Jill Schoelen

Jill Schoelen

Born: March 21, 1963
in Burbank, California, USA
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.

Movies for Jill Schoelen...

Hollywood Dreams & Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story
Title: Hollywood Dreams & Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story
Character: Self
Released: October 7, 2022
Type: Movie
Robert Englund has become one of the most revolutionary horror icons of our generation. This intimate portrait captures the man behind the Nightmare On Elm Street franchise and features interviews with Englund, Lin Shaye, Eli Roth, Tony Todd and more.
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A Taboo Identity
Title: A Taboo Identity
Character: Herself
Released: August 1, 2017
Type: Movie
Sociologist David W. Wahl explores the identity work involved in Kay Parker shifting from being a legend of the adult film industry to her current occupation as a metaphysical counselor.
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Behind the Mask: The Making of The Phantom of the Opera
Title: Behind the Mask: The Making of The Phantom of the Opera
Character: Self
Released: February 17, 2015
Type: Movie
Behind the scenes feature for 'The Phantom of the Opera' (1989). Included on the Shout! Factory blu-ray.
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There Goes My Baby
Title: There Goes My Baby
Character: Babette
Released: September 2, 1994
Type: Movie
It's the summer of 1965, and the members of the graduating class of upscale Westwood High are eager to reinvent themselves. Valedictorian Mary Beth wants to attend a liberal university. Surfer bum Stick plans to enlist to fight in Vietnam. Calvin lives in the poor Watts section of Los Angeles, which is slowly erupting in violence. As the summer nights grow long, they'll all be forced to make decisions that will affect the rest of their lives.
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Title: Diagnosis: Murder
Character: Becky Garfield
Released: October 29, 1993
Type: TV
Dr. Mark Sloan is a good-natured, offbeat physician who is called upon to solve murders.
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When a Stranger Calls Back
Title: When a Stranger Calls Back
Character: Julia Jenz
Released: April 4, 1993
Type: Movie
Julia is babysitting two young kids while a doctor and his wife are out. During the evening, a stranger knocks on the door asking Julia if she can call the auto club so he can get a tow. The phone line is dead though. This is all part of the act as he has made his way inside and abducted the two children.
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Adventures in Spying
Title: Adventures in Spying
Character: Julie Converse
Released: December 6, 1992
Type: Movie
Two teens spot a notorious criminal who is supposed to be dead.
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Title: The Heights
Released: August 27, 1992
Type: TV
The Heights is an American musical drama series that aired on the Fox network from August to November 1992.
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State Of Mind
Title: State Of Mind
Character: Wishman
Released: January 1, 1992
Type: Movie
A couple falls into the clutches of a female psychopath.
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Rich Girl
Title: Rich Girl
Character: Courtney
Released: May 3, 1991
Type: Movie
A rich Beverly Hills girl gets a job as a waitress, and falls in love with a rock singer.
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Popcorn
Title: Popcorn
Character: Maggie
Released: February 1, 1991
Type: Movie
While holding a horror film festival, a group of film students find themselves stalked by a madman who may have a sinister connection to a cult leader.
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The Phantom of the Opera
Title: The Phantom of the Opera
Character: Christine Day
Released: November 4, 1989
Type: Movie
An aspiring opera singer finds herself transported back to Victorian-era London -- and into the arms of a reclusive, disfigured maestro determined to make her a star.
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Cutting Class
Title: Cutting Class
Character: Paula Carson
Released: July 1, 1989
Type: Movie
High school student Paula Carson's affections are being sought after by two of her classmates: Dwight, the "bad boy", and Brian, a disturbed young man who has just been released from a mental hospital where he was committed following the suspicious death of his father. Soon after being released, more murders start happening. Is Brian back to his old tricks, or is Dwight just trying to eliminate the competition?
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Curse II: The Bite
Title: Curse II: The Bite
Character: Lisa Snipes
Released: June 27, 1989
Type: Movie
After a young man is bitten on the hand by a radioactive snake, his hand changes into a lethal snake head, which attacks everyone he comes into contact with. Also, his body becomes filled with snakes. Now, he must prevent himself from hurting others.
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Title: Billionaire Boys Club
Character: Amy Whitehall
Released: November 8, 1987
Type: TV
Billionaire Boys Club is a two-part TV movie that aired on NBC in 1987. It told the story of the Billionaire Boys Club, and its founder, Joe Hunt, who was convicted in 1987 of murdering con-man Ron Levin. The film was written Gy Waldron and directed by Marvin J. Chomsky.
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The Stepfather
Title: The Stepfather
Character: Stephanie Maine
Released: January 23, 1987
Type: Movie
A seemingly mild mannered man -- who has just murdered his entire family -- quickly adopts a new identity and leaves town. After building a new relationship with a widow and her teenage daughter, he struggles to hide his true identity and maintain a grip on reality.
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Babes in Toyland
Title: Babes in Toyland
Character: Mary Piper / Mary Contrary
Released: December 19, 1986
Type: Movie
11-year-old Lisa has no time for toys; she's too busy taking care of her siblings and cooking for her mother. During the Christmas Eve blizzard, Lisa travels to Toyland in Wizard of Oz-like fashion and arrives just in time for a wedding. Young Mary Contrary is about to marry mean, old Barnaby Barnacle, despite the fact that she loves Jack Be Nimble. Lisa tries to stop this terrible wedding and, together with her new friends, discovers that Barnaby wants to take over Toyland. Lisa, Mary, Jack, and Georgie Porgie ask the Toymaster for help, but he can't help them as long as Lisa doesn't truly believe in toys.
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Shattered Spirits
Title: Shattered Spirits
Character: Allison
Released: January 6, 1986
Type: Movie
When his drinking problem takes control of his life, a father tries to leave the bottle behind while putting his and his family's lives back together.
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That Was Then... This Is Now
Title: That Was Then... This Is Now
Character: Angela Shepard
Released: November 8, 1985
Type: Movie
A delinquent teenager's only link to society is the attachment he feels towards an older brother-figure. When the older boy starts spending time with a new girlfriend, the teenager begins to feel even more alienated, and gets involved with drugs and the police.
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Title: Hell Town
Character: Shelley
Released: September 11, 1985
Type: TV
Hell Town is an American drama series that aired on NBC from September 4, 1985 to December 25, 1985. The series features former Baretta star Robert Blake.
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Thunder Alley
Title: Thunder Alley
Character: Beth
Released: August 1, 1985
Type: Movie
A group of friends start a rock band, but as they start their rise in the music world, they get mixed up with drugs.
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Chiller
Title: Chiller
Character: Stacey
Released: May 22, 1985
Type: Movie
A wealthy industrialist arranges for his body to be kept on ice in a high-tech cryonic chamber. When the instructions are not followed properly, he emerges from the frozen crypt as an empty, soulless creature with an appetite for destruction.
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Hot Moves
Title: Hot Moves
Character: Julie Ann
Released: October 4, 1984
Type: Movie
Four friends, annoyed at how almost everyone else they know is having sex but them, agree to do what they can to help each other lose their virginity before the end of the summer. Most of their opportunities are foiled by their inexperience and bad planning. Michael, the most sensible boy of the foursome, really just wants to stay with his long-time girlfriend and take their relationship to an intimate level, but after putting him off for six months he grows impatient and splits up with her to seek his fortune elsewhere.
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Title: Murder, She Wrote
Character: Flora Gerakaris
Released: September 30, 1984
Type: TV
An unassuming mystery writer turned sleuth uses her professional insight to help solve real-life homicide cases.
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Happy Endings
Title: Happy Endings
Character: Anne Marie Bartlett
Released: December 26, 1983
Type: Movie
A teenager postpones his determination to become a songwriter so that he can keep his younger brother and two sisters together as a family following the death of their parents.
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D.C. Cab
Title: D.C. Cab
Character: Claudette
Released: December 16, 1983
Type: Movie
The tale of a hapless group of cabbies and a rundown cab company owned by Harold. Albert comes to town with a dream of starting his own cab company but needs to motivate Harold's employees to want to make something out of themselves. It is only when Albert is kidnapped that the cabbies must decide whether or not they are loyal to Albert and his cause.
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Great Day
Title: Great Day
Character: Carla Simpson
Released: January 1, 1983
Type: Movie
A comedy film directed by Michael Preece.
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Title: T. J. Hooker
Released: March 13, 1982
Type: TV
Sergeant Thomas Jefferson Hooker is a tough-as-nails veteran police officer with the LCPD who turns his back on a gold badge and goes back to patrolling the streets and training recuits. Along with his young partners in blue, Hooker take on Lake City's toughest criminals.
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The Best of Times
Title: The Best of Times
Character: Jill
Released: July 13, 1981
Type: Movie
This ABC pilot starred 7 teenagers in a 80's style Laugh-In. It told the light and dark side of teenage thoughts with dancing and singing added in for color.
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Title: Little House on the Prairie
Released: September 11, 1974
Type: TV
Little House on the Prairie is an American Western drama television series, starring Michael Landon, Melissa Gilbert, and Karen Grassle, about a family living on a farm in Walnut Grove, Minnesota, in the 1870s and 1880s.