Heather O'Rourke

She was only 12 years old. The couple were married until 1989 (his death). In February of 1988, a few weeks before the scheduled final filming, Heather died of complications after emergency surgery for an acute bowel obstruction. Together the couple had three children, Richard, Tamsin and Julie-Kate. O'Rourke began filming Poltergeist III in 1987, and the movie was set to be released in 1988. She divorced him and in 1961 married Laurence Olivier. Her success in these films led to television work, and she was briefly a regular on the sitcom Happy Days playing the daughter of Fonzie's girlfriend. Joan Plowright was first married to Roger Gage.

In 1986, Poltergeist II was released, and once again, O'Rourke coined another pop-culture phrase, when she said "They're ba-aaack!". As of July 2003 she was performing in the stage production Absolutely! (perhaps) in London. Poltergeist was released in June 1982, and Heather's line: "They're he-eere!" entered American pop culture. After a brief hiatus to devote time to her family she has returned to the screen and can be seen in films such as Dennis the Menace, Enchanted April and Tea With Mussolini. He originally thought that she was too young for the part (she was four at the time) but after an interview and a "scream test", cast her in the role. In 1961 she was awarded a Tony for her role in A Taste of Honey on Broadway. Spielberg was looking for someone to play the part of 5 year old "Carol Anne" in his upcoming production of Poltergeist. Plowright continued to appear on stage and in films such as The Entertainer and The Three Sisters.

Heather O'Rourke was discovered in 1980 by Steven Spielberg while she was eating lunch at the MGM studios commissary. She appeared in The Chairs (by Eugène Ionesco), Major Barbara, Saint Joan and in 1958 she co-starred with future husband Laurence Olivier in the production of The Entertainer. Heather Michele O'Rourke (December 27, 1975 - February 1, 1988) was an American child actress who starred in the Poltergeist movie trilogy. In 1956 she joined the English Theatre Company and won the role of Margery Pincher in The Country Wife. Long known as a superb theatre actress, Plowright trained at the Old Vic Theatre School in London and made her stage debut in 1951 and her London debut in 1954. In addition to being Lady Olivier (later Baroness Olivier) she was made a Dame (DBE) in her own right in the New Year's Honours for 2004.

Joan Ann Plowright (born October 28, 1929 in Brigg, North Lincolnshire, England) is a British actress, widow of Laurence Olivier. Moby Dick (1956) (uncredited, as Starbuck's Wife) (her first film role). The Entertainer (1960) as Jean Rice. Three Sisters (1970) as Masha.

Avalon (1990) as Eva Krichinsky. Fisher. Enchanted April (1992) as Mrs. Martha Wilson.

Dennis the Menace (1993) as Mrs. The Scarlet Letter (1995) as Harriet Hibbons. Tea With Mussolini (1999) as Mary Wallace. Back to the Secret Garden (2001) as Martha Sowerby.

Goose! (2004) as Beatrice Fairfield.