Jessica Harper
Biography
Jessica Randolph Harper is an American actress and singer who was born on October 3, 1949, in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Known for her acting credits, Harper began her feature film career with a starring role in Brian De Palma's Phantom of the Paradise in 1974. She subsequently appeared in films including Love and Death and Inserts in 1975. She is best known for portraying Suzy Bannion, the protagonist of Dario Argento's cult classic Suspiria in 1977, and she later appeared in a supporting role in Luca Guadagnino's 2018 remake. Her other film appearances include Stardust Memories in 1980, Shock Treatment and Pennies from Heaven in 1981, and My Favorite Year in 1982.
Career overview
Jessica Randolph Harper was born on October 3, 1949, in Chicago, Illinois, USA. She is an American actress and singer who has recorded fifty-five known acting credits on The Movie Database. She began her feature film career with a starring role in Brian De Palma's Phantom of the Paradise in 1974. Following this, she appeared in several films during the mid-1970s, including Love and Death and Inserts, both released in 1975.
Harper is best known for her portrayal of Suzy Bannion, the protagonist of Dario Argento's cult classic Suspiria in 1977. Later in her career, she appeared in a supporting role in Luca Guadagnino's 2018 remake of the film. Her other film appearances include Woody Allen's Stardust Memories in 1980, Shock Treatment and Pennies from Heaven in 1981, and My Favorite Year in 1982. In Shock Treatment, which served as the followup to The Rocky Horror Picture Show, she replaced Susan Sarandon in the role of Janet Weiss.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full filmography
- Love Story (2026) as Ethel Skakel Kennedy
- Kill Me (2026)
- Fantasy Life (2026) as Toby
- Carousel (2026) as Rebecca's Mother
- Nightbitch (2024) as Norma
- Fatal Attraction (2023) as Sophie
- Memory (2023) as Samantha
- The Old Man (2022) as Cheryl Harper
- Bones and All (2022) as Barbara Kerns
- The Lady of the Dunes (2022) as The Narrator
- Rocky Horror 45: The Movie (2021) as Self
- See (2019) as Cora
- Suspiria (2018) as Anke
- No Peas for the Weary (2016) Story
- House Broken (2009) as DWP Clerk
- Paradise Regained: Brian de Palma's 'Phantom of the Paradise' (2006) as Herself
- Minority Report (2002) as Anne Lively
- Crossing Jordan (2001) as Dorris Meisner
- Dario Argento: An Eye for Horror (2001) as Self
- Suspiria 25th Anniversary (2001) as Self
- Ally McBeal (1997) as Sister Helen
- On the Edge of Innocence (1997) as Alice Walker
- 7th Heaven (1996) as Norma Moon
- Boys (1996) as Mrs. John Baker
- Safe (1995) as Joyce
- Chicago Hope (1994) as Phyllis Church
- Mr. Wonderful (1993) as Funny Face
- Tales from the Crypt (1989) as Marie
- Big Man on Campus (1989) as Dr. Fisk
- Eat a Bowl of Tea (1989) as American Prostitute (uncredited)
- The Blue Iguana (1988) as Cora
- Wiseguy (1987)
- Once Again (1987) as Carrie
- It's Garry Shandling's Show (1986) as Phoebe Bass
- The Imagemaker (1986) as Cynthia
- The Equalizer (1985) as Kate Parnell
- Moonlighting (1985) as Janine Dalton
- When Dreams Come True (1985) as Annie
- Tales from the Darkside (1984) as Prudence
- My Favorite Year (1982) as K.C. Downing
- Pennies from Heaven (1981) as Joan
- Shock Treatment (1981) as Janet Majors
- Stardust Memories (1980) as Daisy
- To Woody Allen from Europe with Love (1980) as Herself
- Studs Lonigan (1979) as Loretta Lonigan
- The Evictors (1979) as Ruth Watkins
- Suspiria (1977) as Suzy Bannion
- Aspen (1977) as Kit Kendrick
- Inserts (1975) as Cathy Cake
- Inserts (1975) Music Consultant
- Love and Death (1975) as Natasha
- Phantom of the Paradise (1974) as Phoenix
- ‘Rameau’s Nephew’ by Diderot (Thanx to Dennis Young) by Wilma Schoen (1974)
- The Garden Party (1973) as Peggy
- Taking Off (1971) as Jessica Harper (uncredited)
- Hawaii Five-O (1968) as Sunny Mandell