Who was Elyse Donalson? A look into her life and career

Elyse Donalson, best known for her role in Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers and her appearances on acclaimed television dramas, built a career that spanned more than two decades in Hollywood.

She passed away unexpectedly at her Studio City home at the age of 78 leaving behind a legacy of memorable performances and a life rooted in both Texas and Los Angeles.

Born Mary Elise Donalson on October 5, 1947, in Victoria, Texas, she grew up in a family where her father managed the family lumberyard and her mother worked as a church secretary and bookkeeper.

After graduating from Victoria High School in 1965, she attended Southwest Texas State University (now Texas State University), where she acted in plays and met her future husband, Joe Houde.

The couple eventually moved to Los Angeles, where Donalson pursued her passion for acting.

Her Hollywood journey began in the early 1980s, when she took acting classes and landed her first role in 1983 on CBS’s fantasy series Wizards and Warriors.

From there, she appeared in more than two dozen television series including Doogie Howser, M.D., Anything But Love, Chicago Hope, The Practice, and Beverly Hills, 90210.

She became a familiar face in guest roles across popular shows of the era.

Donalson’s film work included her memorable appearance in Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995), where she played a sanitarium patient in a chilling scene opposite Paul Rudd’s Tommy Doyle.

On television, she portrayed a nun in St. Elsewhere (1986), a judge in Matlock (1988), a nurse in Quantum Leap (1989), and an elderly woman in The X-Files (2000). 

Fans of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman may remember her as Mrs. Marley in the 1993 Christmas episode Mike’s Dream: A Christmas Tale.

Beyond acting, Donalson was a longtime member of SAG-AFTRA and balanced her career by working at law firms in Los Angeles.

She was known for her love of animals and movies.

She is survived by her sister Harriette Meyer (who shared news of her sister’s death to The Hollywood Reporter), nieces Kellie and Kate, her brother-in-law Jimmie, great-nieces Madison, Macy, and Piper and her great-nephew Clay.

Donalson’s journey from Texas to Hollywood reflects the determination of an actress who carved out her place in the industry while remaining deeply connected to her family and personal passions.