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Amy Steel (born May 3, 1960)[1] is an American film and television actress. She made her acting debut in the comedy film Fat Chance (1981) directed by Manuel Summers. She then gained recognition for her role as aspiring child psychologist Ginny in the Steve Miner-directed horror film Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981). She had other movie roles in the mystery April Fool's Day (1986), the slapstick Walk Like a Man (1987), the thriller Play Nice (1992), and the anthology Tales of Poe (2014).

Key Information

Steel had lead roles in the science fiction television series The Powers of Matthew Star (1982–83) and the drama For Love and Honor (1983–84)—both series aired for one season. Outside of these leading roles, she had guest appearances in shows such as Family Ties (1982), The A-Team (1983), Quantum Leap (1990), Home Improvement (1994), American Gothic (1995), and Millennium (1997). Steel additionally acted in television films such as First Steps (1985) and What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1991).

She portrayed Dr. Ginny Field in the fan film Jason Rising (2021) — reprising her Friday the 13th character in a voice role.

Career

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Film

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Steel made her film debut in Manuel Summers little-seen comedy film Fat Chance (1981).[2] The film revolves around the characters Michael and Mary, both of whom are overweight and communicate through letters, sending each other photographs of people claiming to be themselves—Mary’s picture she sends is of Allison (portrayed by Steel in a supporting role), the granddaughter of her employer.[3] Steel had her breakthrough role in Steve Miner’s slasher film Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981) as aspiring child psychologist Ginny Field. Steel had two days of shooting in the daytime and the rest at night.[4] The shoot was exhausting for her to the point of her stating: "I hope I never have to do another horror film the rest of my life."[4] In a review for IGN, film critic Eric Goldman wrote: "The lead character, Ginny (the likable Amy Steel), is one of the most appealing in the entire series."[5] The film was a box office success, grossing $21,722,776 worldwide (equivalent to $88,375,752 in 2026).[6] For the sequel, Friday the 13th Part III (1982), Miner envisioned making Ginny the series protagonist; having spent a lot of time developing variant Ginny-centric storylines such as one placing her in a psychiatric hospital to another taking place on a college campus where she actively goes on a pursuit to find Jason after he kills her roommate.[7][8] Steel turned down a sequel offer because her agent was pushing her for higher-budget roles, and she was exhausted from the second film.[9] In retrospect, Steel has stated she regrets not doing the film as she likes the way Ginny was written.[8]

Steel's next feature role was Kit in Fred Walton's hybrid black comedy mystery film April Fool's Day (1986) which she described as a different shooting experience compared to Friday. Steel portrayed Penny, an environmental scientist, in Melvin Frank's comedy film Walk Like a Man (1987), starring alongside Howie Mandel and Christopher Lloyd.[10] The film grossed $460k ($1 million inflated).[11] In a review for Reel Film Reviews, David Nusair, who gave the film itself a negative review, highlighted Steel’s performance: "scream queen Steel is effective as Bobo's love interest."[12]

I think it would be really cool to come back as Ginny again. The funny thing is that I've never been asked since Part 3. But I think it's time to see Ginny again in a Friday the 13th movie. She has some unfinished business.

— Steel on the possibility of returning to the Friday the 13th series[13]

In 2014, Steel made her first acting appearance in 11 years in the anthology horror film Tales of Poe. She starred alongside Adrienne King and Caroline Williams. In 2021, Steel appeared as Dr. Ginny Field in the medium-length horror film Jason Rising: A Friday the 13th Fan Film — in a voice role cameo.[14]

Television

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Steel began her career with guest roles on the CBS soap opera Guiding Light alongside fellow Friday the 13th star Kevin Bacon, as Trudy Wilson from 1980 to 1981, and as Peggy Warner on All My Children in 1980. In 1982, Steel had guest roles on the television series Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1982) as Allison Freleng, Family Ties (1982) as Stephanie Brooks (Michael J. Fox's character's first sexual encounter), CHiPs as Kelly Monahan, The A-Team (1983) as Kathy Ludlam, before being cast as Pam Elliott in the sci-fi series The Powers of Matthew Star alongside Peter Barton, who went on to appear in Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter. The series lasted until 1983. She was subsequently cast in the television films Women of San Quentin (1983) as Liz Larson and First Steps (1985) as Nan Davis. From 1983 to 1984, Steel portrayed Sharon on the short lived television series For Love and Honor.

In 1985, she had a guest appearance in Stir Crazy as Lisa Grant. The following year, Steel was cast in the television thriller film The Red Spider. In 1987, and again in 1989, Steel a guest roles in Jake and the Fatman. Steel later had a small role as a neighbor in David Greene’s ABC thriller film Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? (1991), a television remake of the 1962 film of the same name.[15] The same year, she guest starred on China Beach and Walter & Emily. In 1992, Steel was cast in the television film Perry Mason: The Case of the Reckless Romeo. The same year, she was cast in the horror film Play Nice.

In 1994, Steel guest starred on Viper, Home Improvement and Diagnosis: Murder before being cast in the television films Ray Alexander: A Taste for Justice and The Innocent. In 1995, she was cast in the television series The Commish and the television film Damaged and Deceived. In 1996, she guest starred on American Gothic and Chicago Hope. The following year, she portrayed Dr. Liz Michaels in an episode of Millennium. In 1999, Steel was cast in the films Valerie Flake and Tycus. The following year, she portrayed Commander Samantha Woodling in a guest appearance on JAG.

In 2003, Steel was cast as Claire Goodman Isenberg in the television film A Time to Remember. After this role, Steel took an extensive break from acting and became a psychotherapist.

Personal life

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During the filming of the 1985 television film First Steps, Steel developed a friendship with Nan Davis. In an interview, Steel said:

"We have a good relationship, we don't fret if we don't talk for a month. The filming ended last May, and we've seen each other two or three times since then. We get on the phone and it's as if we've not been out of touch at all."[16]

Filmography

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Film

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
1981 Fat Chance Alison
1981 Friday the 13th Part 2 Ginny Field
1983 Exposed Party Guest Cameo[citation needed]
1986 April Fool's Day Kit Graham [17]
1987 Walk Like a Man Penny [17]
1992 Play Nice Nancy
1999 Valerie Flake Denise
1999 Tycus Little Girl's Mother Direct-to-video film[17]
2013 Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday the 13th Herself Documentary film[18]
2014 Tales of Poe Mother of Dreams / Poetic Narrator
2021 Jason Rising: A Friday the 13th Fan Film Dr. Ginny Field Voice role[14]

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1980 All My Children Peggy Warner Recurring role
1980–1981 Guiding Light Trudy Wilson Recurring role
1982 Seven Brides for Seven Brothers Allison Frelang 1 episode
1982–1983 The Powers of Matthew Star Pam Elliott Main role
1982 Family Ties Stephanie Brooks 1 episode
1983 CHiPs Kelly Monahan 1 episode
1983 The A-Team Kathy Ludlam 1 episode
1983 Women of San Quentin Liz Larson Television film
1983–1984 For Love and Honor Sharon 12 episodes
1985 Stir Crazy Lisa Grant 1 episode
1985 First Steps Nan Davis Television film
1987–1989 Jake and the Fatman Samantha Shay / Mia Delaine 2 episodes
1987 Home Fires Cathy Ash Television film
1987 The Red Spider Kate O'Day Television film
1990 Father Dowling Mysteries Murphy 1 episode
1990 Quantum Leap Maggie Spontini 1 episode
1991 China Beach Maria Koloski 1 episode
1991 Walter & Emily Ginny 1 episode
1991 What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? Connie Trotter Television film
1992 Perry Mason: The Case of the Reckless Romeo Roxanne Shields Television film
1993 Space Rangers Sarah Boon 1 episode
1993 Time Trax Laura Darrow 1 episode
1994 Viper Lisa Hinkle 1 episode
1994 Home Improvement Eve 1 episode[17]
1994 Diagnosis: Murder Jenny Morley 1 episode
1994 Ray Alexander: A Taste for Justice Dr. Gail Baker Television film
1994 The Innocent Molly Television film
1995 The Commish Rhonda Shonick 1 episode
1995 Abandoned and Deceived N/A Television film
1996 American Gothic Christie 1 episode
1996 Chicago Hope Lisa Erickson 1 episode[17]
1997 Millennium Dr. Liz Michaels Episode: "A Single Blade of Grass"
2000 JAG Commander Samantha Woodling 1 episode[17]
2003 A Time to Remember Claire Goodman Isenberg Television film
2009 His Name Was Jason: 30 Years of Friday the 13th Herself Television documentary[18]

References

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Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia
Amy Steel (born May 3, 1960) is an American actress and licensed marriage and family therapist best known for her role as the intelligent and survival-savvy camp counselor Ginny Field in the 1981 slasher horror film Friday the 13th Part 2.[1][2] Born in Pennsylvania, Steel began her acting career in the late 1970s after studying broadcasting, communications, and dramatic arts in high school and college, initially appearing in commercials before landing her first television roles on the soap operas All My Children and The Guiding Light in 1980.[2][3] Steel rose to prominence with her breakthrough performance in Friday the 13th Part 2, directed by Steve Miner, where she played an aspiring child psychologist who outsmarts the masked killer Jason Voorhees, earning her the status of a "final girl" archetype in the horror genre.[4][2] Archive footage of her character from Friday the 13th Part 2 was used in the sequels Friday the 13th Part III (1982) and Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984), and she later starred as the prankster Kit Graham in the horror comedy April Fool's Day (1986).[3][5] Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Steel built a steady career in television with guest and recurring roles on popular series such as Family Ties (1982), The A-Team (1983), For Love and Honor (1983–1984), Quantum Leap (1990), Home Improvement (1994), Diagnosis Murder (1994), American Gothic (1996), and JAG (2000).[2][3] In the 2000s, Steel transitioned away from full-time acting to pursue a career in mental health, earning a master's degree and becoming a licensed therapist specializing in adolescent and mid-life transitions; she operates a private practice in Manzanita, Oregon, and has occasionally returned to acting in smaller projects like Tales of Poe (2016), Jason Rising (2021), and Victim No More (2022).[2] Married with two children, Steel remains active in horror fan conventions, reflecting on her iconic roles while maintaining her therapeutic work.[2][6]

Early life

Birth and upbringing

Amy Steel was born Alice Amy Steel on May 3, 1960, in Pennsylvania, United States.[7] She grew up in West Chester, Pennsylvania, a suburban community outside Philadelphia.[8] Steel was the only daughter in a family with three brothers—one older and two younger—which she has recalled as a challenging dynamic, particularly in navigating sibling interactions as the sole girl.[9] Publicly available information on her parents and their specific influences remains limited, with no detailed accounts of their professions or family dynamics beyond these sibling relations. Her upbringing occurred in a typical middle-class suburban setting in West Chester, providing a stable environment during her early years.[10] From a young age, Steel was characterized as a happy and bright child who harbored dreams of a future in entertainment, reflecting an early fascination with performing arts that preceded her formal training.[2] These formative experiences in Pennsylvania shaped her initial interests, though specific incidents or exposures prior to schooling are not extensively documented. She later transitioned to education at Westtown School in West Chester.[11]

Education and early interests

Amy Steel developed an early interest in the performing arts through structured educational programs in her home state. In 1973, at the age of 13, she began attending Westtown School in West Chester, Pennsylvania, where she received foundational training in acting and theater through its dramatic arts program. This marked the start of her formal involvement in dramatic arts, fostering her passion for performance during her formative years.[11] Following two summers of intensive dramatic training at Westtown, Steel gained practical experience by joining the Barley Sheaf Players, a local amateur theater group in Lionville, Pennsylvania. She starred in two productions with the group in the mid-1970s, honing her skills in stage performance and building confidence in front of audiences through these pre-professional endeavors. These experiences in school and community theater were instrumental in sparking her sustained interest in acting, as they provided opportunities to explore character development and dramatic expression outside a classroom setting.[7][6][12] To further her academic pursuits alongside her artistic interests, Steel temporarily paused theater activities and enrolled at the prestigious Kent School, a boarding school in Kent, Connecticut. She attended for three years, studying a broad curriculum that included elements of communication and the arts, before leaving to relocate to Palm Beach, Florida, to live with her father. She then enrolled in a small local college, where she majored in communications and broadcasting with a continued emphasis on dramatic arts. This educational path allowed her to develop versatile skills in media and performance, blending her early theater experiences with formal training in related fields during the late 1970s.[11][9][13]

Career

Film roles

Amy Steel made her film debut in the 1981 comedy Fat Chance, directed by Manuel Summers, where she played the supporting role of Alison in a story about an overweight man and woman who become pen pals but are embarrassed to meet in person.[14] Her breakthrough came later that year with the role of aspiring child psychologist Ginny Field in the slasher horror film Friday the 13th Part 2, directed by Steve Miner. In the film, Steel's character survives a series of attacks at a summer camp by outsmarting the masked killer Jason Voorhees through psychological tactics, such as mimicking his deceased mother to distract him, ultimately establishing her as a quintessential "final girl" in the horror genre. The movie was a commercial success, grossing over $21.7 million at the domestic box office against a $1.25 million budget.[15] Steel next starred as Kit Graham in the 1986 black comedy slasher April Fool's Day, directed by Fred Walton, where she led a group of college friends enduring a weekend of escalating pranks and apparent murders at a remote island mansion, revealed to be an elaborate hoax. The film received mixed reviews for its twisty, meta approach to the slasher formula but has since gained a cult following for subverting genre expectations.[16] In 1987, she appeared in a supporting role as Penny in the comedy Walk Like a Man, directed by Melvin Frank, portraying a love interest who helps reintegrate the protagonist—a man raised by wolves—into society through humorous romantic interactions. The film underperformed commercially, earning just $460,608 at the box office.[17] Steel returned to the screen in the 2014 anthology horror film Tales of Poe, directed by multiple filmmakers including Sean Tretta, where she contributed to the "Dreams" segment—an adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven"—narrating poetic elements and portraying the Angel, Queen, and Mother of Dreams in surreal, nightmarish sequences.[18] She reprised Ginny Field as Dr. Ginny Field in a voice cameo in the 2021 low-budget fan film Jason Rising: A Friday the 13th Fan Film, directed by James Sweet, which follows a new group of counselors confronting Jason in a non-canonical continuation of the franchise. Her most recent film credit is as the Narrator in the 2022 short fan film Victim No More (as of November 2025).[19][20]

Television appearances

Amy Steel began her television career with roles on daytime soap operas, appearing as Peggy Warner on All My Children in 1980 and as Trudy Wilson on the CBS series Guiding Light from 1980 to 1981. In this role, she portrayed a character involved in the show's dramatic storylines centered on family and community dynamics in the fictional town of Springfield.[21] Following her film breakthrough in Friday the 13th Part 2, Steel transitioned to primetime guest spots, including an appearance on the NBC family comedy Family Ties in 1982.[22] She played Stephanie Brooks in the episode "Summer of '82," where her character, a college senior, engages in a brief romantic encounter with the teenage Alex Keaton (Michael J. Fox), highlighting themes of youthful infatuation and family reactions. In 1983, Steel guest-starred on the NBC action series The A-Team in the episode "One More Time."[23] As Kathy Ludlam, the daughter of a captured general, her character becomes entangled in the team's high-stakes rescue mission in Borneo, contributing to the episode's blend of adventure and military intrigue.[24] Steel landed her first lead role in primetime as Pam Elliott, the girlfriend of the titular character, in the NBC sci-fi series The Powers of Matthew Star (1982–1983). The show, which ran for 22 episodes, followed Matthew Star (Peter Barton), a teenage alien prince exiled on Earth with superhuman abilities, as he navigated high school life and threats from his home planet while under the protection of his guardian (Louis Gossett Jr.); Steel's character provided emotional support and romantic interest amid the extraterrestrial action. Immediately following, she starred as Sharon in the ABC military drama For Love and Honor (1983–1984), a short-lived series that aired 12 episodes. The program depicted the lives of U.S. Army recruits at Fort Bragg, exploring themes of camaraderie, romance, and discipline in a boot camp setting. Throughout the 1990s, Steel continued with guest roles on series including Quantum Leap (1990), Home Improvement (1994), Diagnosis Murder (1994), American Gothic (1996), and JAG (2000). Steel returned to television after a long hiatus with her final role as Claire Goodman Isenberg in the 2003 Lifetime made-for-TV movie A Time to Remember. In this family drama, her character navigates reconciliation and caregiving challenges as a single mother dealing with her mother's Alzheimer's diagnosis during a Thanksgiving reunion.[25]

Transition to psychotherapy

Following her appearance in the 2003 television movie A Time to Remember, Amy Steel decided to leave acting behind in the early 2000s to pursue a career in mental health, driven by a longstanding interest in psychology.[26][2] Steel underwent formal training and earned a Master of Arts degree in counseling from Pacifica Graduate Institute, completing her studies prior to relocating from California in 2010.[27] She became licensed as a marriage and family therapist (MFT) and licensed professional counselor (LPC), beginning her professional practice as an intern at InBalance in the Santa Monica Mountains.[11][28] By the mid-2000s, Steel had committed full-time to psychotherapy, establishing her own private practice in Calabasas, California, with a specialization in adolescent and mid-life transitions.[2][11] In 2010, she moved to Manzanita, Oregon, where she founded Grounded Growth Counseling, continuing to focus her work on supporting clients through key life stages and personal growth (as of 2025).[27][29] Steel has described her shift to therapy as a source of greater personal fulfillment compared to her acting career, noting in interviews that the role allowed her to make a more direct impact on individuals' lives.[2] She made returns to acting with voice cameos reprising aspects of her role as Ginny Field in the fan films Jason Rising (2021) and Victim No More (2022).

Personal life

Marriage and family

Amy Steel married actor Peter Pulitzer in 1985.[11] The couple welcomed two daughters, Emma and Charlotte Pulitzer, during the late 1980s and 1990s, establishing a family life centered in California amid Steel's evolving career.[9][8] Raising her children significantly shaped Steel's priorities, prompting her to balance sporadic acting commitments with motherhood and ultimately influencing her transition away from full-time entertainment toward a more stable family-oriented path.[2] As of 2025, Steel and Pulitzer remain married, residing in the Nehalem area of Oregon, where she maintains a private psychotherapy practice specializing in marriage and family therapy.[11][27][30]

Other relationships and activities

Steel developed a close friendship with Nan Davis during the production of the 1985 television film First Steps, in which Steel portrayed the real-life Davis, a woman paralyzed by polio who regained the ability to walk through innovative electrical stimulation therapy. Their bond formed readily amid the intense filming process, though Steel observed that deeper emotional intimacy was challenged by Davis' ongoing struggles with her disability.[31] Beyond her professional life, Steel has engaged with fans through appearances at horror genre conventions, particularly those celebrating the Friday the 13th series. She has attended events like Monster-Mania Con in 2019 and Days of the Dead in 2024, participating in panels where she shares insights from her role as Ginny Field and reflects on the franchise's cultural impact.[32][33] These low-key public engagements highlight her enduring ties to the horror community while maintaining a private lifestyle. At 65 years old as of 2025, Steel prioritizes a subdued existence away from the spotlight.[7]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleDirectorNotes
1981Fat ChanceAlisonManuel SummersFilm debut[14]
1981Friday the 13th Part 2Ginny FieldSteve Miner[15]
1983ExposedGuest at PartyJames TobackCameo
1986April Fool's DayKit GrahamFred Walton[16]
1987Walk Like a ManPennyMelvin Frank[17]
1992Play NiceNancyTerri Treas[34]
1999Valerie FlakeDeniseJohn Putch
1999TycusLittle Girl's MotherJohn PutchDirect-to-video[35]
2014Tales of PoeMother of Dreams / Poetic NarratorAlan Rowe Kelly, Bart MastronardiAnthology film
2021Jason Rising: A Friday the 13th Fan FilmDr. Ginny Field (voice)James SweetFan film
2022Victim No MoreNarratorJames EveringhamShort fan film[20]

Television

Amy Steel's television work from 1980 to 2003 encompassed guest appearances, recurring roles in series, and lead parts in TV movies, as documented in her acting credits.[7]
YearShowRoleEpisodesType
1980All My ChildrenPeggy WarnerUnknownSoap opera
1980–1981Guiding LightTrudy WilsonUnknownSoap opera
1982Seven Brides for Seven BrothersAllison Freleng1Series
1982Family TiesStephanie Brooks1Series
1982–1983The Powers of Matthew StarPam Elliott13Series
1983CHiPsKelly Monahan1Series
1983The A-TeamKathy Ludlam1Series
1983Women of San QuentinLiz LarsonN/ATV movie
1983–1984For Love and HonorSharon12Series
1985First StepsNan DavisN/ATV movie
1985Stir CrazyLisa Grant1Series
1987Home FiresCathy AshN/ATV movie
1987Jake and the FatmanSamantha Shay1Series
1989Jake and the FatmanMia Delaine1Series
1990Father Dowling MysteriesSusan Robbins1Series
1990Quantum LeapMaggie Spontini1Series
1991What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?Connie TrotterN/ATV movie
1992Perry Mason: The Case of the Reckless RomeoRoxanne ShieldsN/ATV movie
1994ViperLisa Hinkle1Series
1994Diagnosis MurderJenny Morley1Series
1994Home ImprovementLisa1Series
1994Ray Alexander: A Taste for JusticeDr. Gail BakerN/ATV movie
1994The InnocentMollyN/ATV movie
1995The CommishRhonda Shonick1Series
1995Abandoned and DeceivedSuzieN/ATV movie
1996Chicago HopeLisa Erickson1Series
1996American GothicChristie1Series
1997MillenniumDr. Liz Michaels1Series
2000JAGCommander Samantha Woodling1Series
2003A Time to RememberClaire Goodman IsenbergN/ATV movie
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