It’s that final shot. You know the one. The frozen grimace, the guttural sound that isn't quite human, and the reveal that changed slasher movies forever. When Robert Hiltzik’s Sleepaway Camp hit theaters in 1983, it was mostly dismissed as another Friday the 13th clone. But the sleepaway camp cast didn't just deliver a standard body count movie. They created a cult phenomenon that people are still obsessing over forty years later. It’s weird. It’s gritty. Honestly, some of it is deeply uncomfortable to watch by modern standards, but the performances are what keep it from being just another forgotten VHS relic.
The kids in this movie weren't polished Hollywood brats. They looked like actual kids you’d see at a YMCA in Brooklyn or Jersey. That’s probably because many of them were local finds or young actors just trying to get a break in a production that felt, at times, like a real summer camp gone wrong.
Felissa Rose and the Burden of Angela Baker
Felissa Rose was only 13 when she landed the role of Angela. Imagine that. You’re a young teenager, and your first major gig involves playing one of the most psychologically complex and controversial characters in horror history. Rose’s performance is mostly silent. She stares. She cowers. She uses those wide, expressive eyes to communicate a lifetime of trauma without saying a word. It’s a masterclass in internal acting that you rarely see in "B-movies."
People often wonder if she knew what she was getting into with that ending. She's been on the record many times at horror conventions like Monster-Mania, explaining that her mother was on set and the environment was actually quite protective. She didn't even film the very last scene—that was a college student in a mask and prosthetic. Still, Rose became the face of the franchise. While she didn't return for the sequels (Pamela Springsteen took over the role for the more comedic 80s follow-ups), Rose eventually returned to the "Sleepaway" universe in the 2000s. Her career didn't stop at Camp Arawak; she’s become a legitimate "Scream Queen," producing and starring in dozens of indie horror films, but she’ll always be Angela to the die-hards.
The Supporting Kids: Realism Over Polish
Then there’s Jonathan Tiersten. He played Ricky, Angela's protective, foul-mouthed cousin. Tiersten brought a strange, aggressive charisma to the role. He wasn't the "hero" in a traditional sense, but he was the heart of the movie's emotional core. His chemistry with Rose felt authentic. It felt like two kids who had been through some serious family trauma and only had each other. Tiersten took a long break from acting after the film, focusing on his music career with his band, Ten Tiers, before eventually returning to the horror scene.
📖 Related: Alfonso Cuarón: Why the Harry Potter 3 Director Changed the Wizarding World Forever
The rest of the sleepaway camp cast was a mix of genuine talent and "is that person actually a camper?" vibes.
Karen Fields, who played the quintessential "mean girl" Judy, was so good at being terrible that she practically defined the trope for the decade. Her performance was vital because, for the movie's twist to work, you had to want the victims to get what was coming to them. Judy was the catalyst for so much of the cruelty in the film. When she tells Angela that she "can't go in the water," it’s not just bullying; it’s the spark that sets off the powder keg. Fields eventually left the acting world to pursue a career in law, a pivot that always surprises fans who still see her as the girl in the pigtails.
The Adults: High Camp and Pure Chaos
We have to talk about Aunt Martha. Desiree Gould’s performance is... well, it’s something else. It’s pure camp. It’s dialed up to eleven. From the moment she appears on screen with those stilted, eerie line deliveries, you know the movie isn't playing by standard rules. Gould wasn't a "horror actress" by trade; she was a New York-based performer who brought a theatricality that makes the opening scenes feel like a fever dream.
And then there’s Mike Kellin. He played Mel, the camp owner who is desperately trying to cover up the mounting deaths. Kellin was a legitimate veteran of stage and screen, having appeared in classics like Midnight Express and The Boston Strangler. Sleepaway Camp was actually his final film role before he passed away in 1983. Seeing a seasoned character actor treat the role of a stressed-out camp director with such gravity gives the movie a weird sense of legitimacy. He wasn't winking at the camera. He was playing a man watching his livelihood—and his campers—be destroyed.
👉 See also: Why the Cast of Hold Your Breath 2024 Makes This Dust Bowl Horror Actually Work
Why the Casting Worked Despite the Budget
Low-budget horror often fails because the acting is wooden. But Hiltzik lucked out. The sleepaway camp cast worked because the "bad" acting felt like "real person" awkwardness. When the kids are sitting around the mess hall or teasing each other on the dock, it doesn't sound like a script written by a 40-year-old trying to sound "hip." It sounds like kids being jerks.
The casting of Christopher Collet as Paul is a great example. Paul was the "nice guy" love interest, a role that could have been incredibly boring. But Collet played him with a genuine, soft-spoken sincerity that made the later tragedy of his character actually sting. Collet went on to have a solid career, starring in The Manhattan Project shortly after.
Where are they now?
- Felissa Rose: Extremely active in the horror community. She’s a staple at conventions and has appeared in films like Victor Crowley and Terrifier 2.
- Jonathan Tiersten: Continues to act in indie horror and maintains a successful music career. He often performs at "Sleepaway" reunions.
- Karen Fields: Retired from acting and became a successful attorney, though she occasionally appears at anniversary screenings.
- Desiree Gould: Sadly passed away in 2021, but her portrayal of Aunt Martha remains one of the most meme-able and discussed parts of the film.
- Katherine Kamhi: Played Meg, the tough-as-nails head counselor. She’s had a long career in television, appearing in shows like Law & Order and All My Children.
The Legacy of the Performers
The movie’s ending is what everyone talks about, but the reason people care enough to get to the ending is the cast. They sold the environment. Camp Arawak felt like a place where the sun was too hot, the water was too murky, and the adults were too checked out to save anyone.
Most slasher casts from 1983 are totally anonymous. You don't remember the names of the kids in The Final Exam or Humongous. But you remember the sleepaway camp cast. You remember the kid who got boiled in the kitchen. You remember the girl who got the curling iron. You remember the mustache on the guy in the short-shorts.
✨ Don't miss: Is Steven Weber Leaving Chicago Med? What Really Happened With Dean Archer
The film deals with themes of gender identity, childhood trauma, and parental abuse in ways that were incredibly messy and, frankly, problematic by today's standards. However, the actors played these roles with a raw intensity. They didn't treat it like a "trashy" horror movie. They treated it like a drama that just happened to have a body count.
Moving Beyond the Twist
If you're looking to dive deeper into the history of these actors, your best bet isn't just rewatching the movie for the hundredth time. There are several deep-dive resources that offer a more nuanced look at the production.
- Check out the "Return to Sleepaway Camp" documentary: Most modern Blu-ray releases (especially the Scream Factory editions) include extensive interviews with the cast where they talk about the grueling shoot in upstate New York.
- Follow the "Sleepaway Camp" social media hubs: Felissa Rose and Jonathan Tiersten are very engaged with the fanbase. They often share behind-the-scenes photos that haven't been published in mainstream magazines.
- Look for the "Sleepaway Camp IV: The Survivor" history: It’s a mess of a project that was abandoned and then stitched together decades later, but it shows how much the creators wanted to keep the original cast’s legacy alive.
The reality of the sleepaway camp cast is that they were mostly just New York actors and locals doing a job in the woods. They had no idea they were making something that would be analyzed by film scholars decades later. They were just trying to get through the scenes without getting mosquito bites or shivering too hard in the lake. That lack of pretension is exactly why the movie still works. It’s ugly, it’s weird, and it’s unapologetically itself.
Next time you watch it, ignore the twist for a second. Look at the way the kids interact. Look at the genuine fear in their eyes during the more intense scenes. That’s not just good direction; that’s a group of young actors giving everything to a project that most people thought would be forgotten in a week. They proved everyone wrong.
Next Steps for Fans:
If you want to support the surviving cast members, look for their current projects on platforms like Shudder or Tubi. Many of them, particularly Felissa Rose, are heavily involved in independent horror. Supporting their new work is the best way to honor the legacy of the original 1983 film. Also, keep an eye on the horror convention circuit; meeting the cast in person is a rite of passage for any true slasher fan.