Who Is Still Alive From the Original ‘Friday the 13th’ Cast?
When Friday the 13th arrived in theaters in 1980, audiences watched as a group of young camp counselors got picked off one by one by a mysterious killer. The low-budget horror movie became a box office hit and started a franchise that is still going strong today.
While Jason Voorhees eventually became the face of the franchise, it was his mother who was behind the killings in the original film. Several cast members are still alive today, including Kevin Bacon, Adrienne King, and the actor who first portrayed Jason. Sadly, Willie Adams, who played Barry, the first victim in both the film and the entire franchise, was also the first cast member to die in real life. He was killed in a car accident in 1993 at just 38 years old.
Here’s a look at the rest of the original cast and where they are now.
Betsy Palmer as Mrs. Voorhees
Everett Collection; Bobby Bank/WireImage/Getty
Betsy Palmer played Pamela Voorhees, the mother of Jason and the killer behind the murders at Camp Crystal Lake. She was already an established actress when she took the role, having appeared in films such as Mister Roberts and The Tin Star.
After Friday the 13th, Betsy Palmer appeared on television shows including Knots Landing, where she played Virginia Bullock, and made guest appearances on Murder, She Wrote, Newhart, and Just Shoot Me!. She also appeared in the horror film Penny Dreadful. She died on May 29, 2015, at age 88 from natural causes.
Adrienne King as Alice Hardy
Everett Collection; Michael Schwartz/WireImage/Getty
Adrienne King played Alice, the final girl who survives Mrs. Voorhees’ killing spree. She returned briefly in Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981), but eventually stepped away from acting after dealing with a stalker. She continued working in voice acting before returning to the screen in 2008. “I didn’t realize how much I missed the experience until I was back on the set,” she told Morbidly Beautiful in 2019. King has also become a familiar face at horror conventions, where she enjoys meeting fans and sharing memories of the original movie. She is also a painter.
Kevin Bacon as Jack Burrell
Everett Collection; Cesc Maymo/Getty Images
Kevin Bacon played Jack, one of the counselors who meets a particularly gruesome end when an arrow is pushed through the mattress beneath him and into his throat. It was one of his earliest film roles, following his appearance in National Lampoon’s Animal House.
Of course, Bacon went on to become the biggest star to emerge from the original Friday the 13th cast. His breakout role came in Footloose, followed by movies like Tremors, A Few Good Men, Apollo 13 and Mystic River. He’s also found success on television, starring in The Following, City on a Hill and the 2025 Prime Video series The Bondsman. More recently, he appeared in the 2024 horror movie MaXXXine and the 2025 Netflix series Sirens. Bacon hasn’t forgotten his Friday the 13th days. In 2024, his wife, Kyra Sedgwick, and their two children played a prank on him by recreating his famous death scene with a fake bloody arrow while he was sleeping.
Harry Crosby as Bill
Everett Collection; Jason Mendez/Getty Images
Harry Crosby played Bill, one of the counselors who helps Alice prepare Camp Crystal Lake for its reopening. He is also the son of legendary singer Bing Crosby. Harry continued acting for a short time after Friday the 13th but eventually left Hollywood for a career in investment banking. According to People, he went on to become a successful investment banker.
Jeannine Taylor as Marcie
Everett Collection; Bobby Bank/WireImage
Jeannine Taylor played Marcie, Jack’s girlfriend, who is killed with an axe while hiding in the camp’s bathroom. Taylor had a background in theater and continued acting onstage after the movie. She also appeared in the 1982 television film The Royal Romance of Charles and Diana and later worked in magazine marketing. She returned to the stage in 2010 and appeared in the 2013 documentary Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday the 13th. She has largely stayed out of the public eye in more recent years.
Laurie Bartram as Brenda
Paramount/Everett Collection
Laurie Bartram played Brenda, another counselor who becomes one of Mrs. Voorhees’ victims. Before appearing in the movie, she had played Karen Campbell on the soap opera Another World. Bartram eventually left Hollywood and spent time working in local theater, including directing and choreographing productions. She died on May 25, 2007, at age 49, after battling pancreatic cancer.
Mark Nelson as Ned Rubenstein
Paramount Pictures; Jeffrey Ufberg/WireImage
Mark Nelson played Ned, the practical joker of the group who becomes one of the first counselors to be killed. Although Friday the 13th was his first feature film, Nelson went on to have a long career in theater. His Broadway credits include Amadeus and Angels in America, and he has also worked as a director and acting teacher. According to his Circle in the Square Theatre School biography, Nelson received a 2025 Helen Hayes Award nomination for his performance in The Lehman Trilogy.
Robbi Morgan as Annie Phillips
Everett Collection; Monica Schipper/Getty Images
Robbi Morgan played Annie, the cheerful counselor who is killed before she even reaches Camp Crystal Lake. Although she had appeared in other productions as a child, Friday the 13th became her best-known film role. Morgan eventually stepped away from regular screen acting but has remained connected to horror fans. In March 2025, she appeared on the Happy Horror Time podcast to discuss making the movie, including how her acrobatic skills helped her perform one of her stunts. She is married to actor and Antiques Roadshow host Mark L. Walberg.
Ari Lehman as Young Jason Voorhees
Everett Collection; Karen Ruud/ReMIND Staff
Ari Lehman didn’t have much screen time in the original Friday the 13th, but his appearance became one of the movie’s most famous moments. He played the young Jason Voorhees, who suddenly jumps out of the lake and grabs Alice in the final scare. Lehman was the first actor to portray Jason, although the character wouldn’t become the franchise’s main killer until the sequels.
Since then, Lehman has embraced his connection to the movie. He performs with his horror-themed rock band, First Jason, and regularly attends conventions to meet fans. His official website includes appearances and performances with the band, including horror conventions and more.
Walt Gorney as Crazy Ralph
Screenshot
Walt Gorney played Crazy Ralph, the local man who tries to warn the counselors to stay away from Camp Crystal Lake. He returned for Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981) and later provided narration for Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988). Gorney also appeared in movies such as Trading Places before his death on March 5, 2004, at age 91 from natural causes.
Where can you watch the original Friday the 13th?
The original 1980 Friday the 13th is currently streaming on Peacock, Paramount+, and Tubi. It is also available to rent or purchase through several digital retailers.
The franchise is also returning with Crystal Lake, a new Peacock prequel series starring Linda Cardellini as Pamela Voorhees. The series is scheduled to premiere on October 15, 2026.
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