Erica Hagen obit

Erica Hagen(1946-2018)

 

She was not on the list.

Erica Hagen was a talented actress and a compassionate humanitarian who touched many lives with her work and her kindness. She was best known for her roles in Soylent Green, Wonder Woman, and Land of the Lost. She also taught English to refugees in Southeast Asia and helped them resettle in the United States. She died of brain cancer at the age of 72 on September 15, 2018 in West Hollywood, California.

Erica Hagen was born on June 6, 1946 in Sioux City, Iowa, USA. Her birth name was Janice Erica Hagen. She had a college degree in education and expertise in teaching English as a Second Language. She started her acting career in the late 1960s and appeared in several TV shows and movies. Some of her notable credits include The Last American Hero, Thunderbolt and Lightfoot, The Rockford Files, Charlie’s Angels, and The Incredible Hulk. She also starred as Holly Marshall’s mother in the first episode of Land of the Lost, a popular children’s show about a family trapped in a prehistoric world.

Teaching Refugees in Asia

In 1980, Erica Hagen decided to take a break from acting and travel to Southeast Asia and China. She was given an opportunity to teach English to Vietnamese teenage refugees in Hong Kong. She loved teaching these students and wanted to help them more. She moved to Thailand and volunteered at the Ban Vinai refugee camp, where she taught English to Hmong refugees who had fled from Laos after the Vietnam War. She also helped them prepare for their immigration interviews and sponsored some of them to come to the United States. She became a surrogate mother to many of these refugees and maintained contact with them throughout her life.

Later Years and Death

Erica Hagen returned to acting in the late 1980s and continued to work until the early 2000s. She appeared in shows like Murder, She Wrote, Matlock, Baywatch, and ER. She also did voice-over work for video games and commercials. She was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2017 and underwent surgery and chemotherapy. However, the cancer was aggressive and terminal. She passed away peacefully at her home on September 15, 2018, surrounded by her family and friends. She was survived by her husband, two sons, two stepsons, two grandchildren, and many adopted children from the refugee camps.

Legacy and Tribute

Erica Hagen was a beautiful person who had a passion for acting and a heart for helping others. She left behind a legacy of love and generosity that inspired many people. Her former co-stars and students paid tribute to her on social media and shared their memories of her. In 2019, a documentary film called Erica’s Story was released, which chronicled her life and her work with the refugees. The film also featured interviews with some of the refugees who considered her as their mother. The film was a testament to Erica’s spirit and her impact on the world.

In 2015, Erica wrote the foreword for "Lost Girl: The Truth and Nothing But the Truth So Help Me, Kathleen," written by her "Land of the Lost" co-star, Kathy Coleman. Sadly, she died of brain cancer at the age of 72 on September 15, 2018 in West Hollywood, California.

Actress

Noah Beery Jr. and James Garner in The Rockford Files (1974)

The Rockford Files

8.2

TV Series

Hypnotist Brandy Alexander

1979

1 episode

 

Erik Estrada and Larry Wilcox in CHiPs (1977)

CHiPs

6.5

TV Series

Trans-Am Driver (uncredited)

1978

1 episode

 

Jack Klugman in Quincy, M.E. (1976)

Quincy, M.E.

7.3

TV Series

Sherry Bannon

1978

1 episode

 

Jamie Lee Curtis, John Astin, Bond Gideon, Richard Gilliland, Melinda Naud, and Dorrie Thomson in Operation Petticoat (1977)

Operation Petticoat

6.5

TV Series

Doris

1978

1 episode

 

Telly Savalas in Kojak (1973)

Kojak

7.1

TV Series

Donna Socrates

1977

1 episode

 

Lynda Carter in Wonder Woman (1975)

Wonder Woman

7.0

TV Series

Dalma

1976

2 episodes

 

John Schuck in Holmes and Yoyo (1976)

Holmes and Yoyo

5.8

TV Series

1976

1 episode

 

Mel Brooks, Dom DeLuise, and Marty Feldman in Silent Movie (1976)

Silent Movie

6.7

Beautiful Blonde #2

1976

 

Raquel Welch, Harvey Keitel, and Bill Cosby in Mother, Jugs & Speed (1976)

Mother, Jugs & Speed

5.9

Massage Girl - Marsha

1976

 

Robert Blake in Baretta (1975)

Baretta

6.7

TV Series

Hooker

1976

1 episode

 

Ellery Queen (1975)

Ellery Queen

8.4

TV Series

Melody Todd

1976

1 episode

 

Eddie Albert and Robert Wagner in Switch (1975)

Switch

7.1

TV Series

Rachel Rowe

1976

1 episode

 

Susan Howard, Barry Newman, and Albert Salmi in Petrocelli (1974)

Petrocelli

7.2

TV Series

Shirley Miller

Shirley

1974–1975

2 episodes

 

Let's Do It Again (1975)

Let's Do It Again

6.7

Girl in Hotel

1975

 

S.W.A.T. (1975)

S.W.A.T.

6.7

TV Series

Willa

1975

1 episode

 

Teresa Graves in Get Christie Love! (1974)

Get Christie Love!

6.4

TV Series

Boots

1975

1 episode

 

Mike Connors in Mannix (1967)

Mannix

7.4

TV Series

Maggie Larkin

1975

1 episode

 

Kent McCord and Martin Milner in Adam-12 (1968)

Adam-12

7.7

TV Series

Lorna Langstrom

1975

1 episode

 

Dennis Weaver in McCloud (1970)

McCloud

6.9

TV Series

Linda

1975

1 episode

 

The Krofft Puppets in Land of the Lost (1974)

Land of the Lost

7.1

TV Series

Rani

Mrs. Marshall

1974

2 episodes

 

Angie Dickinson in Police Woman (1974)

Police Woman

6.6

TV Series

Peggy

1974

1 episode

 

Clint Eastwood, Jeff Bridges, and George Kennedy in Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974)

Thunderbolt and Lightfoot

7.0

Waitress

1974

 

The Bob Newhart Show (1972)

The Bob Newhart Show

8.1

TV Series

Nancy Dansk

1974

1 episode

 

Susan Clark, Earl Holliman, and Robert Hooks in Doberman Patrol (1973)

Doberman Patrol

6.4

TV Movie

Stewardess

1973

 

Love, American Style (1969)

Love, American Style

6.8

TV Series

The Blonde (segment "Love and the Opera Singer")

Wanda June (segment "Love and the Country Girl")

1972–1973

2 episodes

 

Michael Anderson Jr. and Karen Valentine in Coffee, Tea or Me? (1973)

Coffee, Tea or Me?

5.7

TV Movie

Lisa Benton

1973

 

Jeff Bridges and Valerie Perrine in The Last American Hero (1973)

The Last American Hero

6.4

Trina Kingman

1973

 

Soylent Green (1973)

Soylent Green

7.0

The Furniture Girls

1973

 

The F.B.I. (1965)

The F.B.I.

7.4

TV Series

Vanessa Ferelle

1973

1 episode

 

Buddy Ebsen in Barnaby Jones (1973)

Barnaby Jones

6.9

TV Series

Donna

1973

1 episode

 

George Peppard in Banacek (1972)

Banacek

7.6

TV Series

Bikini Girl

1972

1 episode

 

Together (1971)

Together

5.8

(as Jade Hagen)

1971