Diane Franklin

Diane Franklin Headshot

Actress • Producer • Model

Birth Date: February 11, 1962

Age: 62 years old

Birth Place: Plainview, New York

Starting at age ten, Diane Franklin's professional career began with modeling, commercials, soap opera and theater. Her first feature film role was as Karen in the 1982 teen film, "The Last American Virgin." Her dark, curly hairstyle grew much attention from this film, inadvertently kick-started a curly-hair fashion trend and inspired her pictorial autobiography "Diane Franklin: The Excellent Curls of the Last American French Exchange Babe of the 80s."

Her next film role was playing the troubled daughter, Patricia Montelli, in "Amityville II: The Possession" (1982.) Franklin also starred in TV movies "Summer Girl" (1983) and "Deadly Lessons" (1983) as well as television roles on "Charles in Charge" (CBS, 1983-84) and "Murder She Wrote" (CBS, 1984-96). In 1985, Franklin won her most beloved role as the spirited French-exchange student, Monique Junot, in the cult dark-comedy "Better Off Dead" (1985).

She then returned to film starring in the cult horror-parody, "TerrorVision" (1986) and "How I Got Into College (1989). Franklin is best-known for her role as the medieval babe, Princess Elizabeth, in the time-travelling comedy "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure" (1989). In 2018, Franklin had the honor to play the role of Louise Defeo in "Amityville Murders" (2019), based on a true story written and directed by Daniel Farrands. Franklin reunited with Farrands in "Ted Bundy: American Boogeyman" (2021).

The cast also includes her daughter, Olivia DeLaurentis. Upcoming projects include Brian Farmer's horror film "Waking Nightmare," "High Holiday;" a comedy with Cloris Leachman as well as a tribute book about "Better Off Dead."

Credits

Waking Nightmare

Actor
Danielle
Movie
2023

The Dark Room

Actor
Dr. Riley
Movie
2023

Reanimation Team

Actor
Commander Franklin
Movie
2022

Clay Zombies

Actor
D.J.St. VC Skatewell
Show
2021

Ted Bundy: American Boogeyman

Actor
Mrs. Healy
Movie
2021

Wally Got Wasted

Actor
Emma
Movie
2019

The Amityville Murders

Actor
Louise DeFeo
Movie
2018

The Final Interview

Actor
Rhonda
Movie
2017

Parole Officers

Actor
Marge
Movie
2013

Family Law

Guest Star
Series
1999

Matlock: The Court Martial

Actor
Nancy Lamont
Movie
1987

MatlockStream

Guest Star
Series
1986

TerrorVision

Actor
Suzy Putterman
Movie
1986

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

Actor
Show
1985

Better Off DeadStream

Actor
Monique Junot
Movie
1985

Charles in ChargeStream

Guest Star
Anna Grundov
Series
1984

Murder, She WroteStream

Guest Star
Phyllis Gant
Series
1984

Finder of Lost Loves

Guest Star
Series
1984

Second Time Lucky

Actor
Eve
Movie
1984

Deadly Lessons

Actor
Stefanie Aggiston
Movie
1983

Summer Girl

Actor
Cinni
Movie
1983

The Last American Virgin

Actor
Karen
Movie
1982
77%

Amityville II: The PossessionStream

Actor
Patricia Montelli
Movie
1982
24%