P.J. Soles Biography, Filmography, Trivia
Real Name : Pamela Jayne Hardon
Nick Name : "The Totally Girl" from Halloween (1978)
Birth : 17 July 1950, Frankfurt, Germany
Height : 5' 8"
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P.J. (Pamela Jayne) Soles was born on July 17, 1950, in Frankfurt, Germany. Her father came from Holland and her mother from New Jersey. Because her father was working for an international insurance company, the family moved all over the world. P.J. lived in Casablanca, Morocco, and Maracaibo, Venezuela, where she learned to speak fluent Spanish, and then Brussels, Belgium, where she went to high school at the International School of Brussels. When she was at Briarcliff College, she wanted to become the first woman ambassador to the Soviet Union. This career goal changed when she visited the Actors' Studio in New York City. She moved to Manhattan and began acting in commercials and modeling for fashion magazines. She was married to 'J. Steven Soles' (qv) during her years in New York, but then made the move to Los Angeles to work in TV and movies. At this time, she and Soles' got divorced, but she decided to keep her name as P.J. Soles. She was among the hundreds of actors auditioning for 'Brian De Palma' (qv) and 'George Lucas (I)' (qv) in their joint casting session for _Carrie (1976)_ (qv) and _Star Wars (1977)_ (qv). After "Carrie", she went to Georgia to film _Our Winning Season (1978)_ (qv) and met actor 'Dennis Quaid' (qv). They were married in 1978 in Texas on a dude ranch. P.J. starred in _Rock 'n' Roll High School (1979)_ (qv) with 'Ramones' (qv). Next she filmed _Private Benjamin (1980)_ (qv) and then _Stripes (1981)_ (qv). She and Quaid were divorced in 1983. P.J. continued doing numerous television and film roles, and then married 'Skip Holm' (qv), who was the stunt pilot on _The Right Stuff (1983)_ (qv). They have a son named Skye (born in 1983) and a daughter named Ashley (born in 1988). She and Skip were divorced in 1998. Attractive, often outspoken actress who surfaced in the mid-seventies as a blonde bombshell in hits such as _Carrie (1976)_ (qv), _Our Winning Season (1978)_ (qv), _Halloween (1978)_ (qv), _Rock 'n' Roll High School (1979)_ (qv), and went on to doing more notable performances in _Private Benjamin (1980)_ (qv), _Soggy Bottom, U.S.A. (1980)_ (qv), and _Stripes (1981)_ (qv). Although little known in her heyday, Soles has acquired a cult following that, strange as it seems, hasn't allowed her to reach the right role for an actress as experienced as she is. Still active in television and film, Soles manages not to let her fans down, but keeps them interested in her work, which keeps on getting better, making her one of the most versatile actresses of her time.
Biography written by: Anonymous
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- 'Halloween' Unmasked 2000 (1999) (V) [Herself] <6>
- 'Halloween': A Cut Above the Rest (2003) (TV) [Herself]
- 30 Days in Hell: The Making of 'The Devil's Rejects' (2005) (V) [Herself - 'Susan'] <36>
- Acting 'Carrie' (2001) (V) [Herself] <9>
- Alexander: The Other Side of Dawn (1977) (TV) (uncredited)
- Alienator (1990) [Tara] <7>
- Alone in the Dark II (2008) (V) [Martha] <11>
- B.O.R.N. (1988) [Liz] <2>
- Beg (2010) [Eva Fox]
- Bind (2009/I) [Carol]
- Blast (2000) [Deputy] <7>
- Blood Bath (1976) <28>
- Breaking Away (1979) (as Pamela Jayne Soles) [Suzy] <14>
- Carrie (1976) [Norma Watson] <8>
- Dead Calling (2006) [Valerie Redmond]
- Death by Engagement (2005) [Mrs. Starkington] <3>
- End of the Century (2003) (archive footage) (uncredited) [Riff Randell]
- Eternal (2012) [Lucinda] <1>
- Going to Pieces: The Rise and Fall of the Slasher Film (2006) (archive footage) [Lynda van der Klok]
- Halloween (1978) [Lynda van der Klok] <4>
- Halloween: 25 Years of Terror (2006) (V) [Herself]
- Halloween: The Shape of Horror (2006) [Herself]
- Imps* (2009) [Young Lady (segment "Soda")] <28>
- Innocent Prey (1984) [Cathy Wills] <1>
- Into the Pit: The Shocking Story of Deadpit.com (2009) [Herself]
- Jawbreaker (1999) [Mrs. Purr] <7>
- Kept (2001) [Celia] <12>
- Listen to the City (1984) [Sophia] <1>
- Little Bigfoot (1997) [Carolyn] <2>
- Love in the Age of Fishsticks (2008) (voice) [God]
- Mil Mascaras vs. the Aztec Mummy (2007)
- Mirror, Mirror IV: Reflection (2000) [Annika's Mom] <5>
- Murder on the Yellow Brick Road (2005) [Hannah Gruber]
- No Place Like Home (2006/I) [Herself] <4>
- Old Boyfriends (1979) [Sandy] <9>
- Our Winning Season (1978) [Cindy Hawkins] <8>
- Out There (1995) (TV) [Religious Nut] <14>
- Pee Stains and Other Disasters (2005) [Jenny] <5>
- Prank (2008) [Marianne]
- Private Benjamin (1980) [Pvt. Wanda Winter] <28>
- Ramones Raw (2004) (archive footage) (uncredited) [Rif Randell]
- Ray of Sunshine (2006) [Mother]
- Rock 'n' Roll High School (1979) [Riff Randell] <1>
- Saigon Commandos (1988) [Jean Lassiter] <2>
- Sawyer and Finn (1983) (TV) [Becky Thatcher]
- Shake, Rattle and Rock! (1994) (TV) [Evelyn Randall] <17>
- Soggy Bottom, U.S.A. (1980) [Sharlene] <6>
- Soldier's Fortune (1991) [Debra]
- Sport (1976) {{SUSPENDED}}
- Stars and Stripes 1 (2004) (V) [Herself]
- Stars and Stripes 2 (2004) (V) [Herself]
- Stripes (1981) [Stella] <4>
- Super Secret Movie Rules: Slashers (2004) (TV) [Herself ("Lynda" - Halloween)]
- Sweet Dreams (1985) [Wanda] <8>
- The 50 Best Horror Movies You've Never Seen (2010) (TV) [Herself]
- The Awakening of Cassie (1982) [Cassie] <1>
- The Boy in the Plastic Bubble (1976) (TV) [Deborah] <15>
- The Butterfly Room (2010) [Lauren] <8>
- The Devil's Rejects (2005) [Susan] <19>
- The Horrorhound (2007) (V) [Herself]
- The Other Woman (1983) (TV) [Mary Louise] <7>
- The Possessed (1977) (TV) [Marty] <10>
- The Power Within (1995) [Mrs. Applegate] <8>
- The Tooth Fairy (2006) (V) [Mrs. MacDonald] <12>
- Uncle Sam (1997) [Madge Cronin] <11>
- Working with a Master: John Carpenter (2006) (V) [Herself] <2>
- Zuma Beach (1978) (TV) [Nancy] <13>
- ¿Quién es Alejandro Chomski? (2002) [Herself]
- "Airwolf" (1984) {HX-1 (#2.8)} [Ellie]
- "Cheers" (1982) {Rebound: Part 2 (#3.2)} [Julie]
- "E! True Hollywood Story" (1996) {Scream Queens} [Herself]
- "Hardcastle and McCormick" (1983) {Something's Going on on This Train (#3.4)} [Ellen Styner]
- "Horror's Hallowed Grounds" (2006) [Herself]
- "Knight Rider" (1982) {Out of the Woods (#4.13)} [Ellen Whitby] <7>
- "Love Is a Many Splendored Thing" (1967) [Unknown (1973)]
- "Simon & Simon" (1981) {D.J., D.O.A. (#3.2)} ['Crazy Susan' Sackwell]
- "Simon & Simon" (1981) {Our Fair City (#4.10)} [Martie Collins]
- "The Blue Knight" (1975) {Upward Mobility (#2.3)} [Minnesota]
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- 'Skip Holm' (qv) (16 November 1983 - 1998) (divorced); 2 children
- 'J. Steven Soles' (qv) (1971 - 1975) (divorced)
- 'Dennis Quaid' (qv) (25 November 1978 - 23 January 1983) (divorced)
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- "Fangoria" (USA), 1981, Iss. 13, pg. 17-19,+65, by: Robert Greenberger, "P.J. Soles"
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- "Femme Fatales" (U.S.A.), 11 August 2000, Vol. 9, Iss. 3, pg. 5, by: Pat Jankiewicz, "Scream Queen P. J. Soles - A Cult Queen Candidly Recounts Her Horror Film Legacy: Facts About "Halloween," "Carrie," Roger Corman, Et. Al."
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- "Celebrity Sleuth" (USA), 1990, Vol. 4, Iss. 2, pg. 86-87, by: staff, "Simply Gore-Geous: Lynda -P.J. Soles"
- "High Society" (USA), August 1985, "Celebrity Skin"
- "Playboy" (USA), November 1981, Vol. 28, Iss. 11, pg. 166, by: Arthur Knight, "Sex In Cinema - 1981"
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- Did movie shorts for college students earlier in her career.
- TV commercial for Kentucky Fried Chicken
- TV commercial for Coca-Cola
- (1976) TV Commercial for Soft & Dri deodorant
- (1977) TV commercial for Carefree Panty Shields
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- (August 2003) Appearing as "Riff Randell" in 'The Donnas' (qv)' music video "Too Bad About Your Girl".
- (October 2003) Divorced now from 'Skip Holm' (qv), she retired for the most part to raise her two children. P.J. is presently producing an in-development movie for Paramount and is considering a remake of her hit movie _Rock 'n' Roll High School (1979)_ (qv).
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- "Dennis is very, very sad. I've never heard him sound so sad. I got the feeling he hasn't slept recently. He's devastated just by the thought of any separation mostly because they have a son. He's very concerned about the effects on his son." - about the separation of 'Dennis Quaid' (qv) from 'Meg Ryan' (qv).
- "I'm still looking for that 'Quentin Tarantino' (qv), for what he did to 'John Travolta' (qv). That's part of why I wanted to produce - to give myself good parts."
- "I am so happy that every generation still tunes into most of the classic and cult films I was lucky to be a part of."
- "All those times I'd gotten married with the intention of having children, even when I was in my early twenties."
- "Everybody thought I was a California girl, and I felt I had to work harder than most people. I went to a place in my mind from having watched other movies, so for me it was a little more challenging than a lot of people probably realize."
- Horror movies are all about getting your attention, you always have to be on guard. People love to be on the edge, there's nothing like a surprise. Our whole lives are built around surprises -- surprise birthday parties, surprises at restaurants. It keeps our lives from being boring. Also, it's the closet thing to watching a fantasy that you could never conceive of yourself, never dare to have. Even in a private moment. Something you'd never let enter your thinking. So you can sit for two hours and watch someone else's fantasy and not feel guilty if you enjoy it.
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- Was injured during the filming of her movie _Rock 'n' Roll High School (1979)_ (qv).
- She has one son and one daughter
- In her death scene in _Carrie (1976)_ (qv) she is knocked unconscious by a wild water hose; in actuality the hose tore her eardrum and she really IS unconscious for that scene.
- 'John Carpenter (I)' (qv), wanted her for his film _Halloween (1978)_ (qv) after seeing _Carrie (1976)_ (qv). He wrote the part of Lynda especially for her because of the way she said the word "totally."
- Sang "Rock and Roll High School" with 'Ramones' (qv) at one of their concerts.
- Is multilingual.
- Lived in several foreign countries while growing up.
- Favorite food is Moroccan.
- Originally wanted to be Ambassador to the Soviet Union.
- Has one son, Sky (born in 1983) and one daughter, Ashley (born in 1988), with 'Skip Holm' (qv).
- Did her screen test for _Carrie (1976)_ (qv) with 'John Travolta' (qv). He loved her performance so much, he made sure she got a part in his TV movie _The Boy in the Plastic Bubble (1976) (TV)_ (qv).
- Father is from the Netherlands. Mother is from New Jersey.
- She wore a red baseball cap to her audition for _Carrie (1976)_ (qv), which director 'Brian De Palma' (qv) loved. He told her to bring it with her when they started shooting. The first thing he said to her on the set was, "Did you bring your red baseball hat?" She ended up wearing that hat for the majority of the film.
- Rock group Local H named their 2004 album, "Whatever Happened To PJ Soles?" after her. It includes a song about her cult celebrity status titled simply, "PJ Soles.".
- Interviewed in the book "Invasion of the B-Girls" by Jewel Shepard.
- PJ has two children: Jeffrey Sky Holm, an Officer serving with the U.S. Coast Guard and Ashley Brooke Holm, a college student and in the band "Nouveau".
- Ranked #4 on Maxim's "Hottest Women of Horror Movies" list.
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