Dominique Dunne | |
|---|---|
 Dunne in Fame (1982) | |
| Born | Dominique Ellen Dunne November 23, 1959 Santa Monica, California, U.S. |
| Died | November 4, 1982 (aged 22) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Homicide by strangulation |
| Burial place | Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery |
| Education | Harvard-Westlake School Taft School Fountain Valley School |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1979–1982 |
| Parents | |
| Relatives | Griffin Dunne (brother) John Gregory Dunne (uncle) Joan Didion (aunt) Hannah Dunne (niece) |
| Signature | |
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Dominique Ellen Dunne (November 23, 1959 – November 4, 1982) was an American actress.[1] Born and raised in Santa Monica, California, she made her on-screen debut with the television film Diary of a Teenage Hitchhiker (1979) and played recurring roles in the drama series Family (1980) and the comedy series Breaking Away (1980–1981). Her breakthrough role was Dana Freeling in the blockbuster horror film Poltergeist (1982).[2] Afterwards, she headlined the Western film The Shadow Riders and the crime series CHiPs (both 1982).
On October 30, 1982, Dunne was strangled by her ex-boyfriend John Sweeney during an argument on the driveway of her West Hollywood home. She fell into a coma and died five days later on November 4, 1982.
- ^ Dunne, Dominick (March 2004). "A Death in the Family". vanityfair.com. p. 2. Retrieved January 21, 2013.
- ^ "Strangled Actress : Did Slayer's Penalty Fit His Crime?". Los Angeles Times. December 3, 1986. Retrieved June 15, 2021.