By Staff
Sept. 8 was so much more than the 251st day of 2007 or the 80th day of summer to me.
Heather Justine Thomas, an object of my affection for as long as I can remember, turned 50 years old.
The former actress was born Sept. 8, 1957, in Greenwich, Conn.
Her dad, Leon, was a university administrator, her mom a public school special educator.
I guess it's odd that I should have developed such an interest in Heather, since she's best known for starring as Jody Banks for five seasons, from 1981 to 1986, with Lee Majors as Colt Seavers on "The Fall Guy," which I never watched, though I know it's about Hollywood stuntmen who in their spare time work for the Los Angeles County Courts as bounty hunters.
Markie Post appeared on that show before "Night Court."
Heather started acting in 1978 in small television roles after graduating from Santa Monica High School in 1975 and attending UCLA Film School (1980).
Heather married Allan Rosenthal in July 1985.
She overcame a cocaine addiction in the 1980s.
Her daughter, India Rose, was born June 19, 2000. She has been married to Harry M. "Skip" Brittenham since 1991 and has two step-daughters, Kristina and Shauna.
I'm largely unfamiliar with her movie career before she quit acting in 1998 to become a screenwriter:
a showgirl in "My Giant" (1998), with Billy Crystal and NBA player Gheorghe Muresan.
Felicity in "Against the Law" (1997).
Ellen Carlyle in "Hidden Obsession" (1993).
Tessa Clarke in "Flair," a TV mini-series (1990).
Paula Bukowsky in "Red Blooded American Girl (1990).
Joan Emery in "Rodney Dangerfield: Opening Night at Rodney's Place" on TV (1989).
Lt. Carol Campbell in "The Dirty Dozen: The Fatal Mission" on TV (1988).
Marilyn Monroe in "Hoover vs. the Kennedys: The Second Civil War" on TV (1987).
Merryl Davis in "Stein des Todes, Der" (1987).
Evangeline Cote in "Ford: The Man and the Machine," on TV (1987).
Teri Marshall in "Cyclone" (1987).
Sandi in "Co-Ed Fever," TV series (1979). I don't remember seeing this CBS sitcom, of which six episodes were completed, but only the pilot aired.
Like ABC's "Delta House" and NBC's "Brothers and Sisters," it tried to cash in on my favorite movie, "National Lampoon's Animal House."
Marketed as "putting the high in higher education," "Co-Ed Fever" was about Brewster House at Baxter College, a formerly all-female college which has begun admitting males.
The one of her films I did see on cable has become somewhat of a cult classic directed by Robert J. Rosenthal.
It's called "Zapped!" and it came out 25 years ago on Aug. 27, 1982, and also starred Scott Baio. These days Chachi is famous for being 45 and single on a VH1 reality show.
Baio stars as Barney Springboro, student science lab nerd and foreshadowed "Charles in Charge" since it featured future castmate Willie Aames ("Celebrity Fit Club" lately) as Peyton Nichols, a wealthy playboy with a dirty mind. Scatman Crothers played the coach.
Barney obtains telekinetic powers in a lab accident which he uses for no better reason than beating up bullies, cheating at sports and stripping girls, particularly Thomas.
After typical high-jinks, including an episode at the prom strangely reminiscent of Stephen King's "Carrie," Barney comes to realize the best girl for him is Felice Schachter, whose braininess and lack of makeup mask an attractive young lady.
This metamorphosis is accentuated when Baio shatters the lenses in her eyeglasses shortly after realizing the power he has – oblivious to the likelihood he could blind Bernadette by causing fragments of glass to fly into her eyes.
Filming largely took place at John Marshall High School in Los Angeles with students as extras. The storyline never leaves the high school.
Students talk mostly about social life and college plans and the prom takes place in the gym. The senior trip takes them to a local amusement park.
Of the major stars, only Felice Schachter was still in high school.
In fact, she missed her own prom to film the prom sequence in the movie.
Ironically, Heather, whose character was named Jane Mitchell, the stereotpical cheerleader and prom-queen, was woefully miscast for the weak plot propelled by gratuitous nudity.
A contract situation arose on the set because the script called for Heather to be photographed topless in one scene and stripped to her panties in another.
However, during shooting, the prolific pin-up who used to be confused with Heather Locklear in the public's mind, refused to be filmed topless, insisting nakedness was neither necessary or appropriate.
In post-production, producers inserted close-ups of a body double.
Thomas complained to the Screen Actors Guild moviegoers might think it was her.
In an unusual move, an advisory was added to the end credits that a body double was used for the nude scene.
She claimed, however, that people who watch such movies never pay any attention to closing credits.
Controversy also erupted during promotion of the film, marketed with the slogan, "They're getting a little behind in their classwork," when Los Angeles Times readers complained about the movie poster suggesting that the illustrated Baio and Aames could see up the skirt of an illustrated girl character.
The poster artist even redrew the advertisement to block the suggested view.
"Zapped!" was made by Embassy Pictures in 1981 for $2 million and made $15 million in its initial release despite critics panning its weak story line and gratuitous nudity, but it sold well in video and in 1990 spawned a direct-to-video sequel, "Zapped! Again," with only Sue Ane Langdon, the lovelorn maiden teacher, returning from the original cast.
Besides parodying "Carrie," "Zapped!" also spoofs "The Exorcist," "Taxi Driver," "Star Trek" and the 1969 Kurt Russell film, "The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes."
If I was Bob Greene, which I'm not, this is where I'd pick up the phone, get Heather on the phone and wish her a proper happy birthday.
That's the source of my infatuation, you see.
Pink and I share a Sept. 8 birthday, but the singer was born in 1979.
Heather Thomas is the only person I know of born on the exact same day as me.