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Leslie Easterbrook

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Leslie Easterbrook
Leslie Easterbrook, 2006
Born (1949-07-24) July 24, 1949 (age 75)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation(s)Actress, producer
Years active1978–present
Spouses
Victor Holchak
​
​
(m. 1979; div. 1988)​
​
(died 2024)​

Leslie Easterbrook (born July 24, 1949) is an American actress and producer. She played Sgt./Lt./Capt. Debbie Callahan in the Police Academy films and Rhonda Lee on the television series Laverne & Shirley.

Early life

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Easterbrook was born in Los Angeles on July 24, 1949.[1] She was adopted when she was nine months old;[2] her adoptive parents, Carl and Helen Easterbrook, raised her in Arcadia, Nebraska. She attended and graduated from Kearney High School and Stephens College. Her father was a music professor and her mother was an English teacher at the University of Nebraska at Kearney.[3]

Career

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Easterbrook appeared in about a dozen feature films and over 300 television episodes.

One of her earlier successes was in 1980 as Rhonda Lee beginning with season six of Laverne & Shirley. The role of Rhonda was part of the show's change of locale from Milwaukee to Burbank, California. While playing the role of Rhonda, she appeared as a panelist on Match Game taped on 27 September 1981.

Easterbrook performed as Debbie Callahan in the Police Academy film series.[4][5]

Easterbrook told author Paul Stenning,

The funny thing is, that's not me at all. I'd never played tough. I'd played all kinds of things, but I'd never played someone who's intimidating or someone that was aggressive sexually. I was of a size that I never played the girl who got the guy. I wondered how I could do it. But I did. I went for the audition and I scared the producer and the director and then they backed up in their chairs and I went 'Oh no, now I really blew it. I scared them.' So I left the audition upset. I didn't get to read the script until I got the part. I thought it was outrageous and so funny.[6]

Easterbrook appeared in Private Resort, Murder, She Wrote, Diagnosis: Murder, Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, Baywatch, Matlock, Hunter, and The Dukes of Hazzard.[7] In 2005, she replaced Karen Black as Mother Firefly in Rob Zombie's The Devil's Rejects, the sequel to the 2003 horror film, House of 1000 Corpses. In 2007, she played security guard Patty Frost in Rob Zombie's remake of Halloween. In 2008, she played as Betty in the thriller/horror film House.[8] In 2010, she starred in The Afflicted. She also appeared on Ryan's Hope as Devlin Kowalski. Her voice work has been featured in several projects, including Batman: The Animated Series and Superman: The Animated Series.

She sang the National Anthem at Super Bowl XVII[9] which landed her starring roles in musicals on Broadway[10] and throughout the country; she recorded a song for the soundtrack of Police Academy: Mission to Moscow.[citation needed]

Easterbrook made a video, Real Beginner's Guide to the Shotgun Sports, the first in a series designed to encourage and prepare nonshooters for their first shooting experience. Easterbrook serves on the board of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, and supports a number of children's charities. Easterbrook is a National Rifle Association member and has served on the board of directors of the California Rifle and Pistol Association.[11][12]

Personal life

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Easterbrook was married to screenwriter Dan Wilcox until his death in 2024.[13][14] She is good friends with former Police Academy cast member Scott Thomson and was close friends with Marion Ramsey. Easterbrook describes the cast of the original film as a "big family."[15]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1980 Just Tell Me What You Want Hospital Nurse
1984 Police Academy Sgt. Debbie Callahan
His & Hers Sharon
1985 Private Resort Bobbie Sue
1986 Police Academy 3: Back in Training Debbie Callahan
1987 Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol
1988 Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach
The Taking of Flight 847: The Uli Deckerson Story Audrey Television film
1989 Police Academy 6: City Under Siege Debbie Callahan
1994 Police Academy: Mission to Moscow
1995 Mr. Payback: An Interactive Movie Diane Wyatt
1997 Two Small Voices Patient #2 Television film
1998 The Hunted Lynn the Manager
2000 Big Wind on Campus Science Teacher
2001 The Song of the Lark Jesse Darcy Television film
Maniacts Matron Knull
2002 The Moment After Stephanie Short film
2003 Dismembered Helen
2004 Tales of a Fly on the Wall Bud's Mom Television film
2005 Long Distance Mrs. Freeman
Murder at the Presidio Thelma "Bunny" Atkins Television film
The Biggest Fan Police Woman
The Devil's Rejects Mother Firefly
2006 A Dead Calling Marge
2007 A Family Lost Carol Television film
Cartel, 1882 Fame Longstreet
Halloween Patty Frost
The Heartbreak Kid Jodi's Mom
Retribution Road Lana Gambol
2008 House Betty
2009 Black Water Transit Bet Tannen
2010 Hollywood & Wine Hattie Mcdaniel
2011 The Afflicted Maggie
Rift Meagan Charms
Skeletons in the Closet Eleanor Short film
2012 Find Me Linda
Sorority Party Massacre Stella Fawnskin
2013 Clubhouse Patty Newman
Nevermind the Dawn Rose Short film
Compound Fracture Annabelle
A Little Christmas Business Linda Collier
House of the Witchdoctor Irene Van Hooten
2014 The Wedding Pact Donna
Number Runner Babette Schiller
NightLights Gina
2015 Rivers 9 Martha
Lavalantula Doris Television film
Daddy Mrs. McCormack
Howl of a Good Time Martha Short film
2016 Terror Birds Dr. Slater
Greater Barbara Burlsworth
Sugar Skull Girls Azreal
Of Flesh and Bone Margaret Short film
2017 Prisoner Woman Short film
Charlotte Martha Segment: "Howl of a Good Time"
The Neighborhood Annabella
Dark Image Phyllis Browne
Furious of Alabama Paula Hargrove
2018 Abnormal Attraction Hildie "The Witch"
Intensive Care Claire
A Christmas Arrangement Dorothy Cromwell-Eastland
2020 Voices Samantha Eisner
Beast Mode Zelda Zine
2021 Body of the Mined Morla Short film
The Baby Pact Donna Carter
2022 Give Till It Hurts Veranda

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1980 Me and Maxx Miss Arnold Episode: "Dad's Day"
1980–1983 Laverne & Shirley Rhonda Lee Main role (season 6–8); 51 episodes
1981; 1983 The Love Boat Wendy / Edie Franklin 2 episodes
1982 Fantasy Island Michelle Episode: "The Perfect Gentleman / Legend"
The Devlin Connection Nurse Episode: "The Absolute Monarch of Ward C"
1983 Ace Crawford, Private Eye Dee Dee Bozwell Episode: "Bull Bates"
Trapper John, M.D. Louella Episode: "The Final Cut"
1984 The Dukes of Hazzard Madame Delilah Episode: "The Fortune Tellers"
Domestic Life Kiki Episode: "Cooking with Candy"
Glitter Teri Davis Episode: "Trouble in Paradise"
1st & Ten Allison Episode: "By the Bulls"
1985 Brothers Professor Victoria Karper Episode: "To Play or Not to Play"
Misfits of Science Strickland's Secretary Episode: "Deep Freeze"
1986–1987 Ryan's Hope Devlin Kowalski Recurring role; 23 episodes
1988 Ohara Gloria Collins Episode: "X"
1988; 1991; 1995 Murder, She Wrote Various characters 4 episodes
1989 It's a Living Evelyn Episode: "Matchmaker, Matchmaker"
The Munsters Today Neighbor Episode: "Murder in Munsterland"
1990 Equal Justice Charlene West Episode: "The Art of the Possible"
1990; 1993 Matlock Joanna Wilson 2 episodes
1991 Hunter June Schwan Episode: "Ex Marks the Spot"
Baywatch Dita Episode: "Money, Honey"
1992 Hangin' with Mr. Cooper Coach Judd Episode: "Cheers"
Batman: The Animated Series Randa Duane (voice) 2 episodes
1993 Bodies of Evidence Lily McCloud Episode: "Eleven Grains of Sand"
1997 Superman: The Animated Series Mala (voice) 2 episodes
Police Academy: The Series Debbie Callahan Episode: "Dead Man Talking"
1998 Diagnosis: Murder Helen Frolick Episode: "Food Fight"
2011 The Funny Man Beatrice Main role; 10 episodes
Web series
2014 Mr. Wang Goes to Hollywood Senator Wilson Episode: "Science in the Hood"
2018 See Ya Lana Turner 2 episodes

References

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  1. ^ Willis, John A. (1979). John Willis' Theatre World, Volume 34. Crown Publishers. p. 240.
  2. ^ Stenning, Paul (24 November 2013). Success - By Those Who've Made It. Pg. 147. In Flight Books. ISBN 978-1628475869.
  3. ^ Stenning, Paul (24 November 2013). Success - By Those Who've Made It. Pg. 148. In Flight Books. ISBN 978-1628475869.
  4. ^ Machray, Robert (February 24, 2010). "Theatre Review (LA): Broads by Fahn and Symon at the El Portal Theatre". blogcritics. Retrieved 2010-02-28.
  5. ^ Weldon, Michael (1996). The psychotronic video guide. Macmillan. pp. 434–435. ISBN 0-312-13149-6.
  6. ^ Stenning, Paul (24 November 2013). Success - By Those Who've Made It. Pg. 154. In Flight Books. ISBN 978-1628475869.
  7. ^ Hofstede, David (2005). The Dukes of Hazzard: The Unofficial Companion. Macmillan. p. 279. ISBN 0-312-35374-X.
  8. ^ Monush, Barry; Willis, John (2009). Screen World: The Films of 2008. Vol. 60. University of Arkansas Press. p. 225. ISBN 978-1-4234-7370-1.
  9. ^ Weiss, Don; Day, Chuck (2003). The Making of the Super Bowl. McGraw-Hill Professional. p. 368. ISBN 0-07-142949-2.
  10. ^ Grigware, Don (February 22, 2010). "BWW Reviews: Talented Broads Sing BROADS! THE MUSICAL". Broadway World. Wisdom Digital Media. Retrieved 2010-02-28.
  11. ^ Knight, Ken (2008). The Midnight Show: Late Night Cable-TV "Guy-Flicks" of the 80's. AuthorHouse. p. 66. ISBN 978-1-4343-4148-8.
  12. ^ Weller, Sandy (April 1, 2005). "CRPA's 130th Anniversary & Annual Banquet". California Rifle & Pistol Association. Archived from the original on July 25, 2011. Retrieved April 2, 2015.
  13. ^ Rice, Vicki (March 18, 2004). "At KHS, Easterbrook, Johnston offer scoop on understanding Hollywood, starting to act". Kearney Hub. p. 1.
  14. ^ Barnes, Mike. "Dan Wilcox, Writer and Producer on 'M*A*S*H,' Dies at 82". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
  15. ^ Stenning, Paul (24 November 2013). Success - By Those Who've Made It. Pg. 152. In Flight Books. ISBN 978-1628475869.
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