Theresa Saldana
Encyclopedia
Theresa Saldana is an American
actress, known for her work in motion pictures and television. She is perhaps best known for her role as Rachel Scali, the wife of Police Commissioner
Tony Scali, in the 1990s television series The Commish
, for which she received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role, in 1994. Major film roles include the part of 'Lenore La Motta', the wife of Joe Pesci
's character, in the 1980 feature film Raging Bull and Robert Zemeckis
's Beatle-mania ensemble I Wanna Hold Your Hand
. She also appeared in Home Movies
with Kirk Douglas
and Nancy Allen
for director Brian DePalma in 1980. She is also known for bringing the crime of stalking
to early attention after surviving a brutal attempted murder by an obsessed fan in 1982.
victim of Arthur Richard Jackson, a 46-year-old drifter from Aberdeen, Scotland
. Jackson became attracted to Saldana after seeing her in the 1980 film Defiance
. He obtained Saldana's address by hiring a private investigator
to obtain the unlisted phone number of Saldana's mother. Jackson then called Saldana's mother and posed as Martin Scorsese
's assistant, saying he needed Saldana's residential address in order to contact her for replacing an actress in a film role in Europe
.
Jackson approached Saldana in front of her California residence in broad daylight and stabbed her in the torso 10 times with a 5 1/2 inch (14 cm) knife, nearly killing her. The attack was so fierce that he bent the blade. Although there were many nearby onlookers, the attack was only interrupted when delivery man Jeff Fenn heard her cries, rushed from the second floor of an apartment building, and subdued Jackson. Saldana recovered after four hours of surgery and a four-month hospital stay at the Motion Picture Hospital
. She relived the incident in the made for TV movie Victims for Victims: The Theresa Saldana Story and again in an episode of Hunter.
Jackson served a 14-year prison term for both the assault
and making threats against Saldana and her rescuer while in prison. He was then extradited
to the United Kingdom
in 1996 to be tried for a 1966 robbery/murder. Jackson (who once saw himself as "the benevolent angel of death
") died of heart failure in a British mental hospital
in 2004 at age 68.
Jackson's method to find and approach Saldana inspired stalker Robert John Bardo
to hire a private investigator to contact Rebecca Schaeffer
, a young actress whom he subsequently murdered.
Fenn was awarded a Carnegie Medal
and was compensated by the Carnegie Hero Fund
for his actions. Fenn had long expressed an interest in Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
training and was immediately given the opportunity to take and pass the entrance exam, after which he graduated from the academy and became a deputy sheriff.
, both of which came into being partly as a consequence of the attack. The experience also inspired Saldana to play herself in the television movie Victims for Victims: The Theresa Saldana Story, and she authored the book Beyond Survival, a memoir of her experiences after being attacked.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actress, known for her work in motion pictures and television. She is perhaps best known for her role as Rachel Scali, the wife of Police Commissioner
Police commissioner
Commissioner is a senior rank used in many police forces and may be rendered Police Commissioner or Commissioner of Police. In some organizations, the commissioner is a political appointee, and may or may not actually be a professional police officer. In these circumstances, there is often a...
Tony Scali, in the 1990s television series The Commish
The Commish
The Commish is a television series that aired on ABC in the United States from 1991 to 1996. The series focused on the work and home life of a suburban police commissioner in upstate New York....
, for which she received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role, in 1994. Major film roles include the part of 'Lenore La Motta', the wife of Joe Pesci
Joe Pesci
Joseph Frank "Joe" Pesci is an American actor, comedian, and musician.He is known for playing a variety of different roles, from violent mobsters to comedic leads to quirky sidekicks...
's character, in the 1980 feature film Raging Bull and Robert Zemeckis
Robert Zemeckis
Robert Lee Zemeckis is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. Zemeckis first came to public attention in the 1980s as the director of the comedic time-travel Back to the Future film series, as well as the Academy Award-winning live-action/animation epic Who Framed Roger Rabbit ,...
's Beatle-mania ensemble I Wanna Hold Your Hand
I Wanna Hold Your Hand (film)
I Wanna Hold Your Hand is a comedy film directed and co-written by Robert Zemeckis, which takes its name from the 1963 song "I Want to Hold Your Hand" by The Beatles. It was produced and co-written by Bob Gale. The film is about "Beatlemania" and is a fictionalized account of the day of the...
. She also appeared in Home Movies
Home Movies (film)
Home Movies is a 1980 independent film directed by Brian De Palma and starring Kirk Douglas, Nancy Allen, Vincent Gardenia, Keith Gordon, Theresa Saldana, and Gerrit Graham.-Plot:...
with Kirk Douglas
Kirk Douglas
Kirk Douglas is an American stage and film actor, film producer and author. His popular films include Out of the Past , Champion , Ace in the Hole , The Bad and the Beautiful , Lust for Life , Paths of Glory , Gunfight at the O.K...
and Nancy Allen
Nancy Allen (actress)
Nancy Anne Allen is a Golden Globe nominated American actress and cancer activist.Allen began an acting and modelling career as a child, and from the mid-1970s appeared in small film roles, most notably the anchor of Robert Zemeckis's ensemble comedy I Wanna Hold Your Hand...
for director Brian DePalma in 1980. She is also known for bringing the crime of stalking
Stalking
Stalking is a term commonly used to refer to unwanted and obsessive attention by an individual or group to another person. Stalking behaviors are related to harassment and intimidation and may include following the victim in person and/or monitoring them via the internet...
to early attention after surviving a brutal attempted murder by an obsessed fan in 1982.
Stalking incident
On March 15, 1982, Saldana was the stalkingStalking
Stalking is a term commonly used to refer to unwanted and obsessive attention by an individual or group to another person. Stalking behaviors are related to harassment and intimidation and may include following the victim in person and/or monitoring them via the internet...
victim of Arthur Richard Jackson, a 46-year-old drifter from Aberdeen, Scotland
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
. Jackson became attracted to Saldana after seeing her in the 1980 film Defiance
Defiance (1980 film)
Defiance is a 1980 American film starring Jan-Michael Vincent, Art Carney, and Theresa Saldana.Early Jerry Bruckheimer production. Jan-Michael Vincent portrays a suspended young seaman who takes up temporary housing in a neighborhood overrun by a gang, while waiting for his next orders to ship out....
. He obtained Saldana's address by hiring a private investigator
Private investigator
A private investigator , private detective or inquiry agent, is a person who can be hired by individuals or groups to undertake investigatory law services. Private detectives/investigators often work for attorneys in civil cases. Many work for insurance companies to investigate suspicious claims...
to obtain the unlisted phone number of Saldana's mother. Jackson then called Saldana's mother and posed as Martin Scorsese
Martin Scorsese
Martin Charles Scorsese is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film historian. In 1990 he founded The Film Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to film preservation, and in 2007 he founded the World Cinema Foundation...
's assistant, saying he needed Saldana's residential address in order to contact her for replacing an actress in a film role in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
Jackson approached Saldana in front of her California residence in broad daylight and stabbed her in the torso 10 times with a 5 1/2 inch (14 cm) knife, nearly killing her. The attack was so fierce that he bent the blade. Although there were many nearby onlookers, the attack was only interrupted when delivery man Jeff Fenn heard her cries, rushed from the second floor of an apartment building, and subdued Jackson. Saldana recovered after four hours of surgery and a four-month hospital stay at the Motion Picture Hospital
Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital
The Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital is a retirement community, with individual cottages, and a fully licensed, acute-care hospital, located at 23388 Mulholland Drive in Woodland Hills, California...
. She relived the incident in the made for TV movie Victims for Victims: The Theresa Saldana Story and again in an episode of Hunter.
Jackson served a 14-year prison term for both the assault
Assault
In law, assault is a crime causing a victim to fear violence. The term is often confused with battery, which involves physical contact. The specific meaning of assault varies between countries, but can refer to an act that causes another to apprehend immediate and personal violence, or in the more...
and making threats against Saldana and her rescuer while in prison. He was then extradited
Extradition
Extradition is the official process whereby one nation or state surrenders a suspected or convicted criminal to another nation or state. Between nation states, extradition is regulated by treaties...
to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in 1996 to be tried for a 1966 robbery/murder. Jackson (who once saw himself as "the benevolent angel of death
Angel of Death
Angel of Death may refer to:- Religion :Hebrew Bible* Destroying angel , the angel of Passover, the destroying angel of 2 Samuel 24Later Judaism* Michael , carries Adam to his grave in some texts* Gabriel - angel of death over kings...
") died of heart failure in a British mental hospital
Mental Hospital
Mental hospital may refer to:*Psychiatric hospital*hospital in Nepal named Mental Hospital...
in 2004 at age 68.
Jackson's method to find and approach Saldana inspired stalker Robert John Bardo
Robert John Bardo
Robert John Bardo is an American man serving life imprisonment without parole after being convicted in October 1991 for the murder of actress Rebecca Schaeffer on July 18, 1989, whom he had stalked for several years beforehand....
to hire a private investigator to contact Rebecca Schaeffer
Rebecca Schaeffer
Rebecca Lucile Schaeffer was an American actress best known for her role in the sitcom My Sister Sam...
, a young actress whom he subsequently murdered.
Fenn was awarded a Carnegie Medal
Carnegie Medal
The Carnegie Medal is a literary award established in 1936 in honour of Scottish philanthropist Andrew Carnegie and given annually to an outstanding book for children and young adults. It is awarded by the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals...
and was compensated by the Carnegie Hero Fund
Carnegie Hero Fund
The Carnegie Hero Fund Commission, also known as Carnegie Hero Fund, was established to recognize persons who perform extraordinary acts of heroism in civilian life in the United States and Canada, and to provide financial assistance for those disabled and the dependents of those killed saving or...
for his actions. Fenn had long expressed an interest in Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is a local county law enforcement agency that serves Los Angeles County, California. It is the fourth largest local policing agency in the United States, with the New York City Police Department being the first. The second largest is the Chicago Police...
training and was immediately given the opportunity to take and pass the entrance exam, after which he graduated from the academy and became a deputy sheriff.
Victim advocacy
Following her long recovery, Saldana founded the Victims for Victims organization and participated in lobbying for the 1990 anti-stalking law and the 1994 Driver's Privacy Protection ActDriver's Privacy Protection Act
The Driver's Privacy Protection Act of 1994 is a United States federal statute governing the privacy and disclosure of personal information gathered by state Departments of Motor Vehicles. The law was passed in 1994; it was introduced by Rep...
, both of which came into being partly as a consequence of the attack. The experience also inspired Saldana to play herself in the television movie Victims for Victims: The Theresa Saldana Story, and she authored the book Beyond Survival, a memoir of her experiences after being attacked.
Performing arts advocacy
Saldana supports awareness for The Jazz Tap Ensemble, of which her daughter is a member. The group raises money for training gifted teenaged dancers.External links
- Interview on CNN Larry King Live with Saldana and Fenn on July 13, 2004.
- The Jazz Tap Ensemble