Tamara De Treaux; Actress Shared Title Role in ‘E.T.’
Tamara De Treaux, the 31-inch tall actress who shared the role of “E.T.” in the famous Stephen Spielberg movie, has died. She was 31.
Miss De Treaux died Wednesday at Medical Center of North Hollywood of respiratory problems and heart failure, her longtime friend, Ken Maley, said Friday.
Starting out in theaters in San Francisco, Miss De Treaux joined the backup singing group called The Medflies in 1980. The group performed in San Francisco’s Boarding House and Los Angeles’ Comedy Store and Roxy.
Spotted by Spielbeg’s staff at the Roxy, she was hired to perform as the extraterrestrial creature after the original actor was injured. Although Spielberg had urged silence about who was or was not inside the special effects of E.T., Miss De Treaux publicly stated that she had played the lovable ugly little character in scenes that required movement, while a mechanical E.T. was used in close-ups.
She is survived by her mother, Barbara Detro, a brother and a sister.
Services are scheduled Tuesday at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in North Hollywood.
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