Photo: Marsha Traeger / CC BY 4.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Zelda Rubinstein is one of those performers who burned so brightly in a single iconic role that you can't imagine anyone else doing it — her turn as Tangina Barrons in the Poltergeist franchise is genuinely unforgettable, this small, otherworldly woman delivering lines with an eerie warmth that somehow made the supernatural feel both terrifying and comforting at once. Born in Pittsburgh and trained at the University of Pittsburgh, she carved out a career that defied easy categorization, popping up in everything from horror films to the underrated Picket Fences, where she held her own in David E. Kelley's sharp ensemble week after week. She was also a committed human rights activist, which tells you she had real substance beyond the screen. Gone in 2010, but Tangina's voice still echoes whenever that movie comes on.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Zelda Rubinstein
- Name (Japanese)
- ゼルダ・ルビンスタイン
- Reading
- ぜるだ・るびんすたいん
- Born
- May 28, 1933 – January 27, 2010
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Gemini / Rooster
- Origin
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
- Occupation
- actor / film actor / television actor / voice actor
2. Background
- High school
- Peabody High School
- University
- University of Pittsburgh
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Zelda Rubinstein born?
May 28, 1933 – January 27, 2010.
Where is Zelda Rubinstein from?
Zelda Rubinstein is from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States.
What does Zelda Rubinstein do?
Zelda Rubinstein works as actor, film actor, television actor, voice actor.
Actor — see all → · Film actor — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.