Zelda Rubinstein

Biography

Zelda Rubinstein was a distinctive American character actress born on May 28, 1933, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Standing at 4 feet 3 inches, she was the youngest of three children and the only little person in her family. Rubinstein earned a degree in bacteriology from the University of Pittsburgh and initially worked as a lab technician before pursuing acting in 1978. She studied at the University of California and made her film debut in "Under the Rainbow." Rubinstein gained widespread recognition for her role as psychic Tangina Barrons in the horror classic "Poltergeist," reprising the character in its sequels. She had notable roles in the series "Picket Fences" and appeared in various television shows. An advocate for the rights of little people, she co-founded the Michael Dunn Memorial Repertory Theater Company. Rubinstein passed away from natural causes on January 27, 2010, at the age of 76 in Los Angeles, California.