Emily Matthews

Emily Ava Matthews (June 12, 1942 - March 5, 2017) was an English actress and writer. She was best known for playing as Boomette in the 1990 zombie film Left 4 Dead 2, Paula McFadden in the 1977 film The Goodbye Girl, and Agent Jane in the 2000 film Bait.

Early life
Matthews was born on June 12, 1942 in Burnham-on-Sea, to Margaret, a radio presenter of BBC, and Bernard Matthews, a film actor and director.

Acting
Emily Matthews started her own acting career at the age 6. Her first film was in 1955 film Children Galore as one of the kids at the end of the movie. She appeared many British movies until late 1964 when she decided to moved out of England and moved to America for married George Johnson. She appeared her last film ever made before headed to America was What's New Pussycat.

Her first American film was 1966 film, Agent for H.A.R.M. played as Ava Vestok. She appeared as Gia Campbell in 1968 film, Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell.

In 1970, Matthews was auditioned for the role of Blonde Cult Member in I Drink Your Blood, losing to Iris Brooks.

In 1977, Matthews, age 34, was cast as Lauren Humphries in film, The Car. In the same year she played as Paula McFadden in film, The Goodbye Girl. In 1978. She played as Reporter in film Up In Smoke.

In 1980 Matthews was auditioned for the role of Elaine Dickinson in comedy film, Airplane!. But the role went to Julie Hagerty.

In 1981, She played as sex education teacher in horror comedy film, Student Bodies.

In 1982, She played as Dr. Judith Kutter from the horror film Basket Case.

In the same year she played as babysitter in the film Death Valley. Also the same year she also played as Mrs. Stegman in the crime action film, Class of 1984.

In 1983, Matthews, was cast as Ophelia in comedy film, Trading Places. In the same year, she appeared in British horror film Screamtime. Also the same year, She made a cameo appearance along with her daughter in horror film Monster House.

In 1984, she appeared in TV film Threads and documentary The Times of Harvey Milk.

In 1985, Matthews played as Mrs. Peacock in the film Clue.

In 1990, She was played as infected fat zombie Boomette or people calling her Female Boomer in the zombie film Left 4 Dead 2.

In 1992, Matthews was cast as Helen Robertson in the horror film Sleepwalkers.

In 1995, she played as Ramόn Sánchez's mother in crime film Hackers. At the same year she made cameo appearance as movie theater goer in the film Outbreak.

In 1997, Matthews was cast as Delilah in the comedy film Bean.

In 1998, she played as Professor Ruth Allen in the film Krippendorf's Tribe.

In 1999, Matthews starred in black-comedy film American Beauty.

In 2000, she appeared in two films O Brother, Where Art Thou? as Old Woman who listen to the radio, and film Bait, This film was her last acting performance before her retirement and her death in 2017.

Voice acting
Matthews was ready to plan to next step on her career, She never done voice over work in the past. so her daughter, Hailey told her to do voice-over work, She agreed to do this.

Voice acting briefly begin in late 1981, when she voiced Howard in animated short film "New Friends".

After recording was finished, She decided to stick around with on-screen roles until early 1990 when she decided to started voice-over work again, after they moved to Los Angeles for her daughter's acting career revival. She join Saban Entertainment as voice actress in mid 1990.

In late 1996, She left Saban Entertainment, and joined DIC Entertainment in late 1994.

In 1990, She voicing The Blue Fairy in Pinocchio: The Series.

In 1993, She voiced as Widow Douglas in Saban's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

From 1995 to 1996 Matthews voiced as What-a-Mess's Mother in the cartoon series What-a-Mess.

In 1996, Matthews voiced as Queen Victoria from episode of Saban's Adventures of Oliver Twist.

In 1999, Matthews voiced as Queen Aleena Hedgehog in animation series Sonic Underground.

She was originally gonna be voiced as Miss Grundy in Archie's Weird Mysteries. She did recording her lines, but she collapsed near end of recording and later diagnosed of Multiple Sclerosis, after that she was forced to retired from both acting and voice acting.

Post-Acting Career
After she got MS in late 1999, Matthews was forced to retired from acting, and begin a new job as a writer and started her own company called Matthews' Books.

Matthews was a longtime attendee at fan conventions for Left 4 Dead.

In later years, Matthews appeared on television sporadically.

In 2001, She appeared in commercial for book that she wrote called "My Daughter was a Actress".

in early 2008, She appeared in commercial for video game World of Warcraft.

Personal life
Matthews have a younger sister named Verna. Unlike her older sister moved to America, She stayed in Britain with her parents. In September 1999, She reunited her older sister since late 1964, after she moved to America. She stayed in America until her older sister death.

Matthews first met George Johnson an American writer, producer, director, and actor, at the airport after she first move to America. And couples were later married on March 26, 1965.

Matthews gave birth to her son Daniel in 1966. And then following year she giving birth to her daughter Hailey.

On March 19, 1972, Matthews gave birth to her youngest son Derby.

From late August to early September 1982, She, her husband and daughter went to England for filming a movie "Screamtime".

When her daughter announces that she returned to acting, She and her family moved to Los Angeles.

on September 4, 1991, during the last day of filming of Sleepwalkers, she can't see the script. So her daughter brought her a glasses and started wearing it for rest of her life. In 1994, Her voice changed due to fact that She was diagnosed with throat cancer and later recovered.

In late 1995, her husband, George Johnson was diagnosed of lung cancer, She and her daughter was devastated when that happened.

Thankfully in 1996, he was recovered from lung cancer, and will continue working on TV and Films.

But sadly on November 14, 1997, when her husband Johnson died of heart failure at age 59, Matthews and her daughter were attended the his memorial service. She was heartbroken over her husband's death. After Johnson's death, she decided to finished her husband's unfinished film Half-Life which was later released in November 19, 1998, a year after Johnson's death.

In summer 1999, She married Alan Matthews who first met her when he was at Johnson's memorial service.

In late of that year She was diagnosed of Multiple Sclerosis or MS, that means that after 51 years, she was forced to retired from acting

to become a writer for her book called "My Daughter was a Actress" by Emily Matthews, and start her own company called "Matthews' Books".

And since she has Multiple Sclerosis, she now has a both wheelchair and scooter for the rest of her life.

Illness and death
In September 2014, 72-year-old Matthews was something wrong with her voice, It was raspy voice. That could caused her oral cancer, because she started smoking at age 26, She decided to quit smoking after she got raspy voice and her cancer. Doctors was able to remove her voice box to save her life and she was cancer-free.

In May of 2016, Matthews suffered a severe stroke and was hospitalized in intensive care.

On March 4, 2017, Matthews suffered a massive seizure and slipped into a coma. and on March 5, her family removed her from life support. She later died from pneumonia at the age 74. Her funeral was held on March 9 at Clarity Funerals & Cremation. She was buried in Los Angeles National Cemetery.

Filmography
Children Galore (1955)

Sapphire (1959)

Dangerous Afternoon (1961)