 Even some
horror fans are hard-pressed to
recognize her name. She went by a
couple – Robin Rochelle as
well as Robin Stille. That said,
the Philadelphia born actress
(11/24/61) came to Hollywood like
so many others -- seeking fame,
but found only a taste of it.
Tragically that quest ended when,
supposedly disheartened by her
lack of career success and/or
fuelled by drink, she took her
own life in Burbank, California
in 2/9/96 at the age of 35 and
was laid to rest in Rose Hill
Cemetery.In those
35 years Robin starred in a
handful of films most notably (to
racksandrazors fans anyway) as
Valerie “Val” Bates in
the 1982 classic ‘The
Slumber Party Massacre’
and in the 1988 scream-queen
classic ‘Sorority
Babes at the Slimeball
Bowl-O-Rama’ as
Babs Peterson. Her other screen
credits include ‘Winner Take
All’ (86), ‘Vampire
Knights’ (87), and her final
performance as Sarah in the
martial arts action flick ‘American
Ninja 4: The Annihilator’
in 1991. On television she played
a “coat check girl” on
a 1990 ‘Jake and The
Fatman’ episode
entitled “God Bless the
Child”.
Little is
known regarding Robin Rochelle
Stille’s life. At the time
of her death of The Screen
Actor’s Guild still listed
her as a member, but even her
agent had no idea where she
lived. Not a good sign. By then
she was also the mother to twin
boys Joshua and Justin Creadick.
Her death left behind two
sisters, Dawn and Melanie, as
well as her parents, Jere and
Sarah. By that time she had
fallen out of touch with her
costars and most of the industry.
Brinke Stevens recalls running
into her, but other than that ---
nada.
She began
her career as brunette; she hit
the big screen as 6th billed
Robin Stille, playing Valerie
Bates “the new girl” in
‘The Slumber Party
Massacre’. In the
role of Val she played the
outcast who is “persona non
grata” at the naughty
overnighter next door. Val is
invited by Trish in the locker
room but demurs after hearing
mean things said about her by
Diane. Her co-stars from the film
have described her as
“fun” and determined
for stardom -- nothing unusual
new for a 20-year-old fresh to
Hollywood. By the time of her
next feature, as “Party Girl
#3” in ‘Winner
Takes All’, she was
a blonde who went by the name of
Robin Rochelle. That mostly
forgettable role was followed
closely by another role in the
Dan Peterson written/directed
horror-comedy ‘Vampire
Knights’. However,
then came her second real claim
to fame – she was 3rd
billed as cruel Babs Peterson in
the cult classic ‘Sorority
Babes at The Slimeball
Bowl-O-Rama’ (above
both Brinke Stevens – her
costar from ‘The
Slumber Party Massacre’
– as well as Michelle
Bauer). About
Robin’s work on the Sorority
Babes film Brinke
Stevens has been quoted as saying
(when discussing injuries on the
set) “…Linnea got badly
battered too, when her larger
fighting partner (Rochelle)
frequently drank too much vodka
and lost her restraint”. In
another quote about discussing
her co-star Ms. Stevens said,
“I always liked Robin. She
seemed so much more sophisticated
and worldly than other girls her
age – tall, blonde, and
gorgeous; she dated a major Las
Vegas star*, and dared to sneak
vodka onto the set. She was both
sweet and tough. I was so
shocked to hear of her
disillusionment with Hollywood
and ultimate suicide…what a
waste of a promising life.”
As can be inferred, her drinking
seems to have been a problem and
has been theorized by various
sources as a contributing factor
to her untimely demise.
Sad
indeed.
*In
regards to that major Las Vegas
star on a Robin Stille fan-site a
man who claims to have dated
Robin said they went to a movie
one night in Hollywood and when
leaving the theater were walking
down Hollywood boulevard over the
stars and when she passed Wayne
Newton's star she claimed to have
dated him for a while.
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