Rutanya Alda
Rutanya Alda (born Rūta Skrastiņa; October 13, 1942) is a Latvian-American actress. She began her career in the late 1960s, and went on to have supporting parts in The Deer Hunter (1978), Rocky II (1979), and Mommie Dearest (1981). She also appeared in a lead role in the horror films Amityville II: The Possession and Girls Nite Out (both 1982).
Also recorded as Rūta Skrastiņa
Rutanya Alda
- Name
- Rutanya Alda
- Birth Name
- Rūta Skrastiņa
- Born
- 13 October 1942
- Birthplace
- Riga, Reichskommissariat Ostland
- Occupation
- Actress
- Education
- Northern Arizona University
- Nationality
- United States · Latvia
- Languages
- English
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
VALÉORINE documentary reading
Documentary summary
Rutanya Alda (born Rūta Skrastiņa; October 13, 1942) is a Latvian-American actress. She began her career in the late 1960s, and went on to have supporting parts in The Deer Hunter (1978), Rocky II (1979), and Mommie Dearest (1981). She also appeared in a lead role in the horror films Amityville II: The Possession and Girls Nite Out (both 1982).
Admitted source layer · organised and presented by VALÉORINE
Note VALÉORINE
Rutanya Alda (born 1942) is an actress, of Latvian and American nationality. The actress was born in Riga. Languages used include English.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 27 September 2026
VALÉORINE
Reference Check
Propose documentary evidence for Rutanya Alda. A contribution is never written directly as fact: identity, source, rights and evidence gates still decide.
Sign in to contribute
World of VALÉORINE
Documentary connections
Only confirmed graph relationships appear here. Images are shown only when their identity and reuse rights both pass the documentary gate.
Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
wikidata · Q2675397 · wikipedia · Rutanya Alda
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Rutanya Alda • Birth Name — Rūta Skrastiņa • Born — 13 October 1942 • Birthplace — Riga, Reichskommissariat Ostland • Other Names — Ruth Alda, Ruth Avots, Rutanya Skrastiņa • Years Active — 1968–present • Occupation — Actress • Education — Northern Arizona University • Children — 1
Life
Life
Rutanya Alda was born Rutanja Skrastiņa (Rūta Skrastiņa) in Riga, in German-occupied Latvia, the daughter of Vera (née Ozoliņa), a businesswoman, and Jānis Skrastiņš, a poet. Alda, her grandmother, her mother, and her brother spent seven years in a displaced persons camp in Allied-occupied Germany after World War II. She then relocated with her family to the United States, briefly living in Chicago before settling in Flagstaff, Arizona. Alda studied at Northern Arizona University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in economics. She stated in later interviews that she chose to study economics as "a way of pleasing my mother, who wanted me to be a doctor or a lawyer. Economics was considered a pre-law degree at the time. I wanted to be an actress, from the age of 5, when I saw my first play and movie, in the displaced person camps. I never wavered from this passion."
Career
Career
Alda studied acting with Barbara Loden and Paul Mann in New York City. With a career spanning nearly 50 years in show business and over 100 roles, Alda might be best known for her performances in The Deer Hunter as Steven's wife, Angela, as well as for the cult classic Mommie Dearest, as loyal Crawford housekeeper Carol Ann, and Amityville II: The Possession, having been nominated for the Golden Raspberry Award for two years in succession (1982 and 1983) for the latter roles. She has also won a Clio and is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Additionally, Alda has appeared in numerous television programs, such as Cold Case and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, and as a featured character in the Ron Perlman/Linda Hamilton TV series Beauty and the Beast, as well as commercials and stage work. In 2009, she appeared in Stolen, playing the elder version of Jessica Chastain's character, and had a supporting role in the horror film Late Phases (2014). Between 2014 and 2016, Alda appeared in the web series Old Dogs & New Tricks.
Personal life
Personal life
She was married to actor Richard Bright from 1977 until his death in 2006, when he was hit by a bus in New York City. They had one son named Jeremy.
Web
Web
• Old Dogs & New Tricks (2014–16) – Barbara Fiere
Film
• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1968 — Greetings — Linda (Shoplifter) • 1970 — Hi, Mom! — Member of audience ('Be Black Baby' section) • 1970 — The People Next Door — Nurse • 1971 — The Panic in Needle Park — Admitting Nurse • 1973 — The Long Goodbye — Rutanya Sweet • 1973 — Scarecrow — Woman in Camper • 1973 — Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid — Ruthie Lee • 1973 — Blume in Love — Welfare Client — Uncredited • 1973 — Executive Action — Assassination Team B member — Uncredited • 1974 — Can Ellen Be Saved? — Rachael — Television film • 1976 — Deadly Hero • 1976 — Next Stop, Greenwich Village — Party Guest — Uncredited • 1976 — Swashbuckler — Bath Attendant • 1978 — The Fury — Kristen • 1978 — The Deer Hunter — Angela • 1979 — Rocky II — Doctor Cooper • 1979 — When a Stranger Calls — Mrs. Mandrakis • 1980 — Christmas Evil — Theresa — Credited as Ratanya Alda • 1981 — Mommie Dearest — Carol Ann • 1982 — Girls Nite Out — Barney / Katie Cavanaugh • 1982 — Amityville II: The Possession — Dolores Montelli • 1983 — Vigilante — Vickie Marino • 1984 — Racing with the Moon — Mrs. Nash • 1985 — Rappin — Cecilia • 1985 — The Stuff — Psychologist • 1987 — Black Widow — Irene • 1987 — Hotshot — Georgia Kristidis • 1988 — Apprentice to Murder — Elma Kelly • 1988 — Winnie — Mrs. Paretti — Television film • 1989 — Last Exit to Brooklyn — Georgette's Mother • 1989 — Gross Anatomy — Mama Slovak • 1989 — Prancer — Aunt Sarah • 1990 — Rainbow Drive — Marge Crawford — Television film • 1992 — Article 99 — Ann Travis • 1992 — Leaving Normal — Palmer Hospital Nurse • 1993 — The Dark Half — Miriam Cowley • 1993 — Children of the Mist — Sue Madehearst • 1994 — The Ref — Linda • 1994 — Safe Passage — Beth • 1996 — Innocent Victims — Lorraine Taylor — Television film • 1996 — Double Jeopardy — Gabriel Neuland — Television film • 1997 — American Perfekt — Gloria • 1997 — Steel — Mrs. Hunt • 1998 — The Souler Opposite — Thea's Mom • 2001 — My First Mister — Woman at Apartment • 2001 — The Glass House — Vice Principal • 2003 — Love Comes Softly — Wanda Marshall — Television film • 2004 — Murder Without Conviction — Virginia McAlpin — Television film • 2005 — Mystery Woman: Snapshot — Marsha — Television film • 2005 — Detective — Judge Beatrice Agannis — Television film • 2009 — Handsome Harry — Mrs. Schroeder • 2009 — Stolen — Older Sally Ann • 2010 — You Don't Know Jack — Vendor — Television film • 2010 — Unring the Bell — Belle — Short film • 2011 — Return — Mrs. Miller • 2011 — Too Big to Fail — Admiral Evans — Television film • 2014 — Late Phases — Gloria Baker • 2015 — Ovum — Barbara • 2016 — Split — Melissa • 2024 — Land of the Mustaches — self • 2025 — The Scout
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Rutanya Alda Biography
- 2.YouTube. Overcoming Adversity: Actress & Author Rutanya Alda Grew Up In WWII Refugee Camp. HooplaHa. March 8, 2016.
- 3.Cengage. Alda, Rutanya. Encyclopedia.com.
- 4.Northrup, Tony. Rutanya Alda – Interview. Through the Black Hole. March 10, 2016.
- 5.Rupe, Shade. Exclusive Interview: Rutanya Alda on AMITYVILLE II, Brian De Palma and the Horrors of MOMMIE DEAREST. ComingSoon.net. October 9, 2015.
- 6.Grossberg, Josh. "Godfather" Actor Richard Bright Killed. E! News. February 21, 2006.
Bibliography printed in the source article · 2
- "The Lady of the House" by Lee Gambin, Fangoria magazine #317, October 2012, pages 56–57, 97. Interview of Rutanya Alda regarding her role in Amityville II: The Possession. Three-page article has four photos of Alda, one recent, with additional images related to the film.
- David Dye. Child and Youth Actors: Filmography of Their Entire Careers, 1914-1985. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Co., 1988, p. 4.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 18 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Film memorabilia
37,604 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- Rusudan ChkoniaPerson
- Rusudan GlurjidzePerson
- Rut TellefsenPerson
- Ruta GedmintasPerson
- Rutger HauerPerson
- Ruth Ann BaldwinPerson
- Ruth BeharPerson
- Ruth BradleyPerson
Best supported in this field
For owners
Own a work by Rutanya Alda?
A specialist will read what you send and tell you what the house can establish, what it cannot, and whether the object is suited to sale. There is no charge and no obligation. The object stays with you throughout; nothing is shipped to us unless it is arranged in writing beforehand.