Terri Messina

Terri Jean Messina was a lovely and captivating brunette actress who popped up in a few movies and several TV shows during her regrettably brief acting career. Terri was born on December 17, 1945 in Northridge, Los Angeles, California. She first began acting in episodic television in 1967. Messina gave an especially fine and engaging performance as Maria, a naive and impressionable adolescent girl who foolishly idolizes hooker Jayne Mansfield in the offbeat Single Room Furnished (1966). Messina was likewise excellent and memorable as luscious teenage tramp Bunch in the gruesome horror shocker Blood and Lace (1971). Among the TV shows Terri made guest appearances on are Batman (1966), "Gidget," I Dream of Jeannie (1965), "The Monkees," Ironside (1967), Mannix (1967), Love, American Style (1969), and Room 222 (1969), Moreover, she served as an assistant editor on the 1976 John Cassavetes picture The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (1976). Messina was the longtime lover of singer/songwriter Gene Clark of the Byrds fame; the couple collaborated on the song "Feelin' Higher" (this particular tune was recorded by the band McGuinn, Clark & Hillman in 1979). She spent the last sixteen years of her life taking care of her parents. Terri Messina died at age 61 on August 21, 2007.