Lori Hallier (born July 8, 1959) is a Canadian film, stage, and television actress. She made her film debut in 1981, starring as Sarah Mercer in George Mihalka's slasher film My Bloody Valentine (1981). She subsequently starred in Warning Sign (1985), Night of the Twisters (1996), My Name Is Tanino (2002), and Monte Walsh (2003). Hallier had a recurring role as Shannon Pressman in the television series Santa Barbara (1990). In 2017, Hallier portrayed Alice in the Netflix comedy film Christmas Inheritance.

Lori Hallier
Hallier in My Bloody Valentine (1981)
Born
Lori Hallier

(1959-07-08) July 8, 1959 (age 65)
Alma materUniversity of Victoria
National Theatre School
OccupationActress
Years active1980–present
Known forMy Bloody Valentine
Santa Barbara
Days of Our Lives

Early life

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Hallier was born July 8, 1959, in Victoria, British Columbia, [1][2] to Gerry and Vivian Hallier.[3] She has two siblings: a sister, Kerry, and brother, Dale.[3] Hallier was raised in Victoria, where she attended the Reynolds Secondary School.[3] She studied theatre for two years at the University of Victoria before graduating from the National Theatre School in Montreal in 1980.[3]

Career

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Hallier made her film debut as Sarah Mercer in the 1981 cult classic slasher film My Bloody Valentine.[3][4][5] After filming My Bloody Valentine in Nova Scotia, Hallier returned to Victoria, where she appeared in stage productions for the Bastion Theatre Company, as well as a production of Names and Nicknames with Richard Margison.[3]

In 1982, Hallier appeared in a short-run Showtime soap opera entitled Love at the Crossroads, opposite George Touliatos, Eve Crawford, and Vivian Reis, in which she portrays Michelle, a starlet attempting to make it in Hollywood.[6] A review of the series in the Akron Beacon Journal dismissed the series, but noted: "Lori Hallier and Eve Crawford vindicate themselves despite the horrid script; their performances are better than those in most daytime soaps."[6]

The following year, she appeared in two episodes of the Canadian series Loving Friends and Perfect Couples, after which she relocated to Los Angeles, California, to pursue further work in television.[3] She made appearances on several 1980s American television series such as The Dukes of Hazzard, Trapper John, M.D., and Simon & Simon. In 1986, Hallier co-starred with Harvey Keitel in the thriller Blindside, and in 1989 she appeared as Yvette on the popular soap opera Days of Our Lives, following this role with a recurring role as Shannon Pressman on the daytime drama Santa Barbara in 1990.

In 1996, Hallier appeared in the horror film Night of the Twisters. After appearing in the television movies Leona Helmsley: The Queen of Mean and A Woman Scorned: The Betty Broderick Story, Hallier would become associated with supernatural and science fiction through her work on series such as Star Trek: Voyager[7] and Poltergeist: The Legacy in 1997.

In 2000, she portrayed Joanna Lanier in the television series In a Heartbeat. That same year, she appeared in Thomas and the Magic Railroad as the mother of Lily (played by Mara Wilson). In 2002, she was cast in the film My Name Is Tanino.[8] The following year, she starred in the popular Canadian program Strange Days at Blake Holsey High,[1] followed by a supporting role in the Western Monte Walsh (2003), opposite Tom Selleck and Isabella Rossellini.[9] In 2008, she appeared in a supporting role in the Canadian-produced miniseries The Summitt, opposite Bruce Greenwood, Christopher Plummer, and Wendy Crewson.[10]

In 2017, Hallier portrayed Alice in the Netflix comedy film Christmas Inheritance, opposite Eliza Taylor, Jake Lacy, and Andie MacDowell.[11]

Personal life

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Hallier lived in Los Angeles, California for seventeen years after relocating there in the mid-1980s.[3] In a 2009 interview, she recalled: "I went on a lark and drove around in a rented convertible and lived the high life. My hair turned white, my skin turned brown. I had big hair, shoulder pads, big earrings. The '80s were a fun time... [but Los Angeles] is a torture chamber of expectations."[3] As of 2009, she resided in Toronto, Ontario.[3]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1981 My Bloody Valentine Sarah Mercer
1985 Warning Sign TV Reporter
1987 Blindside Julie
1987 The Gunfighters Sally Wells Television film
1988 Higher Education Nicole Hubert
1990 Leona Helmsley: The Queen of Mean Sarah Television film
1992 A Woman Scorned: The Betty Broderick Story Joan Television film
1995 Picture Perfect Amanda Holt
1996 No One Could Protect Her Carol
1996 Night of the Twisters Laura Hatch Television film
1996 Moonshine Highway Rose Television film
1996 Buried Secrets Cynthia Television film
1998 Running Wild Rachel Thompson Television film
1998 Recipe for Revenge Sophie Westin Television film
2000 All-American Girl: The Mary Kay Letourneau Story Jan Griffin Television film
2000 Thomas and the Magic Railroad Lily's Mother
2000 The Other Me Mom Television film
2002 My Name Is Tanino Leslie Garfield
2003 Monte Walsh Mary Wilder
2003 Ghost Cat Brenda Television film
2006 Heartstopper Mrs. Wexler
2006 Black Widower Marie Wagner
2008 Bull Volk
2012 Christmas with Holly Liz Cooper Television film
2016 Flower Shop Mystery: Mum's the Word Mrs. Ryan Television film
2013 A Fish Story Funeral Director
2017 Christmas Inheritance Alice Television film
2018 SKIN Nancy Morgan
2018 Christmas in Love Marian Carlingson Television film
2019 Astronaut Ventura Mission Control
2019 Our Christmas Love Song Anne Television film

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1980 Bizarre Various Characters
1982 Love at the Crossroads Michelle 6 episodes[6]
1982 Seeing Things Elizabeth Episode: "Looking Back"
1983 Loving Friends and Perfect Couples Ann 2 episodes
1983 Trapper John, M.D. Dr. Elizabeth Amber Episode: "Old Man Liver"
1984 The Dukes of Hazzard Dr. Debbie Davis Episode: "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Duke"
1984 Cover Up Lady Abigail Babcock Episode: "Writer's Block"
1984 Matt Houston Nora Fulton Episode: "The Honeymoon Murders"
1987 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Samantha Cook Episode: "If the Shoe Fits"
1987 Diamonds Zoe Chapman Episode: "There Once Was a Lady from Kathmandu"
1987–1988 Adderly Anna Korman / Ruth 2 episodes
1987–1988 Night Heat Terry Morrison / Sandra Lane 2 episodes
1988 Simon & Simon Kristen Forne / McCafferty Episode: "Second Swell"
1988 The Twilight Zone Tom's Secretary Episode: "Appointment on Route 17"
1988–1990 War of the Worlds Mindy Cooper / Teri 2 episodes
1988–1990 Friday's Curse Helen Garrett / Jennifer 2 episodes
1989 Street Legal Danielle St. John Episode: "Film Noir"
1989-1990 Days of Our Lives Yvette Dupres 48 episodes
1990 Santa Barbara Shannon Pressman 16 episodes
1990 The Hitchhiker Sherri Episode: "New Dawn"
1991 Civil Wars 'Cricket' Pillman Episode: "A Long, Fat Frontal Presentation"
1991–1992 Jake and the Fatman Carolyn Lloyd / Taylor Peters / Meghann Peters 3 episodes
1991–1993 Tropical Heat Kerra Lane / Madge 2 episodes
1992 Katts and Dog Unknown Episode: "Falling Out Among Thieves"
1992 Forever Knight Lyn Fiori Episode: "Dead Issue"
1992–1993 Secret Service Springer / Young 2 episodes
1993 Matlock Janet Moore Episode: "The Defendant"
1993–1996 Kung Fu: The Legend Continues Kimberly St. Clair / Marilyn 2 episodes
1994 RoboCop: The Series Tori Tolin Episode: "When Justice Fails"
1996 Side Effects Candice Saunders Episode: "Sex, Death, and Rock & Roll"
1997 Star Trek: Voyager Dr. Riley Frazier Episode: "Unity"
1997 Poltergeist: The Legacy Angeline D'Arcy Episode: "Ransom"
1998 The Wonderful World of Disney Sally Jeffries Episode: "Mr. Headmistress"
1999 The City Marsha Hensen Episode: "Departures"
1999 Total Recall 2070 Barbara Raymond Episode: "Infiltration"
1999 PSI Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal Hannah Griffin Episode: "John Doe"
1999 Twice in a Lifetime Julie's Mother Episode: "Double Exposure"
2000 Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show Persia McQueen Episode: "Honey, I'm the Wrong Arm of the Law"
2000–2001 In a Heartbeat Joanna Lanier 7 episodes
2002 Doc Gail Black Episode: "Busy Man"
2002 The 5th Quadrant Judy Mathis Episode: "American Psychokinesis"
2002 Body & Soul Melissa Hunt Episode: "Letting Go"
2003 Blue Murder Miranda Burke Episode: "Boy Band"
2003 Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye Betty Vanderwylen 2 episodes
2004 Bury the Lead Gemma Jane Episode: "The Revenge Specialist"
2002–2006 Strange Days at Blake Holsey High Kelly Trent 4 episodes
2008 The Summit Ditchburn Miniseries; 2 episodes
2009 Flashpoint Dr. Redfield Episode: "Exit Wounds"
2012 Rookie Blue Nicole Marshall Episode: "The Girlfriend Experience"
2014 Sensitive Skin Ashotep IX Episode: "The Mummy"

References

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  1. ^ a b "Lori Hallier". Northern Stars: The Canadian Movie Database. Archived from the original on September 28, 2018. Retrieved February 14, 2017.
  2. ^ "Lori Hallier". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Reid, Michael D. (January 27, 2009). "Her debut was gory, but it was Canadian". Times Colonist. Retrieved March 15, 2018 – via PressReader.
  4. ^ McFerron, Stephen (February 11, 2015). "My Bloody Valentine". The Eastern Progress. Richmond, Kentucky. Archived from the original on April 6, 2015. Retrieved April 5, 2015.
  5. ^ "Where in the Horror are they Now? The Cast of My Bloody Valentine (1981)!". JoBlo Movie Network. Archived from the original on September 28, 2018. Retrieved August 3, 2016.
  6. ^ a b c Bianculli, David (May 18, 1982). "First cable soap opera silly, shows less skin than PBS". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. 20 – via Newspapers.com.  
  7. ^ "Retro Review: Unity". Trek Today. Retrieved August 3, 2016.
  8. ^ Rooney, David (September 19, 2002). "Review: 'My Name Is Tanino'". Variety. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
  9. ^ "Monte Walsh (2003) Cast and Crew". TV Guide. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
  10. ^ The Summit (Miniseries). Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). 2008.
  11. ^ "Christmas Inheritance (2017) Cast and Crew". AllMovie. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
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