Hailing from the world of Hope, Arkansas where she was born back in 1939, Melinda Dillon toiled away in some reasonably small roles here and there until writer/director Steven Spielberg cast her in the big role of 'Jillian Guiler' in the SciFi/Fantasy Close Encounters Of The Third Kind (1977). The more thoughtful drama opened theatrically the same year as George Lucas' original Star Wars; and -- as a consequence -- there were endless comparisons (in print) about which was the "better" Science Fiction film, an unfair comparison if there ever were since one was obviously grounded in Fantasy and Close Encounters tried to put a real world look at Guiler's coping with the (alien) abduction of her young child. Dillon brought some incredible work to the picture, and she even enjoyed a 1978 Academy Award nomination in the category of 'Best Actress In A Supporting Role.' While she had to settle for the honor of a nomination alone, it still cemented the lady as a force to be reckoned with if and when other studios came a'callin'.
Still, her resume was never heavy with genre projects, and she gravitated to work that was definitely a bit more mainstream. In fact, I suspect most folks know Dillon for her work in the role of 'Mother Parker' aboard the holiday classic A Christmas Story (1983), a flick that's available on television ad infinitum during the silly season ... and why not? It's a gem of a tale -- funny and wholesome -- and it's something that can be enjoyed by the entire family.
As for other appearances in the realm of Science Fiction and Fantasy?
In 1985, she turned up in an episode of the 1980's incarnation of Rod Serling's The Twilight Zone on network television. In 1987, she leapt back in with great warmth aboard Harry And The Hendersons for Amblin Entertainment, another family comedy, this one involving the adoption of Bigfoot. In 1989, she entered the dark world of another fringe element of our existence with some work in Spontaneous Combustion. In 1990, director Albert Pyun cast her in the role of 'Mrs Rogers' aboard the Marvel property Captain America. And in 1998 she turned up with some work in The Effects Of Magic, the tale of a father/son magic team who join up to battle evil.
Word reached my desk late last night of the actress' passing, and I wanted to get up just a few words of remembrance. IMDB.com shows that she pretty much retired from acting in 2007, but thank goodness we'll always have her work on screens big and small to remember the contributions she made to some solid entertainment.
Prayers are extended to the family, friends, and fans of Melinda Dillon. May she rest in peace.
-- EZ
Still, her resume was never heavy with genre projects, and she gravitated to work that was definitely a bit more mainstream. In fact, I suspect most folks know Dillon for her work in the role of 'Mother Parker' aboard the holiday classic A Christmas Story (1983), a flick that's available on television ad infinitum during the silly season ... and why not? It's a gem of a tale -- funny and wholesome -- and it's something that can be enjoyed by the entire family.
As for other appearances in the realm of Science Fiction and Fantasy?
In 1985, she turned up in an episode of the 1980's incarnation of Rod Serling's The Twilight Zone on network television. In 1987, she leapt back in with great warmth aboard Harry And The Hendersons for Amblin Entertainment, another family comedy, this one involving the adoption of Bigfoot. In 1989, she entered the dark world of another fringe element of our existence with some work in Spontaneous Combustion. In 1990, director Albert Pyun cast her in the role of 'Mrs Rogers' aboard the Marvel property Captain America. And in 1998 she turned up with some work in The Effects Of Magic, the tale of a father/son magic team who join up to battle evil.
Word reached my desk late last night of the actress' passing, and I wanted to get up just a few words of remembrance. IMDB.com shows that she pretty much retired from acting in 2007, but thank goodness we'll always have her work on screens big and small to remember the contributions she made to some solid entertainment.
Prayers are extended to the family, friends, and fans of Melinda Dillon. May she rest in peace.
-- EZ
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