Diane Franklin

American actress

Ray DeLaurentis

(m. 1989)

Children2

Diane Franklin (born February 11, 1962)^[1]^[2] is an American actress, producer, and model.

Early life

Franklin was born in Plainview, New York.^[2] Her parents were both German immigrants.^[3] Franklin is deaf in her left ear.^[3]

Education

Franklin attended New York University for one year in 1981–1982 before dropping out to become a professional actress.^[4] She continued her education 30 years later when she attended Moorpark College and then California State University, Northridge where she graduated with a degree in education in 2017.^[4]

Career

Early in her acting career, Franklin appeared in TV commercials for Coca-Cola, Trident, Jell-O, and Maxwell House coffee. At the age of 17, she appeared in two episodes of As the World Turns which aired in October 1979. Her breakthrough role was as Karen in the 1982 teen drama film The Last American Virgin. That same year, she played Patricia Montelli in the horror film Amityville II: The Possession. She was given top billing in her next film, the 1984 erotic comedy film Second Time Lucky, and played French exchange student Monique Junet in the 1985 comedy film Better Off Dead.

Franklin played Princess Joanna in the 1989 comedy film Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure and has appeared as an extra or in guest roles in episodes of television series such as Bay City Blues, Matlock, and Family Law. She also appeared in three television films, including a role as Jock Ewing's first wife in the 1986 film Dallas: The Early Years.

In 2012, Franklin published a memoir called Diane Franklin: The Excellent Adventures of the Last American, French Exchange Babe of the 80s.^[5] In 2017, she published a second memoir called Diane Franklin: The Excellent Curls of the Last American, French-Exchange Babe of the 80s.^[6]^[7] In 2018, she returned to the Amityville franchise to play Louise DeFeo in the horror-drama film The Amityville Murders^[8] In 2021, she played Mrs. Healy in the horror film Ted Bundy: American Boogeyman.

In 2023, Franklin played Danielle in Waking Nightmare, an independent horror film that was granted a SAG-AFTRA interim agreement, allowing filming to continue and the actors to promote the film.^[9] She also starred as Sinead Chambers in Pareidolia, a British horror short film.^[10]

Personal life

Franklin married Ray DeLaurentis, an animation writer for shows such as The Fairly OddParents, in 1989. They reside in Westlake Village, California.^[11] Their son Nick is a musician, while their daughter Olivia is a comedian and actress best known as one half of the absurdist comedy double act Syd & Olivia.^[12]^[13]

Filmography

Film

Year	Film	Role	Notes
1982	Amityville II: The Possession	Patricia Montelli
1982	The Last American Virgin	Karen
1984	Second Time Lucky	Eve
1985	Better Off Dead	Monique Junet
1986	TerrorVision	Suzy Putterman
1989	How I Got into College	Sharon Browne
1989	Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure	Princess Joanna
2006	Punchcard Player	Sweetheart
2008	The Adventures of Lass	Mum / Gramma	Short film
2009	The Adventures of Lass 2: The Sweet Potato Rush	Mum / Gramma
2010	The Adventures of Lass 3: Going to America	Mum / Old Lass
2011	Humanized	Computer
2012	My Better Half	Viola Young
2013	Lovechild	Jenny Meyers
2013	Royal Effups	Earless of Incestia
2018	The Amityville Murders	Louise DeFeo
2019	Wally Got Wasted	Emma
2021	Ted Bundy: American Boogeyman	Mrs. Healy
2021	Clay Zombies	D.J.St. VC Skatewell
2023	Waking Nightmare	Danielle
2023	Pareidolia	Sinead Chambers	Short film

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1983	Bay City Blues	background extra	2 episodes
	Summer Girl	Cinni	TV movie
	Deadly Lessons	Stefanie Aggiston	TV movie
1985	The Insiders	background extra	1 episode
1985	Finder Of Lost Loves	Emily Bennetts	1 episode
1986	Dallas: The Early Years	Amanda Lewis Ewing	TV movie
1987	Charles In Charge	Anna Grudov	1 episode
1987	Matlock	Nancy Lamont	1 episode
1988	Freddy's Nightmares	Jessica	1 episode
1989	Alfred Hitchcock Presents	Paula / Paulette	1 episode
1990	Encyclopedia Brown	Sondra Gafney	1 episode
1991	Murder, She Wrote	Phyllis Gant	1 episode
1999	Providence	Diane Cavalero	1 episode
2000	Family Law	TV Announcer	1 episode
2010	Toon Wolf	Network President	1 episode
2013	Parole Officers	Marge	TV movie

References

^ ^a ^b "Diane Franklin Overview". Turner Classic Movies. Archived from the original on June 12, 2023.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Diane Franklin Biography". Fandango. Archived from the original on June 12, 2023.
^ ^a ^b Sykes, Steve (October 19, 2020). "INTERVIEW - Actress Diane Franklin Talks Her Career and New Reboot The Amityville Murders". NPR Illinois. Event occurs at 6:34, 37:24. Archived from the original on September 10, 2022.
^ ^a ^b Amico, Paul (June 19, 2017). "CSUN Helps Provide New Direction for '80s Cult Film Actress". CSUN Today. California State University, Northridge. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
^ Diane Franklin: The Excellent Adventures of the Last American, French Exchange Babe of the 80s. Diane Franklin Publishing. August 2, 2012. ISBN 978-0615641362.
^ "Diane Franklin: The Excellent Curls of the Last American, French-Exchange Babe of the 80s|Paperback".
^ Diane Franklin: The Excellent Curls of the Last American, French-Exchange Babe of the 80s (Diane Franklin Book) (Volume 2). Diane Franklin Publishing. February 8, 2017. ISBN 978-1507704943.
^ Sykes, Steve (October 19, 2020). "Interview: Actress Diane Franklin Talks Her Career and New Reboot The Amityville Murders". NPR Illinois. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
^ Pennacchio, George (August 17, 2023). "Veteran actress supports SAG-AFTRA strike, still allowed to promote new independent horror film". ABC 7 Los Angeles. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
^ Unsworth, Martin. "PAREIDOLIA (Short Film)". Starburst Magazine. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
^ Paul, Arielle (March 23, 2019). "My favorite room; Wait, that's Duke's chair; Animals and kids have taken over this actress' sunny yellow space". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
^ "Olivia Bio // Socials".
^ "Olivia DeLaurentis (@ocdelaurentis) • Instagram photos and videos".