Dana Plato

Dana Michelle Plato (née Strain; November 7, 1964 – May 8, 1999) was an American actress. An influential "teen idol" of the late 1970s and early 1980s, Plato was recognized for her television work, for which she was included on VH1's list of "100 Greatest Kid Stars". Plato was born to teen mother Linda Strain in 1964 and was adopted by Dean and Florine "Kay" Plato in 1965. She was raised in San Fernando Valley and was an accomplished figure skater before acting, having trained for the Olympic Games. Her acting career began with numerous commercial appearances, and her television debut came at the age of 10 with a brief appearance on the television series The Six Million Dollar Man (1975). Plato subsequently appeared in the horror films Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977) and Return to Boggy Creek (1977), playing Sandra Phalor and Evie Jo, respectively. Plato's breakthrough feature was the Ac...