Janet Margolin

Janet Margolin Headshot

Actress

Birth Date: July 25, 1943

Death Date: December 17, 1993

Birth Place: New York, New York

Enigmatic, dark-eyed beauty who became one of the most sought-after actors in 1960s Hollywood due to her outstanding performance as a schizophrenic teen in Frank Perry's independently produced "David and Lisa" (1962). That film's success enabled Margolin to step into films featuring such A-list talents as Marlon Brando ("Morituri" 1965), Steve McQueen ("Nevada Smith" 1966) and Charlton Heston and John Wayne ("The Greatest Story Ever Told" 1965). Although a highly talented and attractive performer adept at conveying both a delicate strength and a sensitive vulnerability, Margolin received too many standardized or obligatory romantic leads to clinch status as a star in major features.

After appearing opposite Woody Allen in "Take the Money and Run" (1969) as protagonist Virgil Starkwell's understanding wife, Margolin's screen appearances were rare, but she did show up in Allen's "Annie Hall" (1977) as his hyper-intellectual second wife and as the mysterious Ellie Fabain in Jonathan Demme's underrated noir "Last Embrace" (1979). TV kept her busier in the 70s, her telefilms including the interesting sci-fi dramas, "The Last Child" (1971) and "Planet Earth" (1974) and such socially conscious dramas as "The Triangle Factory Fire Scandal" (1979) and "The Plutonium Incident" (1980), the latter rather obviously modeled on the real-life story of Karen Silkwood. Margolin was notably less active during the 80s, but did act occasionally on TV and in several features; her made her final film appearance was in Ivan Reitman's "Ghostbusters II" (1989). She died of cancer in 1993.

Credits

Columbo: Murder in Malibu

Actor
Theresa Goren
Movie
1990

Murder C.O.D.

Actor
Maye Walsh
Movie
1990

Colombo: Omicidio a Malibù

Actor
Movie
1990

Ghostbusters IIStream

Actor
The Prosecutor
Movie
1989
55%

Distant Thunder

Actor
Barbara Lambert
Movie
1988

Murder, She WroteStream

Guest Star
Rita Garrison
Series
1984

The Plutonium Incident

Actor
Judith Longden
Movie
1980

The Triangle Factory Fire Scandal

Actor
Rose
Movie
1979

Last Embrace

Actor
Ellie Fabian
Movie
1979

Murder in Peyton Place

Actor
Betty Anderson Roerick
Movie
1977

Sharon: Portrait of a Mistress

Actor
Carol
Movie
1977

Annie HallStream

Actor
Robin
Movie
1977
97%

The Cadaver in the Clutter

Actor
Miriam Small
Movie
1977

Friday the Rabbi Slept Late

Actor
Miriam Small
Movie
1976

Joe Forrester

Guest Star
Show
1975

Starsky & HutchStream

Guest Star
Series
1975

Please Call It Murder

Actor
Susan Browning
Movie
1975

Police Woman

Guest Star
Lisa Tibbett
Series
1974

Planeta Tierra

Actor
Movie
1974

Planet Earth

Actor
Harper-Smythe
Movie
1974

Pray for the Wildcats

Actor
Krissie Kincaid
Movie
1974

Police StoryStream

Actor
Series
1973

Your Three Minutes Are Up

Actor
Betty
Movie
1973

Family Flight

Actor
Carol Rutledge
Movie
1972

ColumboStream

Guest Star
Theresa Goren
Series
1971
84%

The Last Child

Actor
Karen Miller
Movie
1971

The Interns

Guest Star
Show
1970

Take the Money and Run

Actor
Louise
Movie
1969
91%

Robó, Huyó y lo Pescaron

Actor
Movie
1969

Prends l'oseille et tire-toi

Actor
Movie
1969

Mod Squad

Guest Star
Cathy Todd
Series
1968

Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell

Actor
Gia Campbell
Movie
1968

Enter Laughing

Actor
Wanda
Movie
1967

Nevada Smith

Actor
Neesa
Movie
1966

Bus Riley's Back in Town

Actor
Judy
Movie
1965

Morituri

Actor
Esther
Movie
1965

The Eavesdropper

Actor
Inés
Movie
1964

East Side West Side

Guest Star
Series
1963

David and Lisa

Actor
Lisa Brandt
Movie
1962

David y Lisa

Actor
Movie
1962

Ben Casey

Guest Star
Illyana Trivas
Series
1961