Dominique Dunne
Encyclopedia
Dominique Ellen Dunne was an American actress.
Dunne made appearances in several made for television movie
s, television series, and films, and played a supporting role as the oldest daughter, Dana Freeling, in the 1982
film Poltergeist. She was strangled to death by her former boyfriend.
, the daughter of Ellen Griffin, a ranching heiress, and producer/journalist/novelist Dominick Dunne
. She was also the niece of married novelists John Gregory Dunne
and Joan Didion
, and the sister of actor and director Griffin Dunne
. Dunne attended schools in Los Angeles, California
as well as Fountain Valley School
and Colorado State University
. After spending a year in Italy
, Dunne worked for a short period in L.A. as a receptionist and translator for the Italian Trade Commission but eventually turned to acting.
made-for-TV movie Diary of a Teenage Hitchhiker. She then got small roles in episodes of popular 1980s television series such as Family
, Hart to Hart
and Fame
. She also appeared in four episodes of the short lived TV series Breaking Away and several more made for TV movies. She was then cast in a major role in producer Steven Spielberg
's Poltergeist (1982) as Dana Freeling, directed by Tobe Hooper
. After Poltergeist
, she appeared in the final season premiere of CHiPs
and the 1982
TV movie The Shadow Riders
with Tom Selleck
and Sam Elliott
.
Dunne had been cast as Robin Maxwell in the 1983 miniseries V and had already begun filming a short time before her death. The role was recast with actress Blair Tefkin
. The only scene in which Dunne appears, according to the DVD director's commentary by series creator Kenneth Johnson, is the one in which the Maxwells and others watch the L.A. mother ship glide in on the day the Visitors first arrive. Dunne's back is all that is seen. The original miniseries is dedicated to her.
in Los Angeles, California
.
Her last TV appearance, airing after her death, was in an episode of Hill Street Blues
titled "Requiem for a Hairbag". She played a teenage mother who is a victim of parental abuse. Some of her bruise marks were actual bruises inflicted by Sweeney the night before filming. The episode was dedicated to her memory.
Sweeney was originally charged with second-degree murder and assault to do great bodily harm
; however, on November 10, 1983, the jury in the case acquitted him of these charges and found him guilty only of the lesser included offenses of voluntary manslaughter
and misdemeanor
assault. He was sentenced to 6½ years in prison, the maximum sentence he could have received, but he served less than four years before his release, having been given credit for time served
before conviction. He was then hired as a chef at a restaurant in Santa Monica, California
; Dunne's family publicly protested his employment there, and he was fired. In interviews, Dunne's father said that for a time he employed the services of private investigator Anthony Pellicano
to follow and report upon Sweeney. According to Dunne's father, Pellicano reported that Sweeney had changed his name to John Maura and moved to the Pacific Northwest. Dunne's father said that he later decided that he no longer wished to squander his life following Sweeney and therefore discontinued any attempts to keep tabs on him.
Dunne was buried in Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery
near family friend Natalie Wood
. In 1988, Heather O'Rourke
, Dunne's young Poltergeist costar, was also buried close to her.
Dunne made appearances in several made for television movie
Television movie
A television film is a feature film that is a television program produced for and originally distributed by a television network, in contrast to...
s, television series, and films, and played a supporting role as the oldest daughter, Dana Freeling, in the 1982
1982 in film
-Events:* March 26 = I Ought to Be in Pictures, starring Walter Matthau, Ann-Margret and Dinah Manoff is released. Manoff would not appear in another movie until 1987's Backfire.* June = PG-rated film E.T...
film Poltergeist. She was strangled to death by her former boyfriend.
Early life
Dunne was born in Santa Monica, CaliforniaSanta Monica, California
Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
, the daughter of Ellen Griffin, a ranching heiress, and producer/journalist/novelist Dominick Dunne
Dominick Dunne
Dominick John Dunne was an American writer and investigative journalist, whose subjects frequently hinged on the ways in which high society interacts with the judicial system...
. She was also the niece of married novelists John Gregory Dunne
John Gregory Dunne
John Gregory Dunne was an American novelist, screenwriter and literary critic.-Life:He was born in Hartford, Connecticut, and was a younger brother of author Dominick Dunne. He suffered from a severe stutter and took up writing to express himself. Eventually he learned to speak normally by...
and Joan Didion
Joan Didion
Joan Didion is an American author best known for her novels and her literary journalism. Her novels and essays explore the disintegration of American morals and cultural chaos, where the overriding theme is individual and social fragmentation...
, and the sister of actor and director Griffin Dunne
Griffin Dunne
-Personal life:Dunne was born Thomas Griffin Dunne in New York City, New York, the son of Ellen Beatriz Dunne and Dominick Dunne. His mother founded the victims' rights organization Justice for Homicide Victims and his father was a producer, writer, and actor...
. Dunne attended schools in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
as well as Fountain Valley School
Fountain Valley School
Fountain Valley School of Colorado is a private, co-educational independent college preparatory school for students in the 9th through 12th grades. The School's primary campus is located on of rolling prairie at the base of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado Springs, Colorado...
and Colorado State University
Colorado State University
Colorado State University is a public research university located in Fort Collins, Colorado. The university is the state's land grant university, and the flagship university of the Colorado State University System.The enrollment is approximately 29,932 students, including resident and...
. After spending a year in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Dunne worked for a short period in L.A. as a receptionist and translator for the Italian Trade Commission but eventually turned to acting.
Acting career
Dunne's first role was in the 19791979 in film
The year 1979 in film involved some significant events.- Major events :* March 5 - Production begins on Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back.* May 25 - Alien, a landmark of the science fiction genre, is released....
made-for-TV movie Diary of a Teenage Hitchhiker. She then got small roles in episodes of popular 1980s television series such as Family
Family (TV series)
Family is an American television drama series that aired on ABC from 1976 to 1980. Creative control of the show was split between executive producers Leonard Goldberg, Aaron Spelling and Mike Nichols...
, Hart to Hart
Hart to Hart
Hart to Hart is an American television series, starring Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers as Jonathan and Jennifer Hart, a wealthy couple who also moonlighted as amateur detectives. The series was created by writer Sidney Sheldon and produced by Aaron Spelling and Leonard Goldberg...
and Fame
Fame (1982 TV series)
Fame is an American television series originally produced between 1982 and 1987. The show was based on the 1980 motion picture of the same name. Using a mixture of drama and music, it followed the lives of the students and faculty at the New York City High School for the Performing Arts. Although...
. She also appeared in four episodes of the short lived TV series Breaking Away and several more made for TV movies. She was then cast in a major role in producer Steven Spielberg
Steven Spielberg
Steven Allan Spielberg KBE is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, video game designer, and studio entrepreneur. In a career of more than four decades, Spielberg's films have covered many themes and genres. Spielberg's early science-fiction and adventure films were seen as an...
's Poltergeist (1982) as Dana Freeling, directed by Tobe Hooper
Tobe Hooper
Tobe Hooper is an American film director and screenwriter, best known for his work in the horror film genre. His works include the cult classic The Texas Chain Saw Massacre , along with its first sequel, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 ; the three-time Emmy-nominated Stephen King film adaptation...
. After Poltergeist
Poltergeist
A poltergeist is a paranormal phenomenon which consists of events alluding to the manifestation of an imperceptible entity. Such manifestation typically includes inanimate objects moving or being thrown about, sentient noises and, on some occasions, physical attacks on those witnessing the...
, she appeared in the final season premiere of CHiPs
CHiPs
CHiPs is an American television drama series produced by MGM Studios that originally aired on NBC from September 15, 1977, to July 17, 1983. CHiPs followed the lives of two motorcycle police officers of the California Highway Patrol...
and the 1982
1982 in film
-Events:* March 26 = I Ought to Be in Pictures, starring Walter Matthau, Ann-Margret and Dinah Manoff is released. Manoff would not appear in another movie until 1987's Backfire.* June = PG-rated film E.T...
TV movie The Shadow Riders
The Shadow Riders (film)
The Shadow Riders is a 1982 television film western that first aired in the United States on September 28, 1982. It is based on the novel of the same name by Louis L'Amour, and is directed by Andrew V. McLaglen. The movie reunites actors Tom Selleck, Sam Elliot, and Jeff Osterhage, who also starred...
with Tom Selleck
Tom Selleck
Thomas William "Tom" Selleck is an American actor, and film producer. He is best known for his starring role as Hawaii-based private investigator Thomas Magnum on the 1980s television show Magnum, P.I.. He also plays Police Chief Jesse Stone in a series of made-for-TV movies based on the Robert B....
and Sam Elliott
Sam Elliott
Samuel Pack "Sam" Elliott is an American actor. His rangy physique, thick horseshoe moustache, and deep, resonant voice match the iconic image of a cowboy or rancher, and he has often been cast in such roles.-Early life:Sam Elliott was born in Sacramento, California, to a physical training...
.
Dunne had been cast as Robin Maxwell in the 1983 miniseries V and had already begun filming a short time before her death. The role was recast with actress Blair Tefkin
Blair Tefkin
Blair Tefkin is an American actress and singer-songwriter.She may be best known for her role as Robin Maxwell on the 1983 science fiction miniseries V, the 1984 sequel V: The Final Battle, and V: The Series...
. The only scene in which Dunne appears, according to the DVD director's commentary by series creator Kenneth Johnson, is the one in which the Maxwells and others watch the L.A. mother ship glide in on the day the Visitors first arrive. Dunne's back is all that is seen. The original miniseries is dedicated to her.
Murder
In 1982, after completing work on Poltergeist, Dunne met and later moved in with a Los Angeles chef, John Thomas Sweeney (born and raised in Hazleton, PA), who was sous-chef at the restaurant Ma Maison. The relationship was abusive and, after a short while, Dunne ended it. A few weeks later, on October 30, Sweeney strangled Dunne in the driveway of her home after she refused to reconcile with him. Dunne fell into a deep coma for five days and died on November 4 at Cedars-Sinai Medical CenterCedars-Sinai Medical Center
Originally established as Kaspare Cohn Hospital in 1902, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center is a non-profit, tertiary 958-bed hospital and multi-specialty academic health science centre located in Los Angeles, California, US. Part of the Cedars-Sinai Health System, the hospital employs a staff of over...
in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
.
Her last TV appearance, airing after her death, was in an episode of Hill Street Blues
Hill Street Blues
Hill Street Blues is an American serial police drama that was first aired on NBC in 1981 and ran for 146 episodes on primetime into 1987. Chronicling the lives of the staff of a single police precinct in an unnamed American city, the show received critical acclaim and its production innovations ...
titled "Requiem for a Hairbag". She played a teenage mother who is a victim of parental abuse. Some of her bruise marks were actual bruises inflicted by Sweeney the night before filming. The episode was dedicated to her memory.
Sweeney was originally charged with second-degree murder and assault to do great bodily harm
Assault
In law, assault is a crime causing a victim to fear violence. The term is often confused with battery, which involves physical contact. The specific meaning of assault varies between countries, but can refer to an act that causes another to apprehend immediate and personal violence, or in the more...
; however, on November 10, 1983, the jury in the case acquitted him of these charges and found him guilty only of the lesser included offenses of voluntary manslaughter
Voluntary Manslaughter
Voluntary manslaughter is the killing of a human being in which the offender had no prior intent to kill and acted during "the heat of passion," under circumstances that would cause a reasonable person to become emotionally or mentally disturbed. In the Uniform Crime Reports prepared by the...
and misdemeanor
Misdemeanor
A misdemeanor is a "lesser" criminal act in many common law legal systems. Misdemeanors are generally punished much less severely than felonies, but theoretically more so than administrative infractions and regulatory offences...
assault. He was sentenced to 6½ years in prison, the maximum sentence he could have received, but he served less than four years before his release, having been given credit for time served
Time served
In criminal law, "time served" describes a sentence where the defendant is credited immediately after the guilty verdict with the time spent in remand awaiting trial. The time is usually subtracted from the sentence, with only the balance being served after the verdict...
before conviction. He was then hired as a chef at a restaurant in Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
; Dunne's family publicly protested his employment there, and he was fired. In interviews, Dunne's father said that for a time he employed the services of private investigator Anthony Pellicano
Anthony Pellicano
Anthony Pellicano is a former high-profile Los Angeles private investigator who recently served a sentence of three and a half years in federal prison for illegal possession of explosives, firearms and homemade grenades, and who was arrested on February 4, 2006, on unlawful wiretapping and...
to follow and report upon Sweeney. According to Dunne's father, Pellicano reported that Sweeney had changed his name to John Maura and moved to the Pacific Northwest. Dunne's father said that he later decided that he no longer wished to squander his life following Sweeney and therefore discontinued any attempts to keep tabs on him.
Dunne was buried in Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery
Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery
The Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery is a cemetery in the Westwood Village area of Los Angeles, California. It is located at 1218 Glendon Avenue in Westwood....
near family friend Natalie Wood
Natalie Wood
Natalie Wood, born Natalia Nikolaevna Zacharenko was an American film and television actress. After first working in films as a child, Wood became a successful Hollywood star as a young adult, receiving three Academy Award nominations before she was 25 years old.Wood began acting in movies at the...
. In 1988, Heather O'Rourke
Heather O'Rourke
Heather O'Rourke was an American child actress who played Carol Anne Freeling in the Poltergeist film trilogy and made several television guest appearances...
, Dunne's young Poltergeist costar, was also buried close to her.
See also
- The Poltergeist curse
External links
- Justice for Homicide Victims - The official site of the victim’s rights organization founded by Dominique’s mother in 1984
- Tony’s Chamber - Ode to Dominique Dunne
- Dominique Dunne memorial site
- Heinous Hollywood-The Murder of Dominique Dunne
- Justice: A father’s account of the trial of his daughter’s killer. Dominick Dunne, Vanity Fair, March 1984