Dana Hill was one of those rare talents whose physical challenges became the foundation of their remarkable career. Born Dana Lynne Goetz on May 6, 1964, in Encino, Los Angeles, she became a critically acclaimed actress whose youthful appearance allowed her to play adolescent characters well into her twenties. Her life story, from an athletic prodigy to an acclaimed actress and beloved voice performer, is both inspiring and heartbreaking.
Biography
Dana Hill came into the world with tremendous potential. Before acting claimed her attention, she was an exceptional athlete who placed third nationally in the 880-yard run and fourth nationally in the mile run at just ten years old. She excelled at swimming and basketball, too. But just weeks after those achievements, everything changed when she collapsed on the track in 1974.
The diagnosis was Type 1 diabetes, a disease that had been silently affecting her for two years. It caused her growth to stall significantly, which understandably frustrated the young athlete. “I was really mad at first. I didn’t want to accept the restrictions,” she told People Magazine in 1982. She faced multiple hospitalisations before adapting to a sugar-free diet and daily insulin injections.
Her father, Theodore Arthur “Ted” Goetz (1928-2012), was a prominent director and producer of television commercials at FilmFair in Studio City. You’ve probably seen his work without knowing it. He created iconic campaigns for Frosted Flakes featuring Tony the Tiger, the original Got Milk campaign, and the Schlitz malt liquor bull. Despite his success in entertainment, Ted strongly opposed child performers and didn’t want Dana pursuing acting.
Her mother, Sandy Goetz (née Hill), was a homemaker who supported Dana’s dreams. Interestingly, Dana adopted her mother’s maiden name professionally to avoid accusations of nepotism, given her father’s prominence in the industry.
Dana had two younger brothers, Daniel and Mathew Goetz, and four half-siblings from her father’s first marriage to Jane Small: Beth, Jack, Amy, and Ted Jr. Tragically, Beth also died from diabetes-related complications before Dana’s death.
She attended Walter Reed Junior High School and Cal Prep High School in Van Nuys, graduating in 1981 while regularly appearing in school productions. Her childhood disease, while limiting her athletic dreams, paradoxically opened doors in Hollywood.
Career
Dana’s entertainment career technically started at age nine with a 1973 YMCA commercial featuring Boston Celtics centre Dave Cowens, where she memorably spun a basketball on her finger. Her television acting debut came in 1978 at age 14 on Mork & Mindy, playing a Girl Scout opposite Robin Williams in a scene-stealing guest appearance.
The 17-year-old Hill’s breakthrough arrived with the 1981 CBS television movie Fallen Angel, where she convincingly played 12-year-old molestation victim Jennifer Phillips. The performance earned her the Young Artist Award for Best Young Actress in a Television Special. Her youthful appearance was so convincing that police once pulled her over for looking “too young to drive.”
That same year, she landed a regular role as Gabrielle “Gabby” Gallagher on the CBS sitcom The Two of Us, appearing in 20 episodes. The ability to portray younger characters became her calling card.
Shoot the Moon (1982) was the pinnacle of her live-action career. Playing Sherry Dunlap, the eldest daughter who discovers her father’s affair and becomes devastated by her parents’ divorce, she held her own opposite Albert Finney and Diane Keaton.
Legendary critic Pauline Kael called her performance “perhaps equally fine” as the two leads. That’s remarkable praise for a young actress in a film that competed for the Palme d’Or at Cannes.
Cross Creek (1983) cast her as Ellie Turner, a backwoods teenager who keeps a pet deer named Flag, opposite Mary Steenburgen and Rip Torn. The filmmakers changed the character from a boy to a girl after seeing Hill’s performance in Shoot the Moon. She received a Young Artist Award nomination for this role in the Oscar-nominated film.
National Lampoon’s European Vacation (1985) became her most commercially successful work. Playing Audrey Griswold opposite Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo, Hill replaced Dana Barron from the original film. Other notable live-action credits include Combat Academy (1986) with a pre-fame George Clooney, and television appearances on Magnum, P.I., The Fall Guy, and Faerie Tale Theatre.
Voice Acting
By her mid-twenties, diabetes complications began threatening Hill’s on-screen career. Kidney problems caused facial puffiness that affected her distinctive childlike appearance, while gastroparesis (a digestive condition) further complicated her health. After receiving the 1986 L.A. Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Featured Actress in the stage production of Picnic at the Ahmanson Theatre, an agent recognised her talent and encouraged her to move to voice acting.
Beginning with Mighty Mouse: The New Adventures in 1987, Hill built a prolific voice career spanning approximately 50+ animated projects over nine years. Her raspy voice made her perfect for young male characters.
Her most iconic voice role remains Max Goof in Disney’s Goof Troop (1992-1993), where she voiced Goofy’s preteen son across roughly 70 episodes, as well as commercials, Disney Parks attractions, and promotional materials. She also voiced Jerry in Tom and Jerry: The Movie (1992), marking the first theatrical feature giving the classic cat-and-mouse duo extensive spoken dialogue. Additionally, she voiced Charles Duckman, one of the genius conjoined twins in the cult-favorite Duckman (1994-1996).
Hill was initially cast to voice Nelson Muntz on The Simpsons, but chronic health problems prevented her from attending the recording session. Nancy Cartwright was cast instead and has voiced the character ever since.
Personal Life
Dana Hill’s actual height was approximately 4’11” to 5’2″, with a 1982 People Magazine article specifically documenting that at age 18, she was “5’0″ and 82 pounds.”
This small stature was a direct consequence of her diabetes, which caused her growth to stop for two years before diagnosis. Her childlike physique became integral to her career, allowing her to convincingly play adolescent roles well into her thirties without child labour restrictions. As TV Tropes notes, she “rarely played a character older than twelve” due to her growth condition.
Health Struggles and Final Days
Dana’s health grew increasingly fragile throughout the mid-1990s. She was hospitalised multiple times for stomach disease and mood swings, eventually starting antidepressant medication. In late May 1996, she slipped into a diabetic coma. On June 5, 1996, she suffered a massive paralytic stroke.
She lingered for 40 days, occasionally waking but only able to communicate by blinking her eyes. Dana Hill died peacefully on July 15, 1996, at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Centre in Burbank, California. She was just 32 years old. Her mother later described the death as her daughter’s soul finally being freed from “that ruined physical body.” Her remains were cremated at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills.
Dana never married and had no publicly known romantic relationships, having devoted herself entirely to her acting career. Colleagues remembered her for her quick wit, great sense of humour, and passionate advocacy for animal rights. She was also described as a talented writer and poet who found creative outlets beyond acting.
