Mary Ellen Trainer obit

'Goonies' Actress Mary Ellen Trainor Dies: Her Biggest Roles

She was not on the list.

She was a familiar presence in some of the biggest movies of the 1980s and '90s, including "The Goonies, "Lethal Weapon,” “Die Hard” and “Romancing the Stone.”

Today, many are mourning the death of veteran character actress Mary Ellen Trainor, who died at her home in Montecito, California, on May 20. She was 62.

Her death was confirmed Monday by her longtime friend, Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy.

"Mare and I have been close since our days together as college roommates, and she even provided the introduction to Steven Spielberg that jump-started my career," Kennedy said in a statement to The Associated Press. "She was a great actress, warm friend and generous spirit."

Trainor studied broadcast journalism at San Diego State, where she was discovered by a radio station manager who asked her to be an on-air personality. Soon afterwards, she became station editor at KCBS, paving the way for a career in entertainment.

After moving to Hollywood, Trainor landed a job as a production assistant on a number of films, including the 1979 Steven Spielberg film “1941,” written by director Robert Zemeckis.

Zemeckis and Trainor married in 1980, and he gave her a first big screen role in the 1984 film “Romancing the Stone” at the suggestion of star Michael Douglas. Trainor played the kidnapped sister of Kathleen Turner’s character.

The role launched her career as an actress. Trainor appeared in more than two dozen films and in numerous roles on the small screen, including “Parker Lewis Can’t Lose,” “Roswell” and the short-lived series “Relativity.”

A year after Trainor appeared in “Romancing the Stone,” director Richard Donner cast her in his film “The Goonies,” in which she played Irene Walsh, the mother of two of the characters, played by Sean Astin and Josh Brolin.

Asked in a 2013 interview with Red Carpet TV News what she remembered most from the film, she said, "The shenanigans of the kids. They all fell in love with each other. And Dick Donner encouraged that.”

Two years later, Donner turned to Trainor once again for one of her best-known roles, playing police psychiatrist Dr. Stephanie Woods, who has a complicated relationship with Mel Gibson’s character. Despite playing a minor role, Trainor appeared as Woods in four of the “Lethal Weapon” films.

Trainor starred in the 1988 Bruce Willis blockbuster “Die Hard” as TV news anchor Gail Wallens. She later reprised her role as Wallens in 1991’s "Ricochet." Also that year, Trainor starred opposite Bill Murray in “Scrooged,” another Donner film.

The following year, Zemeckis cast his wife in the second film of his successful Back to the Future franchise.

Also in 1989, Trainor teamed up with Murray once again in “Ghostbusters II.”

Trainor collaborated for the last time with Zemeckis on his 1994 Academy Award-winning film “Forrest Gump.” They had one child, son Alex, before divorcing in 2000.

Trainor appeared in the 2003 film remake Freaky Friday starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan.



Filmography

Movies

Year Title Role Notes

1984 Romancing the Stone Elaine Wilder

The Stone Boy Doris Simms

1985 The Goonies Mrs. Walsh

1987 Lethal Weapon Dr. Stephanie Woods

The Monster Squad Emily

1988 Action Jackson Secretary

Die Hard Gail Wallens

Scrooged Ted

1989 Ghostbusters II Brownstone Mother

Lethal Weapon 2 Dr. Stephanie Woods

Back to the Future Part II   Officer Reese Uncredited

1990 Fire Birds Janet Little

1991 Ricochet Gail Wallens

Grand Canyon Ms. Green

1992 Kuffs Nikki Allyn

Lethal Weapon 3 Dr. Stephanie Woods

Death Becomes Her Vivian Adams

1994 Greedy Nora McTeague

Forrest Gump Jenny's Babysitter Uncredited

Little Giants Karen O'Shea

1995 Congo Moira

1996 Executive Decision Allison, Flight Attendant

1998 Lethal Weapon 4 Dr. Stephanie Woods

1999 Anywhere But Here Homeowner

2001 Amy's Orgasm Amy's Mom

2002 Moonlight Mile Mrs. Meyerson

2003 Freaky Friday Diary Reading Patient

2005 The Music Inside Monica Amado

2007 Cake: A Wedding Story Jane Andrews



Television

Year Title Role Notes

1983 Cheers Mary Episode: Father Knows Last

1985 Crazy Like a Fox Episode: Fox and Hounds

1986 CBS Schoolbreak Special Helen Dawson Episode: The Drug Knot

1986–1987 Remington Steele Estelle Becker 3 episodes

1987 Amazing Stories Mara Webster Episode: Moving Day

1989 Tales from the Crypt Wife Episode: And All Through the House

Fear Stalk Jennifer TV movie

1990 Rock Hudson Female Agent TV movie

The Outsiders Episode: The Stork Club

1990–1993 Parker Lewis Can't Lose Mrs. Lewis 16 episodes

1995 Seduced and Betrayed Charlotte TV movie

1996 A Face to Die For Mrs. Gilmore TV movie

1996–1997 Relativity Eve Lukens 17 episodes

1997 Hope Maize Burns TV movie

1998 Someone to Love Me Jocelyn Hart TV movie

1999–2002 Roswell Diane Evans 23 episodes

2008 McBride: Requiem Elizabeth Lucas TV Movie, (final film role)