Sandra Peabody

Sandra Peabody was born on January 11, 1948 in Portland, Oregon. She is a graduate of the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York City where she studied with master acting teacher Sanford Meisner for two years. She attended the Carnegie Mellon University where she graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Arts and Letters. After starring in a couple of independent films and stage productions, she rose to international prominence in 1972 when she was cast as the ill-fated Mari Collingwood in Wes Craven's debut film The Last House on the Left (1972). The film was met with critical acclaim upon release despite being controversial. She later starred in the horror films Voices of Desire (1972), Massage Parlor Murders! (1973), and Legacy of Satan (1974). She garnered comparisons to Jamie Lee Curtis and Marilyn Burns, establishing her as one of the original scream queens. She is also known for her role as the strong-willed teenager named Bird in the comedy film Teenage Hitchhikers (1974). After this role, Sandra quit acting and began to transition into children's programming. In the early 1980s, she began an effort to bring child friendly content to cable systems beyond prominent film industry locations such as Los Angeles and New York. In 1990, she wrote and produced the educational children's television series Where in the World (1990). Sandra now works as an acting coach.