Deanna Lund
| Deanna Lund | |
|---|---|
 Lund in Land of the Giants. | |
| Born |
May 30, 1937 Oak Park, Illinois, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1963-present |
| Spouse(s) |
Don Matheson (1970-?) (divorced) (1 child) ? (divorced) (2 children) |
| Children |
Michele Matheson Randy and Kim[1] |
| Website | http://www.deannalund.com |
Deanna Lund (born May 30, 1937) is an American film and television actress best known for her role in the Irwin Allen television series Land of the Giants, where she played the character of Valerie Ames Scott.
Career
Lund's early career included minor roles in the 1960s spy film parodies Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine (1965) and Dimension 5 (1966), as well as the horror film Sting of Death (1965), the beach film Out of Sight (1966), and the western Johnny Tiger (1966). She appeared as a lesbian stripper in the 1967 Frank Sinatra movie Tony Rome,[2] but Lund was so embarrassed by the role that she had her name removed from the credits. Her performance was favorably received and led to her being offered a starring role in Irwin Allen's television series Land of the Giants.[2]:237 While waiting for filming to start, Lund was offered the part of Rosemary's friend Terry Gionoffrio in Rosemary's Baby but had to decline when, despite Polanski's assurances, Allen did not believe she would be finished in time.[2]:238
Valerie in Giantland, a novella written by Lund, is based on the Land of the Giants series, and set ten years later; written from the point of view of Lund's character, Valerie Ames. In 1976, she appeared on the drama General Hospital as Peggy Lowell, the secretary and mistress of Cameron Faulkner, who was played by Lund's husband Don Matheson. Her later films included the Jerry Lewis comedy Hardly Working (1980), Stick (1985) starring Burt Reynolds, and horror movies such as the Christmas horror film Elves (1989) and the comedy Transylvania Twist (1989).
Personal life
After Land of the Giants was cancelled, she married co-star Don Matheson, but they were divorced in the late 1970s. Their daughter Michele Matheson is also an actress. Lund is an alum of Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida.[3]
In 1995, she dated Larry King, and the couple were engaged five weeks after they met.[4] The relationship ended before they could marry.[5]
References
- ↑ "Deanna Lund - The Private Life and Times of Deanna Lund. Deanna Lund Pictures.".
- 1 2 3 Tom Lisanti (2001). Fantasy Femmes of Sixties Cinema: Interviews with 20 Actresses from Biker, Beach, and Elvis Movies. McFarland. pp. 234–. ISBN 978-0-7864-0868-9.
- ↑ Hollywood Xpo 2010: List of Guests from www.hollywoodxpo.com
- ↑ Adams, Kathleen; Lofaro, Lina; Quinn, Michael; Rubin, Jeffery C.; Sanders, Alain L.; Urquhart, Sidney (April 3, 1995). "Time Milestones Apr. 3, 1995". Retrieved May 1, 2010.
- ↑ "THE WEDDING IS OFF: LARRY KING GETS BIG HANG-UP FROM FIANCE". Daily News. New York. August 17, 1995.