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Meg Foster (born Margaret Foster; May 10, 1948) is an American film and television actress. Some of her many roles were in the 1979 TV miniseries version of The Scarlet Letter, and the films Ticket to Heaven, The Osterman Weekend and They Live. She also starred as Christine Cagney in the first season of Cagney & Lacey.
When Loretta Swit was unable to reprise her television-film role of Detective Christine Cagney when the film was adapted into the Cagney & Lacey TV series, Foster took on the role for the short first season of only six episodes.
Foster worked throughout the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. She guest-starred in numerous TV shows including two episodes of Hawaii Five-O (1973 and 1976), The Six Million Dollar Man season two episode "Straight on 'til Morning" (1974), Three for the Road (1975), and the season four episode "" (1996). Other TV shows in which she appeared include: Bonanza, The Twilight Zone, The F.B.I., Here Come the Brides, Storefront Lawyers, Barnaby Jones, Murder, She Wrote, Miami Vice, Mannix, The Cosby Show, Quantum Leap, ER. She portrayed Hera in and .
She also appeared in films throughout the 1980s, beginning with a role as a woman who worked in the games in a travelling carnival in Carny, starring Jodie Foster, Gary Busey and Robbie Robertson; the villainous Evil-Lyn in the big-screen version of Masters of the Universe; the callous Martin in Leviathan, starring Peter Weller and Richard Crenna, and Holly in the John Carpenter film They Live, with Roddy Piper.
As to Foster's striking pale blue eyes being dubbed "the eyes of 1979" by Mademoiselle magazine, Foster stated she didn't think her eyes were that distinctive. Some film and television producers had Foster wear contact lenses to change her eye color as they considered her natural eyes distracting.
(2025). 9780786464777, McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. ISBN 9780786464777 Foster was replaced by Sharon Gless for the remainder of the series. Entertainment columnist Dick Kleiner wrote in August 1982 about Foster's being dropped from the show: "It isn't a pretty story, no matter who you talk to. Meg was so hurt and distraught that she still isn't talking. But she told friends that she felt as though she had been hit by a truck." Kleiner's story implied that Foster's dismissal from the show had cost her other opportunities. "Until that news spread," he wrote, "she was an in-demand actress."
Personal life
Foster was married to Canadian actor Stephen McHattie, but they divorced sometime before 2013. Stephen McHattie profile, nytimes.com; accessed October 13, 2014. Foster has a son, Christopher Starr, by a relationship with American actor Ron Starr (1935–2017).
Filmography
Films
1970 Adam at 6 A.M. Joyce 1971 The Todd Killings 1972 Thumb Tripping Shay 1974 Welcome to Arrow Beach Robbin Stanley 1978 Stella Cooke 1980 The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Katrina Van Tassel Carny Gerta 1981 Ticket to Heaven Ingrid Nominated—Genie Award for Best Performance by a Foreign Actress 1983 Ali Tanner 1985 Jean Markham 1986 Sian Anderson 1987 Masters of the Universe Evil-Lyn 1988 Riding Fast Sara They Live Holly Thompson 1989 Leviathan Ms. Martin Relentless Carol Dietz Blind Fury Lynn Devereaux Stepfather II Carol Grayland 1990 Tripwire Julia Jezebel's Kiss Amanda Faberson Back Stab Sara Rudnick 1991 Diplomatic Immunity Gerta Hermann Future Kick Nancy 1992 Project Shadowchaser Sarah Carol Dietz 1993 Hidden Fears Maureen Dietz Best of the Best 2 Sue MacCauley 1994 Oblivion Stell Barr Shrunken Heads Maureen "Big Moe" Immortal Combat Quinn Lady in Waiting Carrie 1995 Laura Seaton Undercover Heat Mrs. V. 1996 Stell Barr 1997 Space Marines Commander Lasser 1998 Lost Valley Mary-Ann Compton Queen Anne of France Not to be confused with the other The Man in the Iron Mask 1998 film, which featured Anne Parillaud as Anne Spoiler Woman #1 1999 Irene 2003 Being with Eddie Elinor Short film 2004 Coming Up Easy Mom 2011 25 Hill Audrey Gibbs Sebastian Gloria 2012 The Lords of Salem Margaret Morgan 2016 Three Days in August Maggie 31 Venus Virgo 2017 Mother Mayhem Voice Jeepers Creepers 3 Gaylen Brandon 2018 A Reckoning Diane Maple Any Bullet Will Do Ma Whitman Overlord Chloe's Aunt 2019 Investigation 13 Layla Parrish 2020 There's No Such Thing as Vampires Sister Frank 2022 Hellblazers Mary TBD Haunted: 333 Momma McDonald Post-production
Television films
1971 The Death of Me Yet Alice 1973 Sunshine Nora 1974 Things in Their Season Judy Pines 1975 Promise Him Anything Marjorie 1976 James Dean Dizzy Sheridan 1977 Sunshine Christmas Nora 1979 The Scarlet Letter Hester Prynne 1980 Jean Richie 1983 Desperate Intruder Joanna Walcott 1984 Best Kept Secrets Shari Mitchell 1987 Desperate Dorymae 1988 Betrayal of Silence Julie 1992 To Catch a Killer City Attorney Linda Carlson 1997 Deep Family Secrets Ellen
Television series
1969 NET Playhouse Praxithia Episode: "The Prodigal" 1970 Here Come the Brides Callie Marsh Episode: "Two Worlds" Sharon Episode: "Eyes of the Beholder" Mod Squad Cora Episode: "Who Are the Keepers, Who Are the Inmates?" 1971 Carolyn Episode: "Death of a Nobody" Men at Law Barbara Millett Episode: "Hostage" Bonanza Mrs. Evangeline Woodtree Episode: "The Silent Killer" Dan August Em Jackson 2 episodes Marcy Brown Episode: "The Recruiter" 1972 Episode: "A Second Life" Young Dr. Kildare Rebecca Episode: "The Legacy" Carey Evers Episode: "Gallows in the Wind" Mannix Sheila Episode: "A Game of Shadows" Medical Center Carol McKinnon Episode: "Conflict" Circle of Fear Julie Barnes Episode: "At the Cradle Foot" 1973 Penny Wiseman Episode: "Spare Parts" Hawaii Five-O Nina Episode: "The Child Stealers" Cannon Linda Morrow Episode: "Come Watch Me Die" Barnaby Jones Doris Talbot Episode: "A Little Glory, a Little Death" 1974 Glenda Episode: "A Cold Record for Murder" Gina Nelson Episode: "Blueprint for a Caper" Medical Center Cassie Episode: "Web of Intrigue" Paula Taylor Episode: "The Animal" Minonee Episode: "Straight on 'till Morning" 1975 Sunshine Nora 13 episodes Nancy Elizabeth Mellon Episode: "Trail of Terror" Bronk Margaret Lewis Episode: "Short Fuse" Three for the Road Patti Hardy Episode: "The Albatross" Baretta Lola Episode: "Ragtime Billy Peaches" Stella Episode: "Count the Days I'm Gone" 1976 Hawaii Five-O Anne Waring Episode: "Double Exposure" 1977 Jennie Jamison 6 episodes Police Story Nancy Episode: "Trigger Point" 1982 Cagney & Lacey Det. Chris Cagney 6 episodes - first cancelled season 1985 Jenny Episode: "Dreams for Sale" Murder, She Wrote Del Scott Episode: "Joshua Peabody Died Here... Possibly" 1987 Miami Vice Alice Carson Episode: "Contempt of Court" 1988 Episode: "Blood & Roses" Diane Hemmings Episode: "Trust Me" 1989 Midnight Caller Annie Driscoll Episode: "Wait Until Midnight" Deirdre Episode: "The Martyr" 1990–91 D.A. Deb Grant 3 episodes 1990 Mary Lou Episode: "Decoy" 1991 Shannon's Deal Eva Melville Episode: "Trouble" 1992 Reasonable Doubts Anna Dare Episode: "Moment of Doubt" Quantum Leap Laura Fuller 3 episodes 1994 Fortune Hunter Georgia Appleton Episode: "Millennium" 1995 ER Mrs. Rose Episode: "Make of Two Hearts" 1996 Murder, She Wrote Laura Kerwin Episode: "The Dark Side of the Door" Onaya Episode: "" Mr. & Mrs. Smith Athena Episode: "The Kidnapping Episode" 1998–99 Hera 2 episodes 1999 Sliders Col. Margaret Burke Episode: "Slide by Wire" 2000 Hera Episode: "God-Fearing Child" 2013 Hjem Mina Episode: "#2.7" 2013–16 Pretty Little Liars Carla Grunwald 5 episodes 2013–14 Ravenswood 7 episodes 2015 The Originals Josephine LaRue 5 episodes 2016 Baskets Thelma Episode: "Cowboys" 2017 Twin Peaks Cashier Episode: "Part 3" 2024 Motherboard (voice) 4 Episodes
External links
Categories: Living People, 20th-century American Actresses, 21st-century American Actresses, 1948 Births, Actresses From Norwalk, Connecticut, Actresses From Reading, Pennsylvania, American Film Actresses, American Stage Actresses, American Television Actresses, Neighborhood Playhouse School Of The Theatre Alumni
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