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Dana Hill (born Dana Lynne Goetz in Los Angeles, California; May 6, 1964 – July 15, 1996) was an American actress and voice actor with a raspy voice and childlike appearance, which allowed her to play adolescent roles well into her 20s. Hill is perhaps best known for playing Audrey Griswold (alt. Griswald)^[1] in National Lampoon's European Vacation.

Early health issues

Dana Hill was born May 6, 1964 in Encino, California to mother Sandy Hill and father Ted Goetz, a director of commercials. A diagnosis of Type I diabetes at an early age ended a promising athletic future. A 1982 article in People Magazine^[2] reported that at age 10 Hill had placed third nationwide in the 880-yard run and the fourth in the mile. A few weeks later she collapsed on the track, which led to the diagnosis. The diabetes stunted her growth (at 18 she was 5' 0", 82 pounds) and caused major life-long health complications for Hill.

Teen years

Hill's initial work in commercials was via her father's influence (her first job was a 1973 commercial for the YMCA, spinning a basketball on her finger with then-Boston Celtics center Dave Cowens). However, to avoid the appearance of nepotism, she took her mother's maiden name as her stage name and devoted herself to acting as a career. She appeared in guest roles on such programs as Family before landing a major role on the 1981-1982 CBS series The Two Of Us^[3], playing Gabrielle "Gabby" Gallagher for the 20-episode run of the series. While filming this series the 17-year-old Hill would sometimes be pulled over by the police while driving to the studio, because she looked too young to drive.

Her breakthrough role was in the 1981 Emmy-winning made-for-TV movie Fallen Angel The 17-year-old Hill played 12-year-old molestation victim Jennifer Phillips, a role which earned her a Young Artist Award in the category Best Young Actress in a Television Special.^[4]

Hill played Albert Finney and Diane Keaton's eldest daughter Sherry Dunlap in Shoot the Moon (1982). In 1983 she starred with Rip Torn and Mary Steenburgen in the film Cross Creek, a semi-biographical story about Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, author of The Yearling. She also appeared on a 1983 episode of Magnum, P.I., entitled "Basket Case",

At age 19 Hill starred in a 1984 CBS Schoolbreak Special called Welcome Home, Jellybean, playing Geraldine "Jellybean" Oxley, a 12-year-old develelopmentally disabled girl whose parents decide to take their daughter out of the institution she had been housed in, so she could experience a normal home life. The same year, she appeared in Shelly Duvall's 1980's children's TV series Faerie Tale Theatre, playing The Princess, in an episode called The Boy Who Left Home to Find Out About the Shivers.

Film roles

In 1985, the producers of the 1983 hit, National Lampoon's Vacation were looking to make a sequel, but Anthony Michael Hall declined to reprise his role as son Rusty Griswold, choosing instead to do the film Weird Science. The producers decided to recast the roles of both Griswold children, and so for National Lampoon's European Vacation, Hill was chosen to replace the original actress who portrayed Audrey, Dana Barron.

Hill appeared as Sergeant Andrea Pritchett alongside George Clooney in Combat Academy (also known as Combat High), a 1986 film from the producers of Police Academy. After playing Francy in the 1991 made-for-TV courtroom movie, Final Verdict,^[5] her final film role was a bit part ("Wife at Motel") in the 1994 baseball movie, Cobb.^[6]

Voice character

The unique raspy quality in her voice made her a natural for animation; Hill made quite a name for herself as a voice character. Beginning in 1987, she provided the voice for Scrappy, the orphan mouse, on 8 episodes of "Mighty Mouse: The New Adventures"^[7]. She was Teddy-2 in Jetsons: The Movie (1990) ^[8]; from 1989-1991 she voiced Buddy on the animated children's television show Gummi Bears^[9], and in 1992-1993 was the voice of Max on Goof Troop ^[10]. Her voice was featured as Jerry in Tom and Jerry: The Movie^[11], and Charles on Duckman.^[12] as well as numerous characters in the Nickelodeon show, Rugrats. Until her death Hill remained much in demand for her vocal ability.

She was also a semi-regular panelist on the 1990s version of To Tell the Truth.

Death

Ironically, the condition which permitted her to play child-like roles long after her childhood ended, eventually took her life. Hill slipped into a diabetic coma in May 1996 and suffered a massive paralytic stroke the following month. On July 15, 1996, Dana Hill passed away at the age of 32. Hill was cremated and her ashes are kept by a friend or family member whose identity has not been made public.

References

External links

• Dana Hill at the Internet Movie Database
• Dana Hill at TV.com