Where in the Horror are they now? Deborah Foreman!

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

DEBORAH FOREMAN

THEN: You'll have to forgive me, for this week’s column I will be stepping outside the genre occasionally. Why? Well this week we wanted to look back at the career of a vivacious and lovely actress who to this day remains one of my favorites. It's been a very long time since Deborah Foreman was in the spotlight but for me she has never left thanks to good old nostalgia and DVD. It was in the 1983 teen comedy VALLEY GIRL where this utterly charming girl left me wanting to move immediately to San Fernando Valley. Even with the "totally" and "fer sure" dialect hitting hard and fast it was impossible not to fall in love with Deborah. With only a few credits to her name, the actress carried the film with grace and energy thanks to her wonderful performance. This 80's "Romeo & Juliet" inspired story was far from being a tale of woe, it was a funny, quirky and romantic flick with one fantastic soundtrack. Oh yeah, and her co-star is Nicolas Cage… so that’s totally awesome.

Ms. Foreman was a pretty girl with a smile that could light up a room, as well she had perfect comedic timing. After VALLEY GIRL, Deborah appeared in a couple of comedies including REAL GENIUS with Val Kilmer in 1985 and the terribly underrated 1986 flick MY CHAUFFEUR. As Casey Meadows, a young woman in the male dominated world of limousine drivers, the actress had me grinning ear to ear and falling a little more in love. The film never really lived up to the success of her break-out role, but the chemistry between her and Sam J. Jones was undeniable. While this was a raunchy comedy with a bit of nudity – mostly thanks to Jones naked romp through the park – this driver had a ton of romantic heart.

Perhaps looking to expand her resume, the actress soon found herself taking on a gang drama with 3:15 (aka CLASS OF '89). This rough and tough teen angst flick is one I never had the chance to see and you’d be hard pressed to find it today – any suggestions on where to watch this bad boy please let me know. Deborah looks great in the trailer so there is that. While my memory of this particular flick is hazy, 1986 also featured Ms. Foreman in what this fan considers one of her best. With a terrific cast, APRIL FOOL’S DAY was well ahead of its time as a self-referential horror comedy. Part Agatha Christie and part FRIDAY THE 13th, this murder mystery featured the actress in a dual role as “Muffy” and “Buffy.” If you haven’t seen this cult classic you should do yourself a favor and check it out. Truth be told, some horror fans may find it a little too foolish, for me however it was tons of fun.

Her next foray into horror cast her opposite her APRIL FOOL’S DAY co-star, Clayton Rohner as well as famed football player Lyle Alzado as THE DESTROYER. This 1988 horror feature offered a bulked up Alzado in a prison as well as Rohner’s impressively big hair. It may not have been a work of art, but as a fan of both Clayton and Deborah I couldn’t pass this up. Of course if that cheesy flick didn’t thrill, that same year she starred in a cult classic genre-bender along with the devastatingly likable Zach Galligan. WAXWORK was a wonderfully fanciful feature about a group of young people trapped in an especially twisted wax museum. Much like APRIL FOOL’S DAY, this wicked little movie was very much ahead of its time. For fans of the recent CABIN IN THE WOODS, you might want to check out this groovy feature to see what may have inspired Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard’s horror lunacy.

In the late 80’s and early 90’s Deborah continued to work in horror as well as starring in one episode of “MacGyver” in 1991 and an episode of “The Marshal” in 1995. In 1998 she appeared in the truly underrated LOBSTER MAN FROM MARS. The film was a loving – albeit ridiculous – homage to science fiction creature features. This wacky little movie also starred the Hollywood icon Tony Curtis and horror favorite Patrick Macnee. This goofy good time of a movie was an enjoyable watch and if you are a fan of films like SHARKNADO, this is a must see motion picture. Foreman's resume also includes GRIZZLY II: THE CONCERT in 1987, THE EXPERTS in 1989, SUNDOWN: THE VAMPIRE IN RETREAT in 1989 and LUNATICS: A LOVE STORY in 1991. However, after a few years in the business, the actress awarded the “Most Promising New Star” award from Sho West in 1986 left movies altogether to start a brand new life.

NOW: After the previously mentioned “MacGyver” episode in 95, the only credit on her IMDB page was an independent film called BEAUTIFUL LOSER not too far back in 2008. So what has Deborah Foreman been up to since then? In 2011, she flashed her beautiful smile again and left me enamored in the alternative rock band She Wants Revenge cheery music video “Must Be the One.” And while she may not be spending her time in front of the camera, she expresses her art in other forms including selling handmade jewelry at Pearl of Wisdom Jewels as well as through her photography. The one time actress is also a Yoga and Stott Pilates instructor at Grace Anatomy Pilates Studio. If that weren’t enough she also sells hand-painted furniture and works as a graphic artist for her company Fried Ham Productions. She was always more than just a pretty face!

In 2011 she joined in for a Kevin Smith SMoviola podcast presentation of VALLEY GIRL and partook in a very insightful Q & A discussion afterwards. Man, oh man how I would have loved to have been there! Now if you are like me and missed that totally bitchin’ event, perhaps you were lucky enough to chat with her at the FandomFest in Louisville, Kentucky over the summer. Another chance I missed… Sigh! As much as I would love to see Deborah return to the silver screen, she seems to be happy, healthy and fine with Hollywood far behind her. If you’d like to keep up with the stunning Ms. Foreman, you can follow her on Twitter or keep up to date with her official website. And if you’ve yet to experience this incredible talent, catch a couple of the flicks mentioned and I’m sure you’ll be instantly smitten as am I!