Actress Priscilla Pointer — known to horror fans as Mrs. Snell in Carrie and Dr. Elizabeth in Simms in Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors — has died at 100 years old.
Pointer, whose other famous credits include Dallas, Blue Velvet, Mommie Dearest, and more, passed away at her home in Ridgefield, Connecticut, on Monday, April 28. Two of her children — actress Amy Irving and director David Irving — confirmed her passing. (Pointer, who was also the mother of Katie Irving, shared her three children with late husband Jules Irving.)
Amy — who co-starred with her mother in several films throughout their respective careers — broke the news of Pointer’s death in an Instagram post shared on Tuesday, April 29.
“Priscilla Pointer, May 18th, 1924-April 28th, 2025,” the caption of the post read, an upload that included multiple photos of the acclaimed actress throughout her life. “Priscilla Pointer, acclaimed stage television and film actress, and mother of David, Katie, and Amy Irving, died peacefully in her sleep at the age of 100, hopefully to run off with her 2 adoring husbands and her many dogs. She most definitely will be missed.”
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Pointer frequently worked with her children onscreen. The Broadway veteran — Pointer starred in 13 Broadway shows throughout her career — famously portrayed Sue Snell’s mother in the 1976 movie adaptation of Stephen King‘s novel. Sue Snell, one of the main and most crucial characters in the film, was played by Pointer’s real-life daughter, Amy.
Pointer went on to co-star with Amy in a number of other movies in the years to come, including Honeysuckle Rose and Carried Away (in both of which she played her mother), as well as The Competition and Micki & Maude.
She also appeared in several of son David’s films during the ’80s, Rumpelstiltskin,Good-bye, Cruel World, and C.H.U.D. II: Bud the C.H.U.D.
The 1980s were a strong decade for Pointer, who also cemented her role as a horror icon by portraying Elizabeth Simms in the 1987 Nightmare on Elm Street sequel, Dream Warriors — a harsh doctor at the hospital who is overseeing a group of patients — and original protagonist Nancy (Heather Lagenkamp)— visited in their nightmares by Freddy Kreuger (Robert Englund).
Several years earlier, Pointer had a 44-episode run on Dallas, during which she played Rebecca Barnes Wentworth, the mother of Pamela Barnes Ewing (Victoria Principal). More of Pointer’s matriarchal roles included playing Kyle McLachlan’s character’s mother in David Lynch’s masterpiece, Blue Velvet, as well as Sean Penn‘s mom in The Falcon and the Snowman.
