11

Little House on the Prairie is an American Western drama television series, starring Michael...

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Diagnosis: Murder

as Becky Garfield
First aired: 1993-10-29

Dr. Mark Sloan is a good-natured, offbeat physician who is called upon to solve murders.

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Billionaire Boys Club

as Amy Whitehall
First aired: 1987-11-08

Billionaire Boys Club is a two-part TV movie that aired on NBC in 1987. It told the story of the...

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The Heights

as uncredited
First aired: 1992-08-27

The Heights is an American musical drama series that aired on the Fox network from August to...

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