Zelda Rubinstein

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Birth Name: Zelda May Rubinstein

Born: 28 May 1933 Died: 27 January 2010

Country of origin: United States

Height: 4' 9"

Lists

101 votes

Gone, but not forgotten (2081 items)
list by Agent Kermit D. Fonz

Published 1 year, 8 months ago

10 comments

58 votes

Famous actors with dwarfism (17 items)
list by Umpikuja

Published 15 years, 7 months ago

6 comments

11 votes

The All-Star Cast of Tales From the Crypt (147 items)
list by diabolical dr voodoo

Published 14 years, 3 months ago

1 comment

11 votes

Influential Pop Culture Icons (706 items)
list by moviebuff

Published 10 years, 11 months ago

9 votes

Razzie Worst Supporting Actress nominees (145 items)
list by Leo

Published 14 years, 2 months ago

3 comments

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Photos

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Description: Marvelously quirky, distinctive, and diminutive 4' 3" character actress Zelda Rubinstein was born on May 28, 1933 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She was the youngest of three children and the only little person in her family. Zelda received a scholarship to attend the University of Pittsburgh. After earning a degree in bacteriology, Rubinstein worked as a lab technician in blood banks. In 1978 Zelda decided to pursue an acting career. She studied acting at the University of California. Rubinstein made her film debut in the comedy "Under the Rainbow." Zelda achieved her greatest enduring popularity as feisty and ecce Marvelously quirky, distinctive, and diminutive 4' 3" character actress Zelda Rubinstein was born on May 28, 1933 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She was the youngest of three children and the only little person in her family. Zelda received a scholarship to attend the University of Pittsburgh. After earning a degree in bacteriology, Rubinstein worked as a lab technician in blood banks. In 1978 Zelda decided to pursue an acting career. She studied acting at the University of California. Rubinstein made her film debut in the comedy "Under the Rainbow." Zelda achieved her greatest enduring popularity as feisty and eccentric psychic Tangina Barrons in the hit horror classic "Poltergeist." Rubinstein went on to play Tangina in the two sequels and made a guest appearance as a seer on an episode of the spin-off TV series "Poltergeist: The Legacy." Zelda was also memorable as domineering mother Alice Pressman in the cult fright feature "Anguish." She had a regular role as down-to-earth police dispatcher Ginny Weedon on the hugely successful TV series "Picket Fences." Among the TV shows Rubinstein made guest appearances on are "Matt Houston," "Santa Barbara," "Mr. Belvedere," "Tales from the Crypt," "Martin," "Caroline in the City," and "The Pretender." She narrated the TV series "The Scariest Places on Earth" and lent her unique high-pitched voice to various movie trailers and TV commercials. An outspoken social activist, Zelda was a staunch advocate for the rights of little people who formed the nonprofit Michael Dunn Memorial Repertory Theater Company in Los Angeles in 1985. Moreover, in the mid 80's Rubinstein was featured as a mother character in a high-profile ad campaign called L.A. Cares that warned gay men about AIDS. One of the first celebrities to contribute to AIDS awareness, Zelda participated in the first AIDS Project Los Angeles AIDS Walk and attended the 25th Anniversary Walk on October 12, 2009. She died of natural causes at age 76 at Barlow Respiratory Hospital in Los Angeles, California on January 27, 2010. ... (more)