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IMDbPro

Death of A Cheerleader

Original title: A Friend to Die For
  • TV Movie
  • 1994
  • TV-PG
  • 1h 31m
IMDb RATING
6.0/10
2.3K
YOUR RATING
Death of A Cheerleader (1994)
CrimeDrama

Who could have stabbed popular, beautiful cheerleader Stacy to death? It could have been antisocial Goth girl Monica, it could've been angst-ridden Jill--or maybe it was the plain girl nobod... Read allWho could have stabbed popular, beautiful cheerleader Stacy to death? It could have been antisocial Goth girl Monica, it could've been angst-ridden Jill--or maybe it was the plain girl nobody suspected.Who could have stabbed popular, beautiful cheerleader Stacy to death? It could have been antisocial Goth girl Monica, it could've been angst-ridden Jill--or maybe it was the plain girl nobody suspected.

  • Director
    • William A. Graham
  • Writers
    • Randall Sullivan
    • Dan Bronson
  • Stars
    • Kellie Martin
    • Tori Spelling
    • James Avery
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    6.0/10
    2.3K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • William A. Graham
    • Writers
      • Randall Sullivan
      • Dan Bronson
    • Stars
      • Kellie Martin
      • Tori Spelling
      • James Avery
    • 54User reviews
    • 8Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos11

    Tori Spelling and Kellie Martin in Death of A Cheerleader (1994)
    Tori Spelling and Kellie Martin in Death of A Cheerleader (1994)
    Tori Spelling and Kellie Martin in Death of A Cheerleader (1994)
    Marley Shelton in Death of A Cheerleader (1994)
    Kellie Martin and Marley Shelton in Death of A Cheerleader (1994)
    Tori Spelling and Robyn Bliley in Death of A Cheerleader (1994)
    Tori Spelling in Death of A Cheerleader (1994)
    Tori Spelling in Death of A Cheerleader (1994)
    Tori Spelling and Kellie Martin in Death of A Cheerleader (1994)
    Tori Spelling and Kellie Martin in Death of A Cheerleader (1994)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Kellie Martin
    Kellie Martin
    • Angela Delvecchio
    Tori Spelling
    Tori Spelling
    • Stacy Lockwood
    James Avery
    James Avery
    • Agent Gilwood
    Eugene Roche
    Eugene Roche
    • Priest
    Andy Romano
    Andy Romano
    • Joe Delvecchio
    Margaret Langrick
    • Jill Anderson
    Marley Shelton
    Marley Shelton
    • Jamie Hall
    • (as Marlee Shelton)
    Kathryn Morris
    Kathryn Morris
    • Monica Whitley
    Terry O'Quinn
    Terry O'Quinn
    • Ed Saxe
    Valerie Harper
    Valerie Harper
    • Mrs. Delvecchio
    Christa Miller
    Christa Miller
    • Terri
    Brittney Powell
    Brittney Powell
    • Head Cheerleader
    Tom O'Rourke
    Tom O'Rourke
    • Mr. Lockwood
    Marnie Andrews
    • Mrs. Lockwood
    Jenna Leigh Green
    Jenna Leigh Green
    • Meridith Ladd
    • (as a different name)
    Robyn Bliley
    • Courtney
    Michael Paul Chan
    Michael Paul Chan
    • Mr. Kwan
    John Christy Ewing
    • Neighbor
    • Director
      • William A. Graham
    • Writers
      • Randall Sullivan
      • Dan Bronson
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      This is the true story of 15-year old Kirsten Costas who was stabbed to death by a classmate, Bernadette Protti, on June 23, 1984. Both girls attended Miramonte High School in Orinda, California.
    • Goofs
      If Stacy Lockwood's funeral was Catholic, it would be unlikely the priest would wear a green stole and the casket covered in purple. Catholic priests normally wear a violet, black or white stole during a funeral mass. Caskets will, in most cases, be covered in white, however they can be open. Caskets cannot be covered with a flag of the deceased's nationality while in the church. However, when the casket leaves the church the flag can be put back on the casket.
    • Quotes

      Judge: Well, with the exception of the taped confession, this whole case is circumstantial. Considering the evidence presented here, I must conclude that the prosecution has failed to prove its contention of premeditation. The evidence supports nothing more than the finding of murder in the second degree. I must further observe that we have a kind of "Alice in Wonderland" situation here. The juvenile code dictates a sentence of confinement to the age of 25. The degree - whether it's first or second - is irrelevant. And so I find myself wondering what we have accomplished here. I hope it was justice, though I fear it may have been nothing more than entertainment.

    • Connections
      Referenced in The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs: Halloween Hootenanny: Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Meyers (2019)

    User reviews54

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    good dramatization of actual events
    When Miramount High School cheerleader Kirsten Costas ran across the street from her front yard in Orinda, California in June 1984 having been fatally stabbed by her schoolmate Bernadette Protti and seeking help from her neighbor she probably had no idea that this review would be written. The way it happened was this: Randall Sullivan of ROLLING STONE Magazine wrote a moving article about the case (focusing largely on Bernadette Protti's dramatic confession to the police) that appeared in print about a year after the murder had occurred and was published with the title "Death of a Cheerleader". The story got such attention that Sullivan was hired to write a screenplay for a made-for-t.v. movie after Protti was paroled, depicting the events fictitiously. It was first aired on NBC as A FRIEND TO DIE FOR, but has also been aired on cable television, both under its original title and under the title of the article that inspired it. In the film, Tori Spelling loosely por- trays Costas as snobby Stacy Lockwood; Kellie Martin loosely portrays Protti as Angela Delveccio and Orinda is replaced with the fictional town of Santa Mira, California. The murder is depicted in the opening scene and the action then reverts to the life of Delveccio over the course of about a year. Although she firsts tries to cover up what she did, the depth and sincerity of the remorse that she eventually expresses are very moving. This film is worth watching several times.
    helpful•15
    1
    • regina_vowna
    • Aug 6, 2003

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    FAQ1

    • What was the real story?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 26, 1994 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • All-American Girl
    • Filming locations
      • Westlake High School - 100 N. Lakeview Canyon Road, Westlake Village, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Steve White Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 31 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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