Jeanne Austin is an American actress who appeared in notable horror and independent films during the early 1980s. She was from Waukegan, Illinois, bringing a Midwestern sensibility to her screen performances.
Austin's career gained recognition through her supporting role in director Tobe Hooper's supernatural horror film "The Funhouse" (1981), where she portrayed Mrs. Ellen Harper, the concerned mother of protagonist Amy Harper. This performance in Hooper's critically discussed work placed her within the horror genre's notable ensemble casts of the era. Her filmography also includes the comedy "Stuckey's Last Stand" (1980), demonstrating her versatility across different genres during this period of American independent filmmaking.
Working alongside established actors and under the direction of prominent filmmakers, Austin contributed to the cinematic landscape of early 1980s American cinema. Her work in "The Funhouse" placed her among a cast that included Elizabeth Berridge, Cooper Huckabee, and Kevin Conway, in a production that has since gained recognition for its exploration of American family dynamics and repressive social themes.
Austin passed away in 2017 in Brattleboro, Vermont, leaving behind a modest but memorable contribution to the horror and independent film genres of the early 1980s. Her performances remain part of the preserved cinematic record of that transformative period in American filmmaking.
