- In the early '90s she wanted to become an officer with the Los Angeles (CA) Police Department. She passed the written test but decided to continue acting instead.
- Said her worst experience with special FX makeup was during The Return of the Living Dead (1985), in which she had to endure several experimental makeup tests and wear a "featureless Barbie-doll prosthetic" over her crotch because a producer felt that full-frontal nudity was too shocking.
- Appears at horror conventions several times a year to meet her fans.
- Was once in an all-girl band called "The Skirts".
- Auditioned for a supporting role in Reservoir Dogs (1992) at director Quentin Tarantino's behest. The part she was to play was later removed from the script.
- Ranked #9 on Maxim's "Hottest Women of Horror Movies" list.
- At age 15 she represented Bettendorf, IA, in the Miss National Teenager Pageant.
- Before she started her acting career, she worked at a Jack LaLanne Health Spa.
- Starred in three horror films where something evil was unwittingly released upon a group of people: The Return of the Living Dead (1985), Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama (1988), and Night of the Demons (1988).
- Interviewed in the book "Invasion of the B-Girls" by Jewel Shepard.
- Was cast as a dancing skeleton that pops out of a cake at the end of Dead Heat (1988). However, the scene was cut. This footage is available for viewing on Stephen King's World of Horror (1986) (a.k.a. This Is Horror) (segment on the Steve Johnson 's SFX Studio).
- Known as "Barb" to her friends growing up in Iowa.
- In August 2003 she re-formed her band, the Skirts, and played the Monster Mania festival in Cherry Hill, NJ, and the Scream Fest in Plantation, FL.
- Has contributed to PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) campaigns. She is well-known for working on PETA's "Lettuce Ladies" campaign, where people educate others about vegetarian lifestyles while wearing only lettuce. She even had a poster made to promote this animal rights campaign.
- Her first major foray into acting was a toothpaste commercial.
- Played a small role in American Gigolo (1980) but her part was cut from the finished film.
- Website Mr. Skin posted in Oct. 2020 that she was one of the top four "scream queens" who've done the most on-screen nudity, though not all of their nude scenes were in horror films. According to the list she had 64. The other three were Debbie Rochon (40), Jamie Lee Curtis (20) and Milla Jovavich (20).
- Was cast in the role of a demon, wearing an abstract sculpture designed by special effects artist Evan Campbell, in the Clive Barker film Lord of Illusions (1995). Her scenes ended up on the cutting room floor.
- She was considered for the role of Tamara in Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989).
- She turned down Eileen Davidson's role in The House on Sorority Row (1982).
- She was originally cast as Muffy/Buffy in April Fool's Day (1986), but scheduling conflicts with The Return of the Living Dead (1985) forced her to leave the movie.
- Attended Bettendorf High School in Bettendorf, IA.
- Auditioned for the role of Cody in Stripped to Kill (1987), but turned it down.
- Wears a size 4-1/2 shoe.
- She was the first choice for the role of Claudia in Beverly Hills Vamp (1989).
- She shares a birthday with Vincent Price, May 27.
- Auditioned for the role of Coel in The Haunting of Morella (1990), but turned it down.
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