Terry Burnham facts for kids

Elizabeth Teresa "Terry" Burnham (born August 8, 1949 – died October 7, 2013) was an American actress. She was famous for her acting roles when she was a child. Terry is best known for her part in The Twilight Zone episode "Nightmare as a Child", which first aired in 1960.

Burnham also played the young daughter of Lana Turner's character in the popular movie Imitation of Life (1959). She stopped acting in 1971.

Life as an Actress

Elizabeth Teresa Burnham was born on August 8, 1949, in Los Angeles, California. She was the younger of two children. Her father, Guy Calvin Burnham, was an engineer. Her mother, Elizabeth Teresa Buelna Symons, stayed at home. Terry grew up in a Catholic family. She went to several schools, including St. Maria Goretti Catholic School.

Terry made her first TV appearance on December 22, 1955, when she was six years old. She acted alongside Brandon deWilde in the TV series Climax!. The episode was called "The Day They Gave the Babies Away."

Soon, she got more important roles. In 1957, she appeared in "Let There Be Light," an episode of the series M Squad. She acted with Lee Marvin, who Terry later said was her favorite actor. That same year, there were plans for Terry to star in a new show called Turquoise, Inc.. The writers thought she could be "TV's first Shirley Temple." This show was never made. However, a year later, Terry appeared on Shirley Temple's own show, Shirley Temple's Storybook. She was in an episode called "The Magic Fishbone."

Terry first became well-known across the country for her role in Imitation of Life (1959). She played "Susie," the 8-year-old daughter of Lana Turner's character. Sandra Dee played Susie when she was a teenager.

Terry worked in many TV shows throughout the late 1950s and 1960s. She stopped acting in 1971.

Later Life and Passing

Terry Burnham passed away on October 7, 2013, due to a cardiac arrest. Her ashes were later buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Long Beach. This happened on August 8, 2018, which would have been her 69th birthday.

Movies and TV Shows

Terry Burnham appeared in many films and television series during her career. Here is a list of her work: