In Remembrance: Wendie Jo Sperber

    Wendie Jo Sperber, the comic actress who starred such 1980s films as Used Cars (1980) and Bachelor Party (1984), has passed away on November 29, 2005 in Sherman Oaks, California. She was 47.

     Born September 15, 1958 in Hollywood California, Sperber’s first major role was in director Robert Zemeckis’ comedy about the early days of Beatlemania I Wanna Hold Your Hand in 1978, where she memorably leaped out of a moving car in an attempt to get tickets to see the Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show. Zemeckis was so impressed with actress that he cast her in his next film Used Cars as well as in his science-fiction comedies Back To The Future (1985) and Back To The Future III (1990).

     Sperber’s most visible role came with her role on the television sitcom Bosom Buddies, playing the friend of two struggling advertising men – played by Tom Hanks and Peter Scolari – who resort to dressing as women in order to find affordable housing in New York City. Sperber would reteam with Hanks for the 1984 comedy Bachelor Party.

     Sperber also appeared in the films Corvette Summer (1978), 1941 (1979), Moving Violations (1985), Stewardess School (1986), Mr. Write (1994), Desperate But Not Serious (1999) and Sorority Boys (2002). She also made several guest appearances on such shows as Parker Lewis Can’t Loose, Murphy Brown and 8 Simple Rules For Dating My Teenage Daughter.

     After being diagnosed with breast cancer in 1997, Sperber became an activist for cancer care, eventually founding the weSPARK Cancer Support Center.

     Her final film was 2003’s My Dinner With Jimi.