Theresa Saldana facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Theresa Saldana
Saldana in 1981
Born	(1954-08-20)August 20, 1954 Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Died	June 6, 2016(2016-06-06) (aged 61) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actress activist writer
Years active	1978–2004
Spouse(s)	Fred Feliciano ​ ​ (m. 1979; div. 1986)​ Phil Peters ​ (m. 1989)​
Children	1

Theresa Saldana (born August 20, 1954 – died June 6, 2016) was an American actress, activist, and writer. She was well-known for her role as Rachel Scali in the TV show The Commish in the 1990s. For this role, she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award in 1994.

She also had important roles in movies like Raging Bull (1980) and I Wanna Hold Your Hand (1978). Theresa Saldana also became famous for helping people learn about the crime of stalking. This happened after she survived a knife attack by an obsessed fan in 1982.

Early Life and Acting Beginnings

Theresa Saldana was born in Brooklyn, New York City. She was adopted when she was five days old by Divina and Tony Saldana. Her family had both Puerto Rican and Italian-American backgrounds.

As a child, Theresa took dance lessons. After a shoulder injury, she started taking acting classes at age 12. In 1977, a talent scout saw her in a musical called The New York City Street Show. This led to her being cast in the 1978 film Nunzio.

Surviving a Stalking Attack

On March 15, 1982, Theresa Saldana was attacked by a man named Arthur Richard Jackson. He was a 46-year-old drifter from Scotland. Jackson became obsessed with Saldana after seeing her in the movies Defiance and Raging Bull.

He hired a private investigator to find her address. Jackson then pretended to be an assistant to a famous director to get her home address.

Theresa Saldana on the set of Illusion Infinity with filmmaker Roger Steinmann

Jackson attacked Saldana with a knife outside her home in West Hollywood, California. She suffered serious injuries and had to stay in the hospital for four months. A deliveryman named Jeff Fenn heard her cries and bravely stepped in to stop the attack.

Theresa Saldana later shared her experience in a TV movie called Victims for Victims: The Theresa Saldana Story. She also appeared in an episode of the TV show Hunter to talk about what happened.

Jackson was sent to prison for the attack. He served nearly 14 years. He later died in a hospital in 2004.

Helping Other Victims

After her recovery, Theresa Saldana started an organization called Victims for Victims. She worked hard to help create new laws to protect people. She helped lobby for the 1990 anti-stalking law and the 1994 Driver's Privacy Protection Act. These laws were created partly because of her experience.

Her experience also inspired her to write a book called Beyond Survival. This book is a memoir about her life after the attack.

Personal Life and Family

Theresa Saldana was married twice. Her first marriage was to Fred Feliciano from 1979 to 1986. In 1989, she married Phil Peters. They had one daughter named Tianna Saldana Peters, who was born in 1989. Theresa and Phil stayed married until her death.

Later Years and Death

Theresa Saldana passed away on June 6, 2016, at the age of 61. She had been hospitalized for pneumonia. Michael Chiklis, who played her husband on The Commish, shared his sadness after hearing the news.

Film Roles

Theresa Saldana appeared in several films throughout her career.

Television Roles

Theresa Saldana also had many roles in television shows and movies.

Books Written

• Saldana, Theresa. Beyond Survival. Bantam Books, 1986. This book shares her personal story and experiences.

See also

In Spanish: Theresa Saldana para niños