Twin Peaks Prop – Sheryl Lee’s Headshot in Benjamin Horne’s Office

The talented Sheryl Lee played several roles in Mark Frost and David Lynch’s Twin Peaks. While living in Seattle, Washington at the age of 21, Lee was cast as Laura Palmer –  appearing briefly as a body “dead, wrapped in plastic” and at a picnic with best friend Donna Hayward – for the pilot episode first known as “Northwest Passage.” Mark Frost and David Lynch would later cast her as Laura’s cousin Madeline Ferguson in the show’s first two seasons. Fast forward to episode 2.011, somehow her actor’s headshot made it’s way to Benjamin Horne’s office at The Great Northern Hotel. Even more incredible, I obtained that headshot complete with a casting director’s notes stapled to it.

SHERYL LEE’S HEADSHOT IN BENJAMIN HORNE’S OFFICE

When Hank Jennings discusses business dealings with Benjamin Horne during episode 2.011 of Twin Peaks, there is a brief moment when we can see a framed photo of Sheryl Lee.  The image is supposed to represent Laura Palmer but it is actually her actor’s headshot.

Thanks to a tip from 1400 River Road, I acquired the headshot via a random Ebay auction in May 2026. The headshot also included an authentic autograph from Ms. Lee from the collection of famed autograph collectors, Harvey and Rhoda Kuflik.

Stapled to the back of the black and white headshot were handwritten notes from what appears to be a casting director.

• Nancy Sanders – She is an entertainment manager who ran her own boutique firm Sanders Armstrong Caserta Management, until 2018 when the long-time partners of Sanders, Mark Armstrong and Steve Caserta dissolved their the company. Nancy then joined Thruline Entertainment as a partner in September that year. She was involved with The Simpsons, CSI and The Sopranos. She also signed James Gandolfini in the mid-1990s, prior to being cast as Tony Soprano in the hit HBO show. It’s unclear if Sheryl was being represented by Nancy at the time.
• Whim A. – I’m unsure if this is supposed to be “Whim,” “Wrin” or “William” A.
• Sheryl Lee – 22 – The photo might be from 1989-1990 as Sheryl Lee turned 22 that year on April 22, 1989.
• Twin Peaks – Short 7 – Could this be a reference to Sheryl being on a short list of actor’s for the role of Laura Palmer in Twin Peaks?
• Colorado – While born in Augsburg, Bavaria, West Germany to American parents, Sheryl grew up in Boulder, Colorado and graduated from Fairview High School in 1985.
• Seattle – studying Mark Jenkins / Lee Strasburg – After several years of studying at schools in Southern California and North Carolina, Lee moved to Seattle, Washington. There she acted in several stage plays and appeared in several television commercials. She studied with theater director Mark Jenkins at the now-defunct Empty Space Theater in Seattle. Lee Strasberg is considered the “father of Method acting.” This type of training involves actors using “their own personal memories, feelings, and sensory experiences to build a real and sincere emotional response for a role, rather than faking or pretending.”
• Dancin – I’m assuming the word is “dancing.”

For years, I’ve wondered about the image Ben is holding in episode 2.011 as there is a completely different photo used just a few episodes earlier in the David Lynch-directed episode 2.007. When Audrey Horne speaks with her father Ben in that episode, we see a framed photo of Laura Palmer on Ben’s office desk.

The camera cuts to a close up shot of Laura’s face.

That image was taken during filming of the pilot in Snoqualmie Valley, particularly during the picnic scene with Donna Hayward at Snoqualmie Point Park. The Mauve Zone has a version of the black and white photo from the image. The image above is slightly cropped compared to the on-screen counterpart.

SHERYL LEE’S HEADSHOT APPEARANCES IN TWIN PEAKS

The photo of Sheryl Lee is sitting on Ben Horne’s desk as he crosses behind it to sit down in episode 2.011.

Ben holds up the framed image for Hank to see.

There is a close up shot of Ben holding the framed photo. As he places it on the desk, we can see the out of focus image. Since Ben is holding the image in this episode, I consider it a prop. Twin Peaks Prop Master Jeff Moore has said the Richard Beymer who played Mr. Horne loved the act with props. He was always holding something during his scenes, from cigars to ice cream to carrots.

Hank and Ben have a discussion about Jean Renault in the last part of this scene. Sheryl’s headshot is seen resting on the desk.

When Bobby Briggs enters Ben’s office in episode 2.012, the photo has moved to a shelve along the wood panel wall.

It’s seen behind Bobby during a close up of him holding an envelope of photos in the same episode.

The photo also returns in episode 2.013. This time, it’s placed by the door on a small end table.

An out-of-focus framed image is seen behind Ben has he plays with his Civil War action figures.

The final appearance is in the same episode as Bobby Briggs exits Ben’s office. After episode 2.013, the framed image disappears from the set.