Rebecca Schaeffer
Her tragic murder by a stalker at 21 became a catalyst for America's first major anti-stalking laws.
1967–1989 (age 22)·American model and actress·Birthday: November 6·Generation X
Biography
Rebecca Schaeffer’s life was a bright promise cut short, leaving a legacy that transformed American law. A bright and charismatic presence, she moved from a successful teen modeling career in New York to Hollywood, where she landed the starring role in the sitcom 'My Sister Sam.' The show showcased her comedic talent and made her a rising star. In July 1989, a 19-year-old obsessed fan who had been stalking her arrived at her apartment door and shot her. The shock of her murder, and the revelation of how easily her stalker had obtained her address, exposed a dangerous gap in the legal system. Her death directly spurred her mother and others to lobby tirelessly in California, resulting in the 1990 passage of the nation's first anti-stalking statute. Schaeffer is remembered not just for her potential as an actress, but as the face of a movement that gave law enforcement tools to protect victims of obsession.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Rebecca was born in 1967, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Rebecca Was Born
The biggest hits of 1967
#1 Movie
The Jungle Book
Best Picture
In the Heat of the Night
#1 TV Show
The Andy Griffith Show
Rebecca's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1967Born
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1972Started school
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1980Became a teenager
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1983Could drive
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1985Could vote
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1988Turned 21
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1989Died at 22
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
Key Achievements
- Starred as Patti Russell in the CBS television series 'My Sister Sam' from 1986 to 1988.
- Her murder was the pivotal case that led to the passage of California's pioneering anti-stalking law in 1990.
- Appeared in films such as 'Scenes from the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills' and 'Radio Days.'
Did You Know?
She was offered the role of Carrie Bradshaw on 'Sex and the City' before Sarah Jessica Parker, but the project was initially shelved.
She was a member of Mensa, the high-IQ society.
She was a passionate animal rights activist.
“I'm not a star; I'm an actress, and I'm going to keep on acting.”
