Who is Deborah Van Valkenburgh and where is she now? Wiki Bio
Deborah Gaye Van Valkenburgh was born in Schenectady, New York State USA, on 29 August 1952, so her zodiac sign is Virgo and she holds American nationality. She is a former actress, who gained recognition after portraying Mercy in the movie “The Warriors” released in 1979. She retired in 2015.
Early life and education
Deborah was raised an only child in Schenectady by her father who was an artist, and her mother who taught English at a local high school. She attended Shaker High School in Latham in New York, and was working and singing around coffee houses with her band Spur Of The Moment to help keep her family financial.
She founded the duo The Myrtle Avenue Watermelon when she was 16, and they sang together for several years before splitting. Upon matriculation, she enrolled at New York University’s School of Social Work, but moved to the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn after a year, graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in painting and drawing in 1974.
Deborah’s roles in movies
Her debut film appearance was in the action crime film “The Warriors” in 1979, which was also the most important role of her career. The film stars Michael Beck, James Remar, and Dorsey Wright and follows the street gang ‘The Warriors’ who, after being falsely accused of killing the leader of all gangs, have to survive when all other gangs turn against them. Deborah later also voiced Mercy in the video game “The Warriors”, released in 2005.
She could have been seen portraying Tina in “King of the Mountain” in 1981, as well as Reva Cody in “Streets of Fire”, while she was praised for her portrayal of Kate Fraser in the drama thriller film “Rampage” which starred Michael Biehn, Alex McArthur and Nicholas Campbell, and follows a serial killer who, after getting ready for his trial at which he was supposed to be given the death penalty, manages to escape and starts killing again.
Deborah went on to appear in movies such as “Phantom of the Ritz” in 1988, “One Man Out” in 1989, and “Brainsmasher… A Love Story” in 1993, before being invited to portray Cam in the action crime film “The Mean Guns”, which follows 100 people in a prison who are given guns and are forced to kill one another, with the last three living sharing $10 million.
She went on to appear in “Free Enterprise” in 1999, the short film “Venus Conspiracy” in 2003, and “The Devil’s Rejects” in 2005, while some of her latest appearances in movies have been in two shorts, “Broken Hart” in 2009 and “Love’s Routine” in 2013, and the crime drama film “The Trial of Cate McCall” in 2013 as well.
Deborah has appeared in numerous theatre plays performed at some of the most famous theatres in the US, such as The Other Side of Silence (TOSOS), Manhattan Theatre Club, and The Beauty Queen Of Leenane among others. She has won only a single award during her career – a PollyGrind Film Festival Award for the Best Supporting Actress in a Fantasy Film in 2012.
Appearances in TV series
She made her debut TV series appearance in 1980 through 1985, portraying the lead character Jackie Rush in the comedy series “Too Close for Comfort” which stars Ted Knight and Nancy Dussault, and follows two sisters living with their witty parents Muriel and Henry. The series was very popular and Deborah was shooting for it until it ended.
Deborah became known for her versatility, and so in demand for guest appearances. She appeared in single episodes of series “Hotel” and “Glitter” in 1985, and “New Love, American Style” in 1986. The year 1987 saw Deborah guest star in episodes of “Houston Knights” and “Crime Story”, while 1988 appearing in both “Cagney & Lacey” and “C.A.T. Squad: Python Wolf”.
Deborah continued appearing in single episodes of TV series, with some of her most notable performances being in “Bodies of Evidence” in 1992, “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” in 1995, and “Chicago Hope” in 1998.
The 2000s saw her guest star in over 20 series, some of which were “Once and Again” in 2002, “The Shield” in 2005, and “Criminal Minds” in 2006, while her next notable performance was in “Days of Our Lives” in which she portrayed Rae in two episodes in 2010. She was then invited to play Candice Larson in three episodes of the crime mystery series “The Event”, which follows a man who, while searching for his missing girlfriend, discovers a conspiracy larger than the country’s president.
Some of Deborah’s most recent roles in TV series have been in “Chop Shop” and “Stalker” in 2014, and “The Messengers” in 2015.
Love life and relationships
In 1974, Deborah began dating Peter Halsten Thorkelson, the late American actor, musician, and composer – they were singing together for those two years that they were in a relationship, splitting in 1976 due to what appears infidelity from Peter’s side, as not long after he married Jody Babb who was pregnant with his child – but they divorced two years later. In 1983 he married Reine Stewart, but they divorced after a year, and he then married Barbara Iannoli, divorcing her after ten years of marriage. In 2014 he married Pamela Grapes, and they lived together until 21 February 2019 when Peter died.
Deborah has been keeping the details of her love life hidden since she and Peter split, and it appears that she hasn’t been in any other long-term relationships after him – she hasn’t married and doesn’t have children.
Hobbies and other interests
Deborah is a highly social person, and has stated during an interview how she enjoys acting because it allows her to meet a variety of people all with different personalities, while it also allows her to play so many different roles. Her main hobby is travelling, and she has been all across the US to shoot for movies and TV series, while she has also been to several European and Asian countries, and has visited Africa on two occasions.
Some of her personal favorite actors and actresses are Jim Carrey, Bruce Willis, and Anne Hathaway while some of her favorite movies include “Bruce Almighty”, “Pulp Fiction”, and “Les Miserables”. Deborah has been a philanthropist since she launched her acting career, and has donated to several charity organizations, while she has also volunteered with some including the time when she went to Africa to help underprivileged people.
Appearance and net worth
Deborah is 67 years old. She has long brown hair and brown eyes, is 5ft 3ins (1.6m) tall, and weighs around 115lbs (52kgs). As of March 2020, her net worth is estimated at over $4 million.