---
name: "Mary Ellen Trainor"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/mary-ellen-trainor"
fi1m_id: "mary-ellen-trainor"
imdb_id: "nm0870729"
tmdb_id: 23967
wikidata_id: "Q442310"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "8 July 1952"
died: "20 May 2015"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 10
average_fi1m_score: 74
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 9
updated: "2026-10-04T22:44:35.393623+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Mary Ellen Trainor

## Identity

Mary Ellen Trainor

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/mary-ellen-trainor
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** mary-ellen-trainor
- **IMDb ID:** nm0870729
- **TMDB ID:** 23967
- **Wikidata ID:** Q442310
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Ellen_Trainor, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q442310, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0870729/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/23967

Actor. Born 8 July 1952 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Died 20 May 2015.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 8 July 1952, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- **Died:** 20 May 2015
- **Active:** 1984–1992
- **Also known as:** مری الن ترینور
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 10: 9 acting, 1 other
- **Frequently works with:** [Robert Zemeckis](https://film.one/person/robert-zemeckis.md)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 74, as actor, over 9 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1980s 74 (8), 1990s 70 (2)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 74 to 68 across 9 titles
- **Score spread:** 2 at 80+, 7 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 0 of 3 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Action 5, Comedy 5, Thriller 4, Crime 3, Fantasy 3, Adventure 2
- **Screen time:** 17 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $1,391m across 9 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Ellen_Trainor, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q442310, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0870729/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/23967

## Streaming the US now

- **Tubi:** [*Romancing the Stone*](https://film.one/film/romancing-the-stone.md) (77)
- **Peacock:** [*Death Becomes Her*](https://film.one/film/death-becomes-her.md) (76)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

Mary Ellen Trainor was an American actress. She studied broadcast journalism at San Diego State University and began her career working at radio stations before her first television appearance in a 1983 episode of *Cheers*. Her big-screen debut came the following year as Elaine in *Romancing the Stone* (1984).

She became known for roles including Mrs. Walsh in *The Goonies* (1985), Dr. Stephanie Woods in the *Lethal Weapon* films (1987–1998), and Gail Wallens in *Die Hard* (1988). Trainor appeared in several films directed by her then-husband Robert Zemeckis, to whom she was married from 1980 until their divorce in 2000. She died on 20 May 2015 in Montecito, California.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, hollywoodreporter.com.*

## On Fi1m (10)

### Performed in (9) — the average rests on these

- *Death Becomes Her* (1992), Fi1m 76, as Vivian Adams — [page](https://film.one/film/death-becomes-her.md)
- *Lethal Weapon 3* (1992), Fi1m 64, as Stephanie Woods — [page](https://film.one/film/lethal-weapon-3.md)
- *Ghostbusters II* (1989), Fi1m 60, as Brownstone Mother — [page](https://film.one/film/ghostbusters-ii.md)
- *Lethal Weapon 2* (1989), Fi1m 74, as Police Psychiatrist — [page](https://film.one/film/lethal-weapon-2.md)
- *Die Hard* (1988), Fi1m 89, as Gail Wallens — [page](https://film.one/film/die-hard.md)
- *Scrooged* (1988), Fi1m 66, as Ted — [page](https://film.one/film/scrooged.md)
- *Lethal Weapon* (1987), Fi1m 80, as Psychologist — [page](https://film.one/film/lethal-weapon.md)
- *The Goonies* (1985), Fi1m 76, as Mrs. Walsh — [page](https://film.one/film/the-goonies.md)
- *Romancing the Stone* (1984), Fi1m 77, as Elaine — [page](https://film.one/film/romancing-the-stone.md)

### Also credited (1) — thanks, archive footage, uncredited

- *Back to the Future Part II* (1989), Fi1m 74, as Officer Reese (uncredited) — [page](https://film.one/film/back-to-the-future-part-ii.md)

## Complete filmography (44)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Cake: A Wedding Story* (2007), as Jane Andrews
- *Freaky Friday* (2003), as Diary Reading Patient
- *Moonlight Mile* (2002), as Mrs. Meyerson
- *Amy's Orgasm* (2001), as Amy's Mom
- *Anywhere but Here* (1999), as Homeowner
- *Roswell* (1999), series, as Diane Evans
- *Tales from the Crypt: The Robert Zemeckis Collection* (1999), as Wife
- *Someone to Love Me* (1998), as Jocelyn Hart
- *Lethal Weapon 4* (1998), as Dr. Stephanie Woods
- *Hope* (1997), as Maize Burns
- *Relativity* (1996), series, as Eve Lukens
- *Executive Decision* (1996), as Allison
- *A Face to Die For* (1996), as Nora Gilmore
- *Congo* (1995), as Moira
- *Seduced and Betrayed* (1995), as Charlotte
- *Little Giants* (1994), as Karen O'Shea
- *Forrest Gump* (1994), as Jenny's Babysitter (uncredited) — Fi1m 66, [page](https://film.one/film/forrest-gump.md)
- *Greedy* (1994), as Nora
- *Death Becomes Her* (1992), as Vivian Adams — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/film/death-becomes-her.md)
- *Lethal Weapon 3* (1992), as Stephanie Woods — Fi1m 64, [page](https://film.one/film/lethal-weapon-3.md)
- *Kuffs* (1992), as Nikki Allyn
- *Grand Canyon* (1991), as Ms. Green
- *Ricochet* (1991), as Gail Wallens
- *Parker Lewis Can't Lose* (1990), series, as Judy Lewis
- *Fire Birds* (1990), as Janet Little
- *The Outsiders* (1990), series, as Rhonda Sue's Mother
- *Rock Hudson* (1990), as Female Agent
- *Fear Stalk* (1989), as Jennifer
- *Back to the Future Part II* (1989), as Officer Reese (uncredited) — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/film/back-to-the-future-part-ii.md)
- *Lethal Weapon 2* (1989), as Police Psychiatrist — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/film/lethal-weapon-2.md)
- *Ghostbusters II* (1989), as Brownstone Mother — Fi1m 60, [page](https://film.one/film/ghostbusters-ii.md)
- *Tales from the Crypt* (1989), series, as Wife (segment "And All Through the House")
- *Scrooged* (1988), as Ted — Fi1m 66, [page](https://film.one/film/scrooged.md)
- *Die Hard* (1988), as Gail Wallens — Fi1m 89, [page](https://film.one/film/die-hard.md)
- *Action Jackson* (1988), as Secretary
- *The Monster Squad* (1987), as Emily
- *Lethal Weapon* (1987), as Psychologist — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/film/lethal-weapon.md)
- *Amazing Stories* (1985), series, as Mara Webster
- *The Goonies* (1985), as Mrs. Walsh — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/film/the-goonies.md)
- *Crazy like a Fox* (1984), series, as Connie Olsen
- *The Stone Boy* (1984), as Doris Simms
- *Romancing the Stone* (1984), as Elaine — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/film/romancing-the-stone.md)
- *Remington Steele* (1982), series, as Estelle Becker
- *Cheers* (1982), series, as Mary — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/cheers.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/mary-ellen-trainor