If you have a question you can't find the answer to,
or think it should be in this FAQ then E-Mail them to me
([email protected]) and I'll take a look.
This FAQ is copyrighted to me, but you can send it around and repost it as long
as it's used in it's entirity with this text included.
This FAQ was written and compiled by D. Lawrence and is orignally
to be found on 'Phoebe Cates Web Paradise'
1) Real Name
Phoebe's real name is Phoebe Katz. Cates is a family proffesional name adopted by her father/uncle/etc, and passed on to thier children.
New York, 16th July 1963.
Phoebe's father is Joseph Cates - a television producer.
Paradise(1982)
No. Technically she's Amerasian (mixture of American and Asian). Her mother is also Amerasian as her mothers parents were American and Chinese. This makes Phoebe aprox. 1 part Chinese, and 3 parts American. Phoebe also mentions some Russian background but this is something that isn't really mentioned elsewhere.
6) What did she do before being in movies?
She Attended the School of American Ballet until a knee injury in 1977
caused her to quit.
7) How was she 'discovered'?
Her break in Modelling came from a freind of the family she was baby-sitting for. He suggested she go into modelling and helped her along the way.
8) Is that her in Paradise,or a body double?
Most of the nudity in Paradise is Phoebe. She didn't really mind doing the 'innocent' stuff like the shower scene and the swimming. She didn't do any of the 'sex' scenes though, these were performed by a 'body double'. You can ussually tell if it's her or not because the double has larger breasts and lighter skin. Phoebe thinks they deliberately got a 'body double' that was a lot less atractive than her so that she'd do the scenes rather than have people think the body belonged to her.
9) Is that her at the end of Private school, or a body double?
The scenes with Mathew Modine at the end of Private school are Phoebe. There is really only one scene which causes confusion - the scene with Phoebe lying with her back to the camera as you cannot see her face, this is her though.
10) I heard she made a record, what's up with that?
Well, yes she did. She sang 'Theme from Paradise' from her debut movie. It was released on 7" single but really didn't do very well (except in Japan and Italy). She actually has a very nice singing voice but the song was remarkably bad. She also sang 2 songs from the soundtrack to 'Private School' (How do I let you know? and Just one touch). These are both included on the soundtrack album.
Being a mother. After the shooting of Drop Dead Fred she stated she would not be making films for a few years so that she could raise Owen - this didn't happen and she continued to make movies. the difficulties she had during the making of 'Princess Caraboo' (having Owen and Kevin in tow) convinced her that she should stop making movies for a while, especially as she was pregnant with Greta Simone at the time. She's now looking after the children at home and hasn't any plans to make any more films in the foreseeable future. She is no longer signed to any talent agency and is no longer registered at the Actors Guild.
2) Date of Birth
3) Family
4) What films has she made?
5) Is she oriental?
6) What did she do before being in Movies?
7) How was she discovered?
8) Is that her in Paradise, or a body double?
9) Is that her at the end of Private school, or a body double?
10) I heard she made a record, what's up with that?
11) What is she doing now?
Phoebe's Uncle is Gil Cates - a movie producer.
Phoebe's cousin (Gil's son) is Gil Cates Jr - also in the movie business.
Phoebe's mother and father split when she was young.
Phoebe is married to Kevin Kline - a succesful actor.
Phoebe and Kevin have two children - Greta Simone (female) and Owen (Male). Greta is currently two years old whilst Owen is Five.
Private School for girls (1983)
Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1983)
Baby sister (1983) (Made for TV)
Lace (1984)
Gremlins (1984)
Lace 2 (1985)
Date with An Angel (1986)
Bright Lights, Big City (1987)
Heart of Dixie (1987)
Shag (1988)
Largo Desolato (1988) (made for TV)
Gremlins 2 (1988)
I love you to death (1990)
Drop Dead Fred (1991)
Bodies, Rest, and Motion (1993)
My lifes in Turnaround (1993)
Princess Caraboo (1994)
According to Phoebe at one point she was a store 'detective' making sure people didn't steal. She say's that nothing happened.
She was also quite a succesful model. Modelling for various magazine covers, TV adverts, and other advertisments.
Her movie career started either (depending on what story you believe) after Stuart Gilliard saw her dancing at Studio 54 in New York and offered her the role in Paradise - or after he saw her on the cover of 17 Magazine.
Apparently she also completed a full album for the Japanese market to be called
Love Times but it was probably never released
Recently you could here her singing with Kevin in an episode of Sesame Street - a song about mesuring - and though she seams to be having trouble singing the song her voice is still beautiful.