BADLANDS SEASON 3 | Episode #05 | 3.16.2022
Poltergeist Curse: Paranormal Activity, a Plane Crash, and Murder
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Four different actors from the 1980s horror franchise Poltergeist died within a 6-year span. Dominique Dunne was murdered. Julian Beck succumbed to stomach cancer. Will Sampson suffered from a degenerative disease. And Heather O’Rourke’s death, at the age of 12, was deemed “distinctly unusual.” Was it an eerie coincidence...or something more sinister?
Sources
Steven Spielberg actually directed Poltergeist, crew member confirms (Independent)
An American Tragedy That Brought Death to Actress Dominique Dunne Now Brings Outrage to Her Family (People)
Strangled Actress: Did Slayer’s Penalty Fit His Crime? (LA Times)
Book Excerpt: Cinemaphagy: On the Psychedelic Classical Form of Tobe Hooper by Scout Tafoya (RogerEbert.com)
Oliver Robbins Looks Back on ‘Poltergeist’ at New Beverly Cinema (The Ultimate Rabbit)
The Sad Discovery Made in Poltergeist Star Heather O’Rourke’s Autopsy Report (Grunge)
House of Flying Objects (Life Magazine)
‘Poltergeist’ Star Heather O’Rourke Dies at Age of 12 (LA Times)
Doctors: Unusual Circumstances Surrounded Actress’ Death (AP News)
Survivors Marvel at Good Fortune, Recall Terrifying Ordeal With PM-La Guardia Crash (AP News)
Crash at La Guardia; Survivors of Mangled Plane Recall Fire, Water, Terror (NY Times)
Richard Lawson on Oprah (Part 1)
Richard Lawson on Oprah (Part 2)
Richard Lawson on Oprah (Redux)
MGM Ponders Selling of ‘Poltergeist III’ (LA Times)
Suit Blames Doctors in Death of Young Actress (LA Times)
Mysterious death of 80s child star Heather O’Rourke and the ‘Hollywood curse’ (NZ Herald)
Credits
Hosted by Jake Brennan.
Written by Zeth Lundy.
Copy edited by Pat Healy.
Scored and mixed by Sean Cahalin.
Additional music and score elements by Ryan Spraker.
*illustrations by Avi Spivak @avispivak