Zelda Rubinstein, the 4-foot-3-inch actress who declared “This house is clean!” in Poltergeist, died at age 76 at 1:59 a.m today, according to her agent Eric Stevens. Rubinstein was most famous for playing the oddball psychic Tangina Barrons, but she also appeared in movies including Sixteen Candles, National Lampoon’s Last Resort, and Southland Tales, and was an AIDS activist long before it was considered fashionable, appearing in a series of AIDS-awareness advertisements.
Jan 27
2010
06:20 PM ET
'Poltergeist' actress Zelda Rubinstein dies at 76
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RIP Zelda.
Go into the light.
I feel terrible because I was positive I’d heard she passed years ago – related to the Poltergeist movie “curse.” Anyone?
I don’t mean to slight her passing, it is sad and she was excellent in all those films!
Yeah I thought she was already dead
I also thought she was already dead- glad to see I’m not alone. I thought she died shortly after Heather O’Rourke did.
No, that was Heather O’Rourke who did. Weird story. Heart failure at age 12. BTW: I cannot believe that Poltergeist is being remade. It will be going into theaters again in 2011.
Hell to the naw, you serious about that? Who’s gonna mess it up? Leave the 80s alone!!
She was also great in Picket Fences.
Yeah! “Picket Fences”- I would have forgotten. Are they ever going to put out more than season 1 on DVD??? Anyway, yeah, Zelda for perfect for that crazy town. And I LOVED her in “Sixteen Candles”– her hidden flask and the creaking in her shoes when she walked. Was she the one who also was singing alternate lyrics to “Here Comes the Bride”? I haven’t seen it in awhile.
Why don’t I ever proofread? I meant “Zelda WAS perfect for that crazy town.”
Q – I also thought she was already dead. Now I feel bad. She definitely was one of a kind, and she will be missed. Or, in my case, still missed.
Moron.
Why is this necessary?
I didn’t know she was still alive. That’s very sad. I always thought she would’ve made a good Umbridge in the Harry Potter films, but I loved her in Poltergeist.
Y’know, it would help if u guys put a picture up when someone dies so we know who you’re talking about w/o having to Google ‘em
You cant figure it out from the paragraph moron?
Uh, I just wanna know what they look like jackhole.
A picture would totally be cool – I know what u mean Blondie. And get a life JM…
I got to meet Zelda when I was a volunteer for STOP-AIDS Los Angeles. She was “mom” to everyone and always reminded us “Don’t forget your rubbers!” Seems like all the credits forgot to mention her narration in “Scariest Places”…
Love you mom…rest in peace.
What are u talking about moron?
Someone needs to cool their heels.
There is no death. It is only a transition to a different sphere of consciousness.
Are u on acid moron?
Zelda was a great actress, all her movies were great. Bless her soul.
don’t forget Teen Witch
Exactly!
Does JM have any other word besides “Moron” in their vocabulary?
Like someone said above she was great in “Picket Fences” easily one of the greatest shows that was on TV. But I’m still mad at the producer at how he fired Zelda.