Zelda Rubinstein, the actress with the childlike voice, famous for her role in the 1982 horror movie “Poltergeist” has died Wednesday at the age of 76. According to her agent, Eric Stevens, she died at Barlow Respiratory Hospital in LA of natural causes.
The diminutive, 4-foot-3 actress debuted on film as one of the little people in the comedy “Under the Rainbow” (1981).
Rubinstein’s film appearances include “Sixteen Candles”, “Frances”, “Anguish”, “Teen Witch” and the popular TV series “Picket Fences”.
She had a memorable role as Tangina in the horror movie “Poltergeist”. The role she played was expressively written for a little person.
Rubinstein was born on May 28, 1933 in Pittsburgh as the only little person in the family. She was at peace with her small size only when she was an adult. “I just decided it was a very interesting variation,” Rubinstein said.
She earned a degree in bacteriology at the University of Pittsburg and worked as a lab technician for several years before pursuing an acting career in 1978.
In an interview to The Times in 1985, Rubinstein said she wanted to get involved in the battle against AIDS when she was asked to appear in the campaign L.A. CARES – Los Angeles Cooperative AIDS Risk-Reduction Education Service – launched in the early 1985.
Executive director of AIDS Project Los Angeles, Craig E. Thompson stated, “She was one of the very first Hollywood celebrities to speak out on HIV and AIDS.”
R.I.P. 
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Tags: actress, Celebrity, death, dies, Hollywood, Passings, Zelda Rubinstein
