Rutanya Alda Biography (1942?-)

Original name, Rutanya Skrastins; born October 13, 1942 (some sources say 1945), in Riga, Latvia; immigrated to the United States; daughter of Janis (a poet) and Vera (a businesswoman; maiden name, Ozolins) Skrastins; married Richard Bright (an actor), June 11, 1977. Addresses: Agent: Michael Greene& Associates, 7080 Hollywood Blvd., Suite 1017, Hollywood, CA 90028.

Nationality: American
Gender: Female
Occupation: Actress, director
Birth Details: October 13, 1942?; Riga, Latvia

Famous Works

CREDITS
Film Appearances
(Debut; as Ruth Alda) Linda, Greetings, Sigma III, 1969
(As Ruth Alda) "Be Black Baby" audience, Hi Mom (also known as Blue Manhattan, Confessions of a Peeping John, and Son of Greetings), Sigma III, 1970
Love and Kisses, 1970
Nurse Anne, Panic in Needle Park, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1971
Hippie, Scarecrow, Warner Bros., 1973
Rutanya Sweet, The Long Goodbye, 1973
Assassination Team B, Executive Action, National General, 1973
Ruthie Lee, Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1973
Apple Mary, Deadly Hero, Avco-Embassy, 1976
(Uncredited) Party guest, Next Stop, Greenwich Village, 1976
Bath attendant, Swashbuckler (also known as Scarlet Buccaneer), 1976
Kristen, The Fury, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1978
Angela, The Deer Hunter, Universal, 1978
Mrs. Mandrakis, When a Stranger Calls, Columbia, 1979
Theresa, You Better Watch Out (also known as Christmas Eviland Terror in Toyland), 1980
Carol Ann, Mommie Dearest, Paramount, 1981
Dolores, Amityville II: The Possession, Orion, 1982
Vicki, Vigilante (also known as Street Gang), Films Aroundthe World, 1982
Mrs. Nash, Racing with the Moon, Paramount, 1983
Barney/Katie Cavanaugh, Girls' Nite Out (also known as The Scaremaker), Aries International, 1984
Cecilia, Rappin', Cannon Films, 1985
Psychologist, The Stuff, 1985
Georgia Kristidis, Hot Shot (also known s El rey del futbol), Twentieth Century-Fox, 1986
Irene, Black Widow, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1986
Alma, The Long Lost Friend, 1986
Mrs. Vandemeer, Defense Play, 1988
Elma Kelly, Apprentice to Murder, New World, 1988
Aunt Sarah, Prancer, Orion, 1989
Mama Slovak, Gross Anatomy (also known as A Cut Above), Buena Vista, 1989
Georgette's Mother, Last Exit to Brooklyn (also known as Letzteausfahrt Brooklyn), 1989
Nurse, Leaving Normal, Universal, 1992
Ann Travis, Article 99, Orion, 1992
Miriam Cowley, The Dark Half, Orion, 1993

Linda, The Ref (also known as Hostile Hostages), Buena Vista, 1994
Beth O'Neal, Safe Passage, 1994
Mrs. Hunt, Steel, 1997
Gloria, American Perfekt, 1997
Thea's mom, The Souler Opposite, 1998
Coach's wife, Wirey Spindell, WinStar Cinema, 2000
Woman at apartment, My First Mister, Paramount Classics, 2001
Vice principal, The Glass House, Sony Pictures Entertainment, 2001
Also appeared in The Nap (short film).
Television Appearances
Series
Mabel Beauford, Santa Barbara, 1990
Miniseries
Lorraine Taylor, Innocent Victims, ABC, 1996
Beth, Seduced by Madness: The Diane Borchardt Story (also known asMurderous Passion: The Diane Borchardt Story), NBC, 1996
Movies
Rachael, Can Ellen Be Saved?, ABC, 1975
Jess, Battered, NBC, 1978
Dr. Kroyden, Laguna Heat, HBO, 1987
Mrs. Paretti, Winnie (also known as Winnie: My Life in the Institution), NBC, 1988
Marge Crawford, Rainbow Drive (also known as City of Angels), Showtime, 1990
Sue Madelhurst, They (also known as They Watched, The Lost Souls, and Children of the Mist), Showtime, 1993
Minnie Sayre, Zelda, TNT, 1993
Gabriel Neuland, Double Jeopardy, CBS, 1996
Maureen, Childhood Sweetheart?, CBS, 1997
Wanda Marshall, Love Comes Softly, The Hallmark Channel, 2003
Dr. Virginia McAlpin, Murder Without Conviction, The Hallmark Channel, 2004
Also appeared in Nobody Ever Died of Old Age, PBS.
Specials
Mrs. Linderman, The Day the Kids Took Over, 1986
Episodic
Mrs. Degnan, "The Perfect Alibi," Cannon, CBS, 1973
Estelle, "Gone Fishin," Spenser: For Hire, 1987
Sarah, "Ozymandias," Beauty and the Beast, 1988
Mildred, "Deadline," Tales from the Crypt, 1991
Sara Cheney, "Vengeance," Law & Order, NBC, 1994
Kimberly Snow, "Family Affairs," Silk Stalkings, 1995
Clara Munday, "The Hole," Gun, ABC, 1996
Elaine Harridan, "Heroes," JAG, CBS, 1996
Ms. McDougall, "Since I Don't Know You," To Have & To Hold, 1998
Celia Loomis, "Surprised by Gravity," Judging Amy, CBS, 2001
Cassie Barker, "Idaho," John Doe, Fox, 2002
Rose, "In the Dark," Law & Order: Criminal Intent, NBC, 2004
Also appeared in Doc Elliot, ABC; As the World Turns, CBS;and General Hospital, ABC.
Stage Appearances
(Debut) Ellen, Sunday in New York, Yarmouth Playhouse, Cape Cod, MA, 1965
The Castro Complex, Stairway Theatre, New York City, 1970
Teresa, Every Place Is Newark, Theatre at St. Clements, New York City, 1980
Also appeared as Julia, A Thing Called Child and Sister Johanna, The Cradle Song, both at the Berkshire Playhouse, MA; Ellen, Luv, Cellar Theatre, Los Angeles; the actress, The Exercise, Actors Studio, Los Angeles; Falidia, (also director) And They Put Handcuffs on the Flowers, Inner City Cultural Center, Los Angeles; Jennifer, Middle ClassWhite, Los Angeles Actors Theatre; Esther, A Cat in the Ghetto, Whole Theatre Company, Montclair, NJ; Miss Gilpin, The Straw, Barbara Loden Workshop, New York City; and Ern, Sacraments, Harold Clurman Theatre, New York City.
SIDELIGHTS
Rutanya Alda earlier told CTFT: "Growing up in a displaced personscamps after World War II, I saw my first play, a fairy tale, done in the camps. It showed a better life than I was living in, it was magical and I said to myself then and there, that's what I want to do ... My favorite role is theone I'm currently working on, whatever it may be. But there are some that stand out--Angela in The Deer Hunter, Linda in Greetings, the `BeBlack Baby' sequence in Hi Mom, Carol Ann in Mommie Dearest, and Alma in The Long Lost Friend."

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