With the massive scale of Hollywood and the massive number of actresses, actors and comedians that reside and operate inside of its borders, it can be easy for fans to lose sight of any one particular actor or actress, even when they have the massive impact that Lisa Eilbacher had when she was active in Hollywood. People became aware of Lisa and her ability to provide powerful support to leading actors through her roles in An Officer and a Gentleman and Beverly Hills Cop.
For many fans that would consider those two movies to be the zenith of Lisa’s career in Hollywood, and they may well be, but that was not the end of her acting career.
The truth is that Lisa got her start in acting as a child when she appeared on television shows like Gun Smoke and My Three Sons, so she was not amateur by the time she landed those huge roles in the 1980s. She had actually paid her dues.
After her claim to fame in those two powerhouse movies in the 1980s, she would go on to experience steady work throughout the 1990s. Some of the films and roles she played during this time include:
- The role of Kit in television movie, Joshua’s Heart (1990)
- The role of Nicky Molloy in the television series Midnight Caller (1990-1991)
- She played Susan in The Last Samurai (1991)
- The role of Terry O’Neill in Live Wire (1992)
- Her last role was in 2000 as Janet Van Degen in the movie, 919 Fifth Avenue
After her last movie in 2000, Lisa made a conscious and intentional decision to step away from the Hollywood spotlight. In part, this may have been an attempt at living a normal life while focusing on nurturing her marriage to photographer, Brad May. While there have been visuals of the couple sporadically, there has been no continuous attempt by Lisa to assume any role in the public eye.
There are some who speculate that the fact that Lisa was never ever able to totally parlay the success of her roles in Beverly Hills Cop and An Officer and A Gentlemen into more successful and fulfilling roles is what drove Lisa out of the limelight. While there is evidence to support the fact that her career after those to blockbuster hits never quite measured up, there is evidence that it took its toll on her to the point of driving her out of the industry.
What is a more feasible possibility is the fact that she had been inside of the show business industry for almost 40 years by the time she shot her last film, she was probably burnt out and simply wanted to something that she deemed more fulfilling. Four decades doing anything can take its toll on a person no matter how good they are at it.
One thing is for certain, Lisa seems to be content with having left the spotlight of Hollywood in her rear view mirror and there is no indication whatsoever that she is entertaining the possibility of returning. As far as she is concerned, civilian life suits her just fine.
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