Adrienne King

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Adrienne King
King in 2009
Born
Oyster Bay, New York, U.S.
EducationRoyal Academy of Dramatic Art
OccupationActress
Years active1965–present
Spouse
Richard Hassanein
​
(m. 1987)​
Websiteadrienneking.com

Adrienne King is an American actress and artist. She made her film debut in the television film Inherit the Wind (1965)—followed by uncredited roles in Between the Lines (1977), Saturday Night Fever (1977), and Hair (1979).

She is best known for portraying Alice Hardy in the Friday the 13th franchise—appearing in Friday the 13th (1980), Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981), and the fan film Jason Rising (2021). In 2023, showrunner Bryan Fuller confirmed King would have an undisclosed recurring role in his upcoming Friday the 13th Peacock prequel series Crystal Lake.

After starring in the original Friday the 13th, King became the target of a stalker and retired from acting for three decades—beginning her career as an ADR looper and developing her skills as an artist. In 2010, she returned to acting in the low-budget horror film Psychic Experiment. King followed this with roles in The Butterfly Room (2012), Tales of Poe (2014), and Killer Therapy (2019). King is the narrator of the audiobook of Grady Hendrix's novel The Final Girl Support Group (2021).

Life and career[edit]

1960–1979: Early life and roles[edit]

King was born in Oyster Bay, Long Island, New York. She is a first-generation American; her mother was English and from Liverpool, and her father was of Hungarian Jewish and Czech descent.[1] King's mother put her into acting at 6-months old in commercials alongside her brother and sister, something she describes as her not having much control over.[2] In 1965 around age five,[3] she appeared in the television film Inherit the Wind in a supporting role.[3] Beginning in ninth grade, she began auditioning for films in New York City: "As long as I kept my grades up, everyone was cool with it," she recalled.[3]

She soon began training under Bill Esper, a student of acting instructor Sanford Meisner.[3] She began to obtain parts in soap operas, Off-off-Broadway productions, and in several television commercials most notably Burger King advertising.[2] Additionally, she worked as an extra, as well as performing as an uncredited dancer in the films Saturday Night Fever (1977) and Hair (1979).[3] She also had a small supporting role in the comedy film Between the Lines (1977). During this time, she studied art at New York's Fashion Institute of Technology.[4]

1980–2008: Friday the 13th and after[edit]

In 1979, while King was appearing in a commercial for Burger King, she was referred to producer Sean S. Cunningham through a mutual friend for a role in his directorial debut, the horror film Friday the 13th. Cunningham felt King embodied the qualities of the film's lead heroine, Alice Hardy, and he cast her in the film.[3] Friday the 13th grossed nearly $60 million worldwide.[5]

The following year, she reprised her role as Alice Hardy in the sequel Friday the 13th Part 2, in which the character meets her demise.[6][7] After the success of Friday the 13th, King was pursued by a male stalker who managed to learn areas she frequented, where she exercised, and ate lunch.[8] The man took Polaroid photographs of King that he would slip under the door of her apartment in New York City, and at one point, broke into her apartment and defaced her artwork.[8] On one occasion, the man confronted her in her apartment and held a gun to her head.[8] The assailant was apprehended and spent some time imprisoned, but the incident traumatized King, prompting her to leave the public eye.[8] Her last on-camera screen appearance at that time was a commercial for Downy which she filmed in 1983.[9] Subsequently, King was hired as a stunt performer and background actor for the Ivan Reitman film Ghostbusters (1984), having been acquainted with the stunt coordinator Cliff Cudney.[10]

She subsequently relocated to London[8] where she enrolled at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, studying voice and dance.[1] Upon finishing her studies, she returned to the United States, settling in Los Angeles where she met her husband, Richard Hassanein, the founder of United Film Distribution.[11] Reluctant to appear onscreen, King reemerged doing voice acting and ADR work, first for Mel Gibson's The Man Without a Face, and the Lasse Hallström-directed drama What's Eating Gilbert Grape? (both 1993).[12] She continued to provide voice work for numerous Hollywood productions throughout the 1990's, including Philadelphia (1993), The Pelican Brief (1993), Wolf (1994), Cameron Crowe's Jerry Maguire (1996), and James Cameron's Titanic (1997).[12] She would later state: "Voiceover work saved me. There's no question it came all around full circle, and I'm a better, more compassionate and stronger actor and artist."[12]

2009–present: film and other projects[edit]

In 2009, she signed on to the science-fiction/horror film Psychic Experiment, marking her first onscreen film appearance in 27 years.[13] In 2012, she starred in the Welsh Christmas horror film Silent Night, Bloody Night: The Homecoming, an unofficial sequel to the American horror film Silent Night, Bloody Night (1974)[14] and The Butterfly Room.[15] King is set to portray Jackie Winters, an investigative reporter, in the upcoming horror film William Froste and Theresa in the short film Admonition.[16]

As of 2010, King also worked as a winemaker and wine company coordinator in southern Oregon.[17][18] She has sold her own line of Friday the 13th-themed wines through the company, called Crystal Lake Wines, as well as paintings.[19]

In 2021, King reprised her role as Alice Hardy in the medium-length horror film Jason Rising.[20]

On October 31, 2022, a Friday the 13th prequel was announced, titled Crystal Lake. It will be written and executive produced by Bryan Fuller and Victor Miller, along with executive producers Marc Toberoff and Rob Barsamian. A24 will serve as the studio behind the series and will air on Peacock.[21] In January 2023, Adrienne King was cast in a recurring undisclosed role. She previously portrayed Alice Hardy in the 1980 original film.[22] Writing for the series was slated to begin in late January 2023 with Kevin Williamson writing one episode for season one.[22]

Filmography[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
1965 Inherit the Wind Melinda Television film
1977 Between the Lines Young Lady Uncredited
1977 Saturday Night Fever Dancer Uncredited
1979 Hair Dancer Uncredited
1980 Friday the 13th Alice Hardy
1981 Friday the 13th Part 2 Alice Hardy
1984 Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter Alice Hardy Archive footage
1984 Ghostbusters Extra[23] Stunt performer; uncredited
1984 Terror in the Aisles Alice Hardy Archive footage
1992–99 Melrose Place Voice looping; 7 seasons
1993 The Man Without a Face Voice looping
1993 The Good Son Voice looping
1993 What's Eating Gilbert Grape Group (voice)
1993 Philadelphia Voice looping; uncredited
1993 The Pelican Brief Voice looping; uncredited
1994 Wolf Voice looping
1995 While You Were Sleeping Voice looping; uncredited
1996 Jerry Maguire Voice looping; uncredited
1997 Titanic Voice looping; uncredited
1997 MouseHunt Voice looping
2000 Almost Famous Voice looping; uncredited
2010 Psychic Experiment Louise Strack
2011 All American Bully Principal Kane
2012 The Butterfly Room Rachel
2012 Gabby's Wish Angela
2013 Silent Night, Bloody Night: Homecoming The Stranger Voice role
2013 Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday the 13th Herself Documentary
2013 This Is the End Voice looping; uncredited
2014 Tales of Poe Queen of Dreams/Private Nurse
2017 Friday the 13th Part 3: The Memoriam Documentary Herself Documentary
2018 Admonition Theresa Short film
2018 William Froste Jackie Winters
2019 Killer Therapy Mrs. Perkins
2021 Jason Rising Alice Hardy Fan film
2022 The Dead Girl in Apartment 03 Detective Richards
TBA Crystal Lake TBA Recurring role

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b King, Adrienne (March 18, 2012). "Episode 31: Friday the 13th". The Hysteria Continues! (Interview). Interviewed by Justin Kerswell.
  2. ^ a b Bracken 2006, p. 104.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Norman 2014, p. 84.
  4. ^ Norman 2014, p. 85.
  5. ^ Box Office Information for Friday the 13th. Archived March 5, 2016, at the Wayback Machine The Numbers. Retrieved November 15, 2013.
  6. ^ Williams 2015, p. 198.
  7. ^ Verongos, Helen (May 8, 1981). "Horror of horrors; 'Friday the 13th' sequel nothing new". The Clarion-Ledger. Jackson, Mississippi. p. 4D – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  8. ^ a b c d e Norman 2014, p. 86.
  9. ^ "1982 Downy Commercial with Adrienne King". campblood.net. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
  10. ^ Squires, John (August 31, 2018). "'Friday the 13th' Star Adrienne King Reveals She's Hiding in 'Ghostbusters' as an Uncredited Stuntwoman". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved September 2, 2018.
  11. ^ Newman, Vanessa (May 10, 2018). "Cult Classic Star Toasts Paradise: Adrienne King, Friday the 13th Survivor, Thrives in Southern Oregon". Rogue Valley Messenger. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
  12. ^ a b c Norman 2014, p. 87.
  13. ^ "Title Change: Walking Distance Leads to Experimental Activity". Dread Central. June 6, 2012. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
  14. ^ "Gory New Stills from Silent Night, Bloody Night: The Homecoming". Dread Central. May 14, 2012. Retrieved September 14, 2016.
  15. ^ "Video: Teaser Trailer for The Butterfly Room is Here". Coming Soon. March 6, 2012. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
  16. ^ "Adrienne King Joins Stacked Cast of William Froste". Dread Central. June 19, 2015. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
  17. ^ "First 'Friday the 13th' star's dreams are now in rural Oregon". The Oregonian. Portland, Oregon. October 19, 2010. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
  18. ^ "Adrienne King takes you back to the lake with Crystal Lake Wines". horrorsociety.com. February 9, 2015. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
  19. ^ Decker, Sean (October 13, 2011). "Exclusive: Friday the 13th's Adrienne King Talks Crystal Lake Wines and More!". Dread Central. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
  20. ^ Squires, John (August 27, 2021). "Adrienne King is Back as Alice Hardy in 'Friday the 13th' Fan Film 'Jason Rising'; Watch Now!". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved August 27, 2021.
  21. ^ Otterson, Joe (October 31, 2022). "'Friday the 13th' Prequel Series 'Crystal Lake' From Bryan Fuller Ordered at Peacock". Variety. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  22. ^ a b Squires, John (January 14, 2023). ""Crystal Lake" – Kevin Williamson and Adrienne King Involved in Peacock's 'Friday the 13th' Series!". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
  23. ^ James, David (September 1, 2018). "Friday The 13th Star Adrienne King Reveals Her Secret Uncredited Role in Ghostbusters". We Got This Covered. Retrieved September 2, 2018.

Sources[edit]

  • Bracken, Peter (2006). Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday the 13th. Titan Books. ISBN 978-1-845-76343-5.
  • Norman, Jason (2014). Welcome to Our Nightmares: Behind the Scene with Today's Horror Actors. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland. ISBN 978-0-786-47986-3.
  • Williams, Tony (2015). "Trying to Survive on the Darker Side: 1980s Family Horror". In Grant, Barry Keith (ed.). The Dread of Difference: Gender and the Horror Film. Austin, Texas: University of Texas Press. ISBN 978-1-477-30242-2.

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Adrienne King.
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