Amy O'Neill
Encyclopedia
Amy O'Neill is a performer and a former actress. After appearing in several sitcoms and starring as Molly Stark on The Young and the Restless
in 1986, she was cast as Amy Szalinski in the 1989 Disney film, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids
, for which she was nominated for a Young Artist Award
. She also appeared in the 1992 sequel, Honey, I Blew Up the Kid
and as Lisa Barnes in Where's Rodney?
.
construction company owner. She is the third of five children. Her older siblings include brother Casey and sister Katie. Her younger brothers include Hugh and Barry. Her father is the brother of Hugh O'Neill, Esq, former Deputy Chief Counsel to The Secretary of the Navy, John Lehman
.
as a younger version of Betty White
's character, Ellen Harper
. She continued working on television shows such as Matt Houston
, Night Court
, Highway to Heaven
and The Twilight Zone
. She also appeared on the American game show, Body Language
. After an appearance on Family Ties
, O'Neill won the role of the pregnant teenager Molly Stark on the daytime soap, The Young and the Restless
for thirty episodes in 1986.
She appeared in the 1989 television films, Desperate for Love
as Tammy Lauren
's best friend, with Christian Slater
and as Jodie in I Know My First Name is Steven, before appearing in her most recognized role as Amy Szalinski in Honey, I Shrunk the Kids
. In the film, she and her brother are shrunk to 1/4 inch high by the father's (Rick Moranis
) shrink ray. After the film, she was nominated for a Young Artist Award
for Best Young Actress Supporting Role in a Motion Picture.
O'Neill continued work as Annette in an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation
, but most of her scenes were cut out due to time constraints. She can, however, be seen in the background of a crowd scene. She acted as Lisa Barnes in the pilot episode of Where's Rodney?
with Honey co-star Jared Rushton
and Rodney Dangerfield
, but it wasn't picked up in 1990 or 1991. She continued working in television series such as Room for Romance, The Young Riders
, and Gabriel's Fire
.
She starred as Susan Hartley in an episode of Murder, She Wrote
and came back to the Disney screen in the sequel, Honey, I Blew Up the Kid
, as Amy Szalinski. Before this was written as a sequel to Honey, it was titled Big Baby and didn't have any characters from the original film. As the plot was changed to include the Szalinski's, there was no room for a female lead, besides Keri Russell
's role as the babysitter. O'Neill only appeared in the opening scene as she is leaving for college. Her character is later mentioned in Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves
.
She later appeared in the television film, White Wolves: A Cry in the Wild II
as Pandra, one of the young adults stuck in the Cascade Mountains, having to fend for themselves. In 1994, she appeared in the National Lampoon film, Attack of the 5 Ft. 2 In. Women
as a German Skater.
She is now part of the performance art community in Los Angeles
. In 2002, she joined the Hollywood, Alabama
trio, "Girls On Stilts." She has toured places like Italy
, Asia
and has brandished her skills at Harrah's Casino, Disneyland, and other places. She doesn't have any children and is not currently married, but hoping to start a family with someone who isn't "intimidated" by her work as a performer.
O'Neill returned to television in 2005 to appear in an MTV documentary with her Honey co-star Thomas Wilson Brown
in The 100 Greatest Family Films. In 2008, she appeared as an Officer's wife in an independent film, The Japanese Sandman.
The Young and the Restless
The Young and the Restless is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. The show is set in a fictional Wisconsin town called Genoa City, which is unlike and unrelated to the real life village of the same name, Genoa City, Wisconsin...
in 1986, she was cast as Amy Szalinski in the 1989 Disney film, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids is a 1989 comedy film. The directorial debut of Joe Johnston and released through Walt Disney Pictures and Silver Screen Partners III, the film tells the story of an inventor who accidentally shrinks his and his neighbor's kids to 1/4 of an inch with his electromagnetic...
, for which she was nominated for a Young Artist Award
Young Artist Award
The Young Artist Award is an accolade bestowed by the Young Artist Foundation, a non-profit organization founded in 1978 to recognize and award excellence of youth performers, and to provide scholarships for young artists who may be physically and/or financially challenged.The Young Artist...
. She also appeared in the 1992 sequel, Honey, I Blew Up the Kid
Honey, I Blew Up the Kid
Honey, I Blew Up the Kid is the 1992 sequel to the 1989 film Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. Directed by Randal Kleiser and released by Walt Disney Pictures, the film stars Rick Moranis, Marcia Strassman, Robert Oliveri and Amy O'Neill, who reprise their roles as Wayne, Diane, Nick, and Amy Szalinski...
and as Lisa Barnes in Where's Rodney?
Where's Rodney?
Where's Rodney? is an unsold television pilot starring Rodney Dangerfield that was aired as a special on June 11, 1990. It was produced by Aaron Spelling Productions, Bedrock Productions, and Hanna-Barbera Productions, and aired on NBC.-Summary:...
.
Early life
O'Neill was born in Pacific Palisades, California, the daughter of Virginia, an art school director, and Thomas O'Neill, a Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
construction company owner. She is the third of five children. Her older siblings include brother Casey and sister Katie. Her younger brothers include Hugh and Barry. Her father is the brother of Hugh O'Neill, Esq, former Deputy Chief Counsel to The Secretary of the Navy, John Lehman
John Lehman
John F. Lehman, Jr. is an American investment banker and writer who served as Secretary of the Navy in the Reagan administration and in 2003–04 was a member of the 9/11 Commission....
.
Career
O'Neill began auditioning for parts at age ten with her older siblings. After school, the kids would drive out to Hollywood. O'Neill made her first appearance on television at age 13 in an episode of Mama's FamilyMama's Family
Mama's Family is an American television sitcom that premiered on NBC on January 22, 1983. It was cancelled in May 1984, but NBC would continue to air reruns until September 1985. In September 1986, Mama's Family returned in first-run syndication, where it aired for an additional four seasons,...
as a younger version of Betty White
Betty White
Betty White Ludden , better known as Betty White, is an American actress, comedienne, singer, author, and former game show personality. With a career spanning seven decades since 1939, she is best known to modern audiences for her television roles as Sue Ann Nivens on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and...
's character, Ellen Harper
Ellen Harper
Ellen Jackson is a fictional character who made sporadic appearances in the sketch comedy, The Family, and its spin-off sitcom, Mama's Family. She was played by Betty White.-Biography:...
. She continued working on television shows such as Matt Houston
Matt Houston
Matt Houston is an American crime drama series that aired on ABC from 1982 to 1985. Created by Lawrence Gordon, the series was produced by Aaron Spelling.-Synopsis:...
, Night Court
Night Court
Night Court is an American television situation comedy that aired on NBC from January 4, 1984, to May 20, 1992. The setting was the night shift of a Manhattan court, presided over by the young, unorthodox Judge Harold T. "Harry" Stone...
, Highway to Heaven
Highway to Heaven
Highway to Heaven is an American television drama series which ran on NBC from 1984 to 1989.- Season 1 :- Season 2 :- Season 3 :- Season 4 :- Season 5 :...
and The Twilight Zone
The Twilight Zone
The Twilight Zone is an American television anthology series created by Rod Serling. Each episode is a mixture of self-contained drama, psychological thriller, fantasy, science fiction, suspense, or horror, often concluding with a macabre or unexpected twist...
. She also appeared on the American game show, Body Language
Body Language (game show)
Body Language is an American game show produced by Mark Goodson Productions. The show aired on CBS from June 4, 1984 until January 3, 1986, and was hosted by Tom Kennedy...
. After an appearance on Family Ties
Family Ties
Family Ties is an American sitcom that aired on NBC for seven seasons, from 1982 to 1989. The sitcom reflected the move in the United States from the cultural liberalism of the 1960s and 1970s to the conservatism of the 1980s. This was particularly expressed through the relationship between young...
, O'Neill won the role of the pregnant teenager Molly Stark on the daytime soap, The Young and the Restless
The Young and the Restless
The Young and the Restless is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. The show is set in a fictional Wisconsin town called Genoa City, which is unlike and unrelated to the real life village of the same name, Genoa City, Wisconsin...
for thirty episodes in 1986.
She appeared in the 1989 television films, Desperate for Love
Desperate for Love
Desperate for Love is a 1989 television film directed by Michael Tuchner. The film is based on a true story.-Plot:Alex Cutler and Cliff Petrie are 17-year-old teens who have been close friends since they were young. Alex is the most popular guy in school, with a promising future, while Cliff is a...
as Tammy Lauren
Tammy Lauren
Tammy Lauren is an American actress who has appeared in film and television. She starred in Wishmaster, portraying Alexandra Amberson, a young woman who accidentally awakens the Djinn, a powerful spirit more commonly known as a genie.-Career:To date, Wishmaster is the only feature film in which...
's best friend, with Christian Slater
Christian Slater
Christian Michael Leonard Slater is an American actor. He made his film debut with a small role in The Postman Always Rings Twice before playing a leading role in the 1985 film The Legend of Billie Jean...
and as Jodie in I Know My First Name is Steven, before appearing in her most recognized role as Amy Szalinski in Honey, I Shrunk the Kids
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids is a 1989 comedy film. The directorial debut of Joe Johnston and released through Walt Disney Pictures and Silver Screen Partners III, the film tells the story of an inventor who accidentally shrinks his and his neighbor's kids to 1/4 of an inch with his electromagnetic...
. In the film, she and her brother are shrunk to 1/4 inch high by the father's (Rick Moranis
Rick Moranis
Frederick Allan "Rick" Moranis is a Canadian comedian, actor, musician, and a magician. Moranis came to prominence in the late 1970s on the sketch comedy show Second City Television, and later appeared in several Hollywood films including Strange Brew; Ghostbusters; Spaceballs; Little Shop of...
) shrink ray. After the film, she was nominated for a Young Artist Award
Young Artist Award
The Young Artist Award is an accolade bestowed by the Young Artist Foundation, a non-profit organization founded in 1978 to recognize and award excellence of youth performers, and to provide scholarships for young artists who may be physically and/or financially challenged.The Young Artist...
for Best Young Actress Supporting Role in a Motion Picture.
O'Neill continued work as Annette in an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
, but most of her scenes were cut out due to time constraints. She can, however, be seen in the background of a crowd scene. She acted as Lisa Barnes in the pilot episode of Where's Rodney?
Where's Rodney?
Where's Rodney? is an unsold television pilot starring Rodney Dangerfield that was aired as a special on June 11, 1990. It was produced by Aaron Spelling Productions, Bedrock Productions, and Hanna-Barbera Productions, and aired on NBC.-Summary:...
with Honey co-star Jared Rushton
Jared Rushton
Jared Michael Rushton is an American musician and former actor. He is best known for his roles in numerous late eighties films including Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, Big, and Overboard. He has been nominated for a total of two Saturn Awards and two Young Artist Awards...
and Rodney Dangerfield
Rodney Dangerfield
Rodney Dangerfield , was an American comedian, and actor, known for the catchphrases "I don't get no respect!," "No respect, no respect at all... that's the story of my life" or "I get no respect, I tell ya" and his monologues on that theme...
, but it wasn't picked up in 1990 or 1991. She continued working in television series such as Room for Romance, The Young Riders
The Young Riders
The Young Riders is an American Western television series created by Ed Spielman that presents a fictionalized account of a group of young Pony Express riders based at the Sweetwater Station in the Nebraska Territory during the years leading up to the American Civil War...
, and Gabriel's Fire
Gabriel's Fire
Gabriel's Fire is an American television series that ran on ABC in the USA in 1990–1991. A revamped version of the series, entitled Pros and Cons, aired briefly the following season.-Overview:...
.
She starred as Susan Hartley in an episode of Murder, She Wrote
Murder, She Wrote
Murder, She Wrote is an American television mystery series starring Angela Lansbury as mystery writer and amateur detective Jessica Fletcher. The series aired for 12 seasons from 1984 to 1996 on the CBS network, with 264 episodes transmitted. It was followed by four TV films and a spin-off series,...
and came back to the Disney screen in the sequel, Honey, I Blew Up the Kid
Honey, I Blew Up the Kid
Honey, I Blew Up the Kid is the 1992 sequel to the 1989 film Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. Directed by Randal Kleiser and released by Walt Disney Pictures, the film stars Rick Moranis, Marcia Strassman, Robert Oliveri and Amy O'Neill, who reprise their roles as Wayne, Diane, Nick, and Amy Szalinski...
, as Amy Szalinski. Before this was written as a sequel to Honey, it was titled Big Baby and didn't have any characters from the original film. As the plot was changed to include the Szalinski's, there was no room for a female lead, besides Keri Russell
Keri Russell
Keri Lynn Russell is an American actress and dancer. After appearing in a number of made-for-television films and series during the mid-1990s, she came to fame for portraying the title role of Felicity Porter on the series Felicity, which ran from 1998 to 2002, and for which she won a Golden Globe...
's role as the babysitter. O'Neill only appeared in the opening scene as she is leaving for college. Her character is later mentioned in Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves
Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves
Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves is a 1997 direct-to-video sequel to Honey, I Shrunk the Kids and Honey, I Blew Up the Kid. It is the last film in the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids franchise...
.
She later appeared in the television film, White Wolves: A Cry in the Wild II
White Wolves: A Cry in the Wild II
White Wolves: A Cry in the Wild II is a 1993 sequel to the 1990 film A Cry in the Wild.-Plot:Five teenagers and a teacher go on a two-weekd trek through the Cascade Mountains. At first, they had a great time; making new friends and enjoying the wild...
as Pandra, one of the young adults stuck in the Cascade Mountains, having to fend for themselves. In 1994, she appeared in the National Lampoon film, Attack of the 5 Ft. 2 In. Women
Attack of the 5 Ft. 2 In. Women
National Lampoon's Attack of the 5 Ft. 2 In. Women is a 1994 Showtime television movie that parodies two sensational news stories from the 1990s: The Tonya Harding-Nancy Kerrigan incident, and the John and Lorena Bobbitt incident. The movie is presented as a double feature, with Julie Brown...
as a German Skater.
Personal life
After her interest in acting had waned, O'Neill quit acting in 1994 after getting scripts that required nudity. She met old childhood friend, Roy Johns, owner of a few circus acts. As she watched his work, she became interested in how active the girls in his performances were. She became involved with his acts and is now part of John's crew.She is now part of the performance art community in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. In 2002, she joined the Hollywood, Alabama
Hollywood, Alabama
Hollywood is a town in Jackson County, Alabama, United States, and is included in the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. As of the 2000 census, the population of the town is 950.-Geography:Hollywood is located at ....
trio, "Girls On Stilts." She has toured places like Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
and has brandished her skills at Harrah's Casino, Disneyland, and other places. She doesn't have any children and is not currently married, but hoping to start a family with someone who isn't "intimidated" by her work as a performer.
O'Neill returned to television in 2005 to appear in an MTV documentary with her Honey co-star Thomas Wilson Brown
Thomas Wilson Brown
Thomas Wilson Brown is an American actor, who began his career at the age of eleven by playing Augie, the nephew of Scott Glenn and Kevin Costners' characters in the Lawrence Kasden western classic Silverado....
in The 100 Greatest Family Films. In 2008, she appeared as an Officer's wife in an independent film, The Japanese Sandman.
Films
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 1989 in film -Events:* Batman is released on June 23, and goes on to gross over $410 million worldwide.* Actress Kim Basinger and her brother Mick purchase Braselton, Georgia, for $20 million... |
Desperate for Love Desperate for Love Desperate for Love is a 1989 television film directed by Michael Tuchner. The film is based on a true story.-Plot:Alex Cutler and Cliff Petrie are 17-year-old teens who have been close friends since they were young. Alex is the most popular guy in school, with a promising future, while Cliff is a... |
Cindy | Supporting Role |
| I Know My First Name is Steven | Jodie | Minor Role | |
| Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Honey, I Shrunk the Kids is a 1989 comedy film. The directorial debut of Joe Johnston and released through Walt Disney Pictures and Silver Screen Partners III, the film tells the story of an inventor who accidentally shrinks his and his neighbor's kids to 1/4 of an inch with his electromagnetic... |
Amy Szalinski | Main Role | |
| 1992 1992 in film The year 1992 in film involved many significant films. -Top grossing films:-Awards:Academy AwardsGolden Globe AwardsNational Film Awards... |
Honey, I Blew Up the Kid Honey, I Blew Up the Kid Honey, I Blew Up the Kid is the 1992 sequel to the 1989 film Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. Directed by Randal Kleiser and released by Walt Disney Pictures, the film stars Rick Moranis, Marcia Strassman, Robert Oliveri and Amy O'Neill, who reprise their roles as Wayne, Diane, Nick, and Amy Szalinski... |
Amy Szalinski | Supporting Role |
| 1993 1993 in film The year 1993 in film involved many significant films, including the blockbuster hits Jurassic Park, The Fugitive and The Firm. -Events:... |
White Wolves: A Cry in the Wild II White Wolves: A Cry in the Wild II White Wolves: A Cry in the Wild II is a 1993 sequel to the 1990 film A Cry in the Wild.-Plot:Five teenagers and a teacher go on a two-weekd trek through the Cascade Mountains. At first, they had a great time; making new friends and enjoying the wild... |
Pandra | Main Role |
| 1994 1994 in film 1994 was a significant year in film.The top grosser worldwide was The Lion King, which to date stands as the highest-grossing traditionally-animated film of all time... |
Attack of the 5 Ft. 2 In. Women Attack of the 5 Ft. 2 In. Women National Lampoon's Attack of the 5 Ft. 2 In. Women is a 1994 Showtime television movie that parodies two sensational news stories from the 1990s: The Tonya Harding-Nancy Kerrigan incident, and the John and Lorena Bobbitt incident. The movie is presented as a double feature, with Julie Brown... |
German Skater | Minor Role |
| 2008 2008 in film This is a list of all major films made in 2008.-Highest-grossing films:Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top grossing films that were first released in the USA in 2008... |
The Japanese Sandman The Japanese Sandman The Japanese Sandman is a song from 1920, composed by Richard A. Whiting and with lyrics by Raymond B. Egan.-Content:The song is about a sandman from Japan, who exchanges yesterdays for tomorrows... |
Mother/Officer's Wife | Minor Role |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Mama's Family Mama's Family Mama's Family is an American television sitcom that premiered on NBC on January 22, 1983. It was cancelled in May 1984, but NBC would continue to air reruns until September 1985. In September 1986, Mama's Family returned in first-run syndication, where it aired for an additional four seasons,... |
Young Ellen Harper | Episode: Mama's Birthday |
| 1984 | Matt Houston Matt Houston Matt Houston is an American crime drama series that aired on ABC from 1982 to 1985. Created by Lawrence Gordon, the series was produced by Aaron Spelling.-Synopsis:... |
Rosie | Episode: Vanished |
| 1985 | Night Court Night Court Night Court is an American television situation comedy that aired on NBC from January 4, 1984, to May 20, 1992. The setting was the night shift of a Manhattan court, presided over by the young, unorthodox Judge Harold T. "Harry" Stone... |
Jenny Reader | Episode: Walk, Don't Wheel |
| 1985 | Highway to Heaven Highway to Heaven Highway to Heaven is an American television drama series which ran on NBC from 1984 to 1989.- Season 1 :- Season 2 :- Season 3 :- Season 4 :- Season 5 :... |
Sue | Episode: The Secret |
| 1985 | The Twilight Zone The Twilight Zone The Twilight Zone is an American television anthology series created by Rod Serling. Each episode is a mixture of self-contained drama, psychological thriller, fantasy, science fiction, suspense, or horror, often concluding with a macabre or unexpected twist... |
Blonde Girl | Episode: The Shadow Man |
| 1986 | Family Ties Family Ties Family Ties is an American sitcom that aired on NBC for seven seasons, from 1982 to 1989. The sitcom reflected the move in the United States from the cultural liberalism of the 1960s and 1970s to the conservatism of the 1980s. This was particularly expressed through the relationship between young... |
Brenda | Episode: The Disciple |
| 1986 | The Young and the Restless The Young and the Restless The Young and the Restless is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. The show is set in a fictional Wisconsin town called Genoa City, which is unlike and unrelated to the real life village of the same name, Genoa City, Wisconsin... |
Molly Stark | 30 Episodes |
| 1987 | Second Chance Second Chance (TV series) Second Chance was a short-lived American television sitcom, which aired on Fox from September 26 to November 28, 1987. The series was then revamped under the new title Boys Will Be Boys, and ran in the new format from January to May 14, 1988. It was created by David W... |
Unknown | Episode: Plain Jane |
| 1989 | Star Trek: The Next Generation Star Trek: The Next Generation Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production... |
Annette | Episode: Evolution |
| 1990 | Where's Rodney? Where's Rodney? Where's Rodney? is an unsold television pilot starring Rodney Dangerfield that was aired as a special on June 11, 1990. It was produced by Aaron Spelling Productions, Bedrock Productions, and Hanna-Barbera Productions, and aired on NBC.-Summary:... |
Lisa Barnes | Pilot |
| 1990 | Room for Romance | Unknown | Episode: A Midsummer Night's Reality |
| 1990 | The Young Riders The Young Riders The Young Riders is an American Western television series created by Ed Spielman that presents a fictionalized account of a group of young Pony Express riders based at the Sweetwater Station in the Nebraska Territory during the years leading up to the American Civil War... |
Jennifer Tompkins | Episode: Pride and Prejudice |
| 1991 | Gabriel's Fire Gabriel's Fire Gabriel's Fire is an American television series that ran on ABC in the USA in 1990–1991. A revamped version of the series, entitled Pros and Cons, aired briefly the following season.-Overview:... |
Ginny | Episode: The Great Waldo |
| 1991 | Murder, She Wrote Murder, She Wrote Murder, She Wrote is an American television mystery series starring Angela Lansbury as mystery writer and amateur detective Jessica Fletcher. The series aired for 12 seasons from 1984 to 1996 on the CBS network, with 264 episodes transmitted. It was followed by four TV films and a spin-off series,... |
Susan Hartley | Episode: A Killing in Vegas |