Mary Ellen Zemeckis

Mary Ellen Trainor (July 8, 1952 – May 20, 2015) was an American character actress best remembered as Dr. Stephanie Woods (an LAPD psychiatrist) in the Lethal Weapon films and as Irene Walsh (Mikey and Brand's mom) in The Goonies. She also appeared in numerous other well-known films including Romancing the Stone, The Monster Squad, Die Hard, Death Becomes Her, Forrest Gump, and Freaky Friday.

Early life Trainor was born in San Francisco, California. She attended San Diego State University, where she studied broadcast journalism.

Career Trainor started her career working at radio stations KSDO as well as KCBS. Her first television appearance came in the 1983 Cheers episode "Father Knows Last", and her big-screen debut came the following year in Romancing the Stone. She frequently appeared in the films of Richard Donner and her ex-husband Robert Zemeckis.

In addition to her film work she had recurring television roles as Judy Lewis in Parker Lewis Can't Lose (1989–91), as Eve Lukens in Relativity (1996–97), and as Diane Evans in Roswell (1999–2002).

Personal life and death Trainor was married to director Robert Zemeckis for 20 years, with whom she had a son, Alexander. She was good friends with producer Kathleen Kennedy, who worked with Steven Spielberg extensively and served as President of Lucasfilm. Trainor introduced the two.

Trainor died on May 20, 2015, at her home in Montecito, California, from complications of pancreatic cancer.