Phyllis Amanda Peterson (July 8, 1971 – July 3,<!-- date is per funeral home; see talk page --> 2015) was an American actress best known for her roles as Cindy Mancini in the 1987 film Can't Buy Me Love and Sunny Sisk on the NBC drama series A Year in the Life (1987–1988).
Peterson died at age 43 from an accidental drug overdose when she mixed a prescription drug with illegally obtained morphine following surgery. the youngest of three children born to James Peterson—an ear, nose, and throat specialist—and his wife, Sylvia. She had two older siblings: a sister, Anne Marie, and a brother, James Jr. She was credited as Mandy Peterson at the beginning of her career; "Mandy" was how she was known to her friends and relatives. She later assumed "Amanda Peterson" as her professional name.
Career
At age seven, Peterson made her stage debut as Gretl von Trapp in a University of Northern Colorado production of The Sound of Music. while also appearing in more than 50 television commercials. which was canceled after one season.
In 1985, Peterson won her first major film role, playing Lori Swenson in the sci-fi fantasy Explorers. Despite performing modestly at the box office, the Joe Dante-directed feature went on to secure a cult following. Next, she co-starred as Sunny Sisk, the granddaughter of a successful businessman, in the Emmy Award-winning miniseries A Year in the Life; the third highest-rated miniseries of the 1986–87 U.S. television season. It was later adapted into a full series, airing on NBC from 1987 to 1988. For her work as Sisk on the show, Peterson won a Young Artist Award.
In 1986, 15-year-old Peterson was cast to play the headline role of Cindy Mancini in the Buena Vista romantic comedy, Boy Rents Girl. The title was later changed to Can't Buy Me Love after producers secured the rights to The Beatles' 1964 song of the same title, which featured on the soundtrack. with Peterson going on to achieve teen idol status as a result. In their critique of the film, The New York Times found Peterson's portrayal of Mancini to be "appealing", while highlighting her chemistry with co-star Patrick Dempsey.
In 1988, Peterson starred in a Roger Corman production, the post-apocalyptic adventure film The Lawless Land. This was followed by a co-starring role in the 1989 ensemble drama Listen to Me. She returned to her hometown of Greeley that same year to graduate from University High School, having been privately tutored while working in Los Angeles. Shortly afterward, she starred in the straight-to-video thriller Fatal Charm (1990), playing a naïve high schooler who forms a dangerous bond with a serial killer. That fall, Peterson enrolled at Middlebury College,
Following a recurring spot on the ABC drama series Jack's Place in 1993, Peterson's final appearance on-screen was a supporting role in the 1994 fantasy film, WindRunner, filmed when she was 22 years old.
Later years
In 1994, Peterson retired from the entertainment industry and returned to her hometown of Greeley. According to her father, she left Hollywood to "choose a new path in her life."
Peterson was twice married and had two children. She was first married to Joseph Robert Skutvik. After their divorce, she married David Hartley. Peterson and Hartley were reportedly divorced at the time of her death. From September to December 2005, she spent nearly three months in jail. Peterson's last arrests were for a misdemeanor DUI and possession of narcotics equipment in April 2012, and suspicion of child abuse in May 2012, which was later dropped. For the last three years of her life, Peterson was receiving disability benefits and lived alone in an apartment in Greeley. Two days later, on July 5, she was found dead at her home by Greeley police, three days short of her 44th birthday. Though her apartment door was unlocked, authorities found no evidence of foul play.
An autopsy was scheduled for July 6 by the Weld County coroner, She had recently undergone a hysterectomy and was prescribed Gabapentin for pain management. Additionally, she had been taking morphine obtained from a friend a week prior. The coroner attributed her death to respiratory failure triggered by a "morphine effect." This incident changed her attitude and led to trust issues. Some family members stated that the incident led to her drug use.
Filmography
Film
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
| 1982
| Annie
| Dancer
| Credited as Mandy Peterson
|-
| 1985
| Explorers
| Lori Swenson
|
|-
| 1987
| Can't Buy Me Love
| Cindy Mancini
|
|-
| 1988
| The Lawless Land
| Diana
|
|-
| 1989
| Listen to Me
| Donna Lumis
|
|-
| 1990
| Fatal Charm
| Valerie
|
|-
| 1994
| WindRunner
| Julie Moore
| WindRunner: A Spirited Journey
|}
Television
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
| 1982
| Father Murphy
| Elizabeth
| Episode: "Matthew and Elizabeth"
|-
| 1982
| Silver Spoons
| Sally Frumbel
| Episode: "Takin' a Chance on Love"
|-
| 1983–1984
| Boone
| Squirt Sawyer
| Main cast
|-
| 1984
| Best Kept Secrets
| Gretchen
| Television film
|-
| 1985
| And the Children Shall Lead
| Jenny
| Television film
|-
| 1986
| '
| Sunny Sisk
| Miniseries, main cast
|-
| 1986
| Carly Mills
| Trisha Mills
| Television film
|-
| 1987–1988
| '
| Sunny Sisk
| Main cast
|-
| 1989
| Love and Betrayal
| Stephanie
| Television film<br> Throw Away Wives
|-
| 1990
| Doogie Howser, M.D.
| Bernadette Callen
| Episode: "Vinnie's Blind Date"
|-
| 1991
| Hell Hath No Fury
| Michelle Ferguson
| Television film
|-
| 1991
| Posing: Inspired by Three Real Stories
| Abigail Baywood
| Television film<br> I Posed for Playboy
|-
| 1993
| Jack's Place
| Elodie Rayburn
| 4 episodes
|}
Awards and nominations
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+Awards
|-
! Year
! Award
! Category
! Title of work
! Result
|-
| 1984
| rowspan = '5'| Young Artist Award
| Best Young Actress in a New Television Series
| rowspan = '2'| Boone
|
|-
| 1985
| Best Young Supporting Actress in a Daytime or Nighttime Drama
|
|-
| 1986
| Best Starring Performance by a Young Actress – Motion Picture
| Explorers
|
|-
| 1987
| Best Young Actress Starring in a Television Drama Series