[Deathwatch] Lana Clarkson, actress, 40

[Deathwatch Central]

This should have been posted much earlier, when a loyal reader sent it
to me.	Also, I included two stories - notice that the BBC disagress
with the family on her birthdate.  - Ed.

Tuesday, 4 February, 2003, 12:58 GMT
Shooting victim was B-movie actress
Lana Clarkson

Actress Lana Clarkson was found shot dead at the home of legendary
record producer Phil Spector. BBC News Online looks as the life of the
B-movie star.

Lana Clarkson carved out an acting career with small roles in American
TV hits in the 1970s and 1980s.

Born in 1966 in California, Clarkson set her heart on making it in the
tough world of Hollywood.

Among the well-known shows she featured in were The A-Team, Knight
Rider and Who's The Boss.

Her big screen debut came in Amy Heckerling's 1982 film Fast Times at
Ridgemont High, which starred Sean Penn and Jennifer Jason Leigh.

But it was her association with legendary producer Roger Corman that
really put her on the B-movie map.

She described learning about the movie world under Corman as the "boot
camp" of film-making.

Clarkson's first starring role was in the sci-fi movie Barbarian Queen,
produced by Corman.

The film, set in the Roman Empire, saw Clarkson play one of only three
women to survive a village attack who decide to exact revenge.

Charity work

She reprised her role in the 1992 sequel Barbarian Queen II: The
Empress Strikes Back.

Clarkson's other film roles include the spoof Amazon Women on the Moon
and fantasy Wizards of the Lost Kingdom II.

In 1996 she starred as Detective Jan Cooper in Richard Gabai's Vice
Girls.

She played one of a trio of sexy vice squad cops who go undercover,
wearing very little, to capture a killer.

Her film career after that petered out somewhat with just small roles
in a handful of films.

But she kept the money coming in by appearing in numerous advertising
campaigns, including Nike, Mercedes and US retail chain Kmart.

Clarkson was a huge fan of screen icon Marilyn Monroe and collected
memorabilia about her.

She was also a regular volunteer at the Aids charity Project Angel
Food, which delivers food to those disabled by HIV or Aids. 


Lana Clarkson
By the Clarkson Family
Feb. 21, 2003

Lana Clarkson was born in Long Beach, California, on April 5, 1962.
>From an early age, she loved stories and showing off - reciting nursery
rhymes to anyone who would listen when just over a year old. Lana’s
mother lovingly recalls styling her daughter’s hair and playing dress
up, with Lana clad in bell bottoms and white go-go boots.

One day, hands on hips, Lana proudly proclaimed: "I'm independent!"
When asked what she thought independent meant, she stated, "It means, I
want to do it myself!" This would prove to be Lana’s motto throughout
life.

The Clarkson family moved to San Francisco in 1967, then to Cloverdale,
California, in the early 70's. Living out in the country, Lana fell in
love with horses and was given a roan mare named Breeze for her 10th
birthday. Being naturally athletic and graceful, she quickly became
proficient at both English and Western riding. Riding would be one of a
number of activities at which Lana would excel.

Lana attended Cloverdale High School, where she played basketball for
the school team. When her family moved from Sonoma County to Napa
Valley, Lana attended PUC Prep School. At age 16, Lana was already one
of the tallest in her class, having grown an amazing five inches in one
year. Becoming a fashion model was soon one of Lana’s many aspirations.


During the Christmas season of 1978, the Clarkson family moved to Los
Angeles. Lana hit the ground running, quickly landing bit parts in film
and television. Her modeling career also took off, and Lana found
herself traveling around the United States and Europe working on high
fashion photo shoots. Other projects took Lana to Japan, Italy,
Argentina, Switzerland, France, and Mexico. Being a quick study, Lana
learned to speak both Spanish and Italian quite well. Lana fit right
into the scene at the Cannes Film Festival, which she attended several
times during the 80's and 90’s.

Lana Clarkson’s early television appearances read like a pop culture
checklist: “CHiPs,” “Happy Days,” “The Love Boat,” ”Hill Street Blues,”
“Laverne and Shirley,” and “Fantasy Island.” Lana had a recurring part
on “Fantasy Island” as one of the girls that placed leis over the heads
of each show's featured guests. Her later work on television included
guest spots on “Who's the Boss,” “Night Court,” “Wings,” “Knight
Rider,” “The Jefferson's,” “Three's Company,” “The A-Team,” “Riptide,”
“Silk Stockings,” “Black Scorpion,” and many other popular shows. Lana
also found success working on television commercials, with a client
list that included Mercedes Benz, Nike, Anheiser Busch, Playtex Bras,
KMART, and Mattel.

At eighteen Lana acquired her SAG card on the movie “Fast Times at
Ridgemont High” - her first speaking role in a feature film. Her
introductory lead role was in the movie “Blind Date,” filmed in Greece
in 1982 and starring Kirstie Alley. Lana then landed a role in Roger
Corman's “Deathstalker.” While not a cinema masterpiece, Lana’s mother
recalls that Lana did make an impression on a Los Angeles Times film
critic who stated, "one bright spot … a newcomer, Lana Clarkson."

It was this star-quality that led to Lana being offered the title role
in Roger Corman’s next film, the cult classic “Barbarian Queen.” While
filming in Argentina, Lana quickly picked up on complicated sword
fighting and became what Roger Corman called “the original Xena.” Her
work on this film, the sequel “Barbarian Queen 2,” and other projects
under Roger Corman, was what Lana often described as "the boot camp of
filmmaking." Lana’s filmography also includes noted films such as
“Scarface” and “My Favorite Year.”

Lana's larger than life personality and striking beauty inspired a
large fan following, further cemented by her work in John Landis'
“Amazon Women on the Moon.” She was always a favorite at comic book
conventions, where she happily signed autographs and was known to be
friendly and accessible.

While physically tall, Lana’s personality could perhaps be described as
gigantic. With a ready smile and quick wit, Lana was friendly,
outgoing, spiritual, kind, genuine; in short, Lana was a charming and
charismatically captivating woman. Those who knew her well maintain
that her ability to make people laugh was perhaps one of her most
endearing traits.

Lana was close to her family and was always there when needed. She made
a point to check in with family and loved ones near and far on a
regular basis, “just because.” Lunching with her mother was always a
highlight in Lana’s schedule.

Lana lived on the canals in Venice, California, for the last several
years, where she adopted a stray black cat that she christened
“Midnight.” Lana and her brother took great pride in transforming
Lana’s canal front house into a homey cottage. In the rare times when
she was not working, Lana enjoyed the life of a California native,
walking along the beach, riding her bike, and going to the gym and the
movies with her sister.

Lana was a consistently working actress, which as many know, is no
small feat in Hollywood. Those that worked with Lana have said that her
work ethic was not only inspirational, but made her a joy to work with.
Not only did Lana take each and every role she played seriously, she
also excelled at the art of auditioning. Lana was well known for
throwing herself into any character that she was auditioning for, going
so far as to dress the part, capturing even the most minute details.
Always the professional, Lana was famous for her prompt follow up with
a card or a note that expressed her sincerest appreciation for anything
from an audition to an offer for a film role.

In 2001, she decided to change gears a little and worked very hard to
bring her versatility as a performer to the public eye. During this
time, Lana developed, wrote, produced, and directed a showcase reel
entitled “Lana Unleashed,” to steer her career in a new direction. Lana
wanted to show the world that she was not just a pretty face, but also
a talented actress with the ability to create comedic characters and
bring them to life. Lana took these capabilities and applied them to
the stand-up comedy genre, which was a perfectly natural direction for
her considering that her stand-up debut had been on “Thicke of the
Night” in the early 80’s. As part of her pro-active approach to this
new chapter in her career, Lana also put together a website and began
her own production company. She embraced this work, as she did most
everything in her life, with zeal, passion, a studious demeanor, and a
tenacity that would seem to ensure her success.

Just over a year ago, Lana suffered a fall while dancing with children
at a Christmas party, breaking both of her wrists. Surgery was
performed on both wrists on Christmas Day, 2001. Much of 2002 was spent
in recovery and rehabilitation from these injuries, and though
described by some as "hard times," they were quite the opposite. Lana
continued to be optimistic and light-hearted. She took the time to
organize her affairs and plan for the future. In addition to physical
therapy, Lana did her best to keep in shape in both body and mind by
frequenting the gym and practicing yoga. She also took time to study,
read, write, and attend classes for acting, producing, and script and
play writing. This time of adversity also strengthened and re-affirmed
Lana's commitment to her spiritual beliefs, and true to character, she
made a concerted effort to continue to do positive things for others.

Family, friends, fans, and those who knew her in passing will remember
Lana as simply incredible. Her infectious charm, statuesque beauty, and
real-world spirituality cannot be described by words alone. We will all
miss you Lana, may you be at peace.