Zelda Rubinstein, best known for her role as Poltergeist's 4'3" psychic, has died in Los Angeles at 76.
She'll be best remembered as Tangina Barrons, the Freeling family's guide to the spirit world in the Poltergeist franchise. Writer and critic Pauline Kael observed that the character of Tangina "gives the movie new life, and she makes a large chunk of it work. . . . She emanates the eerie calm of someone who is used to dealing with tricky, deceiving ghosts." Rubinstein went on to reprise the role in "Poltergeist 2: The Other Side" and "Poltergeist 3." She also appeared in John Hughes' coming-of-age comedy classic Sixteen Candles. You will also find Ms. Rubinstein in "Teen Witch" and most recently "Southland Tales."
Zelda.... a great example of 'you don't have to be a size zero beauty' to love and do the craft of acting.
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