In Remembrance: Candice Rialson

     Candice Rialson, the actress who appeared in several 1970s exploitation pictures from New World Pictures, has passed away on March 31, 2006 in Palmdale, CA. Her passing was announced on August 9, 2006 on Code Red DVD Blog. She was 54.

     Born on December 18, 1951 in Santa Monica, California, Rialson made her film debut in an uncredited bit part in the 1969 draft-dodging comedy The Gay Deceivers. However, the blond and busty Rialson would earn a legion of fans a few years later when she began appearing in numerous exploitation films that played predominantly at drive-ins through the 1970s. Following a more proper acting debut in Pets (1974), she made a trio of films at producer Roger Corman’s New World Pictures- Candy Stripe Nurses (1974), Summer School Teachers (1975) and the comedy Hollywood Boulevard (1976). Rialson also appeared in other exploitation films including Mama’s Dirty Girls (1974) with Gloria Grahame, Chatterbox and Moonshine County Express (both 1977).

     Rialson tried to move outside of the grindhouse roles she found herself in. Although she landed a small role in the Clint Eastwood thriller The Eiger Sanction (1975), she more often than not was only able to secure small, uncredited bit parts in films like Mel Brooks’ Silent Movie and the science-fiction action film Logan’s Run (both 1976).

     After her final film role, a bit part in the thriller Winter Kills (1979), Rialson left show business. Though she slipped out of the spotlight, film fans still remembered her screen appearances. Director Quentin Tarantino has stated that Bridget Fonda’s character in his film Jackie Brown (1997) was based on Rialson’s performances.

     Rialson’s passing went unreported until it was discovered by a DVD producer who was assembling material for a release of her first starring vehicle Pets.