To a certain contingent of cult film fanatics, Jessica Harper is the ultimate heroine.

She's notably survived a nefarious coven of witches, served as a specter's perfect muse and embodied today's insta-famous normies in a diverse set of films. The wide-eyed brunette, now 69, was directed by movie maestros Brian de Palma and Woody Allen before finding a parallel career authoring books and recording music for children.

Her latest venture, "Winnetka" is a 10-part podcast-memoir that follows her from infancy to a Broadway debut in "Hair." She slowly draws the curtains on an idyllic facade in post-war America just as a youthquake rattles the foundation of stately houses and WASP luncheons.

Named after the middle-class Chicago suburb she called home for 11 years, "Winnetka" is akin to flipping through a faded family photo album brimming with smiling faces. But those grins at Fourth of July picnics and family vacations only tell part of the story; the reality of growing up sinks back in and reminds the listener it's worth remembering occasions that aren't as sweet.

"Every family has some interesting story to tell. It's just a matter of discovering it and telling it in a compelling way," Harper says in a phone interview. "I'd like (listeners) to think about this story in terms of their own lives, their own families. I hope it has resonance in that respect."

The podcast, which debuts Monday, Feb. 4, was a three-year effort from Harper. It includes recorded interviews with her five siblings reminiscing about lost pets, preposterous nicknames and bomb shelters without getting wrapped up entirely in nostalgia. At its core, "Winnetka" tells an honest and candid tale of Harper's family history that includes her father's post-traumatic stress disorder and his attempts to right an ancestral wrong.

"Within families, one is always impacted by the dynamics of it. There may be characters that are difficult but more often than not those characters are complicated rather than terrible," she says.

Serendipity of 'Suspiria' and stardom

Harper landed her first acting gig in 1969, singing and dancing her way through "Aquarius" as an exuberant hippie tribe member in "Hair." She'd later audition alongside Tucson-born rock icon Linda Ronstadt for the role of Phoenix in Brian De Palma's rock-opera "Phantom of the Paradise." Harper won the part; Ronstadt would have to wait until 1993 to make her film debut in "The Pirates of Penzance."

"I want to say by no means do I consider myself in the same league as Linda Ronstadt. I think she's fantastic," she says. "I don't know why she didn't get the part but it certainly was not because she was lacking in any way."

Her 1977 star-turn in Dario Argento's neon-soaked "Suspiria" would be the film that's cemented Harper's status as a midnight movie queen. The Italian horror director, who helmed "The Bird With the Crystal Plumage" and "Deep Red," expanded his Giallo canon with "Suspiria," a glossy supernatural thriller.

Set at a German dance academy run by shady sorceresses, "Suspiria" stars Harper as an American student who quickly becomes suspicious that something isn't right. The film, known for its primary color palette and dramatic set pieces, is one of the most celebrated films in the horror genre — something Harper never anticipated.

"It’s like a little miracle, really. 40 years ago I went off to Italy to appear in this horror movie and had no idea, no expectations as to what would become of it," she says. "Through the decades, Dario Argento's 'Suspiria' has had an incredible life and continues to expand. I feel incredibly lucky to have been a part of it."

In the way that "Network" would predict the ever-dramatic sway of broadcast news, another of Harper's pictures, a 1981 sequel to "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" eerily anticipated the rampant narcissism and exploitation of instant fame through reality TV and Instagram. In "Shock Treatment," she took over Susan Sarandon's role of Janet Majors, now a bored bride who's seduced by the spectacle of being on TV.

"It was ahead of its time, wasn't it?" It's a fun movie and I think the music in that movie is so good. I'm sorry it sort of got overlooked when it came out but it seems to also be having a nice cult following these days," Harper says.

As "The Crabby Cook Cookbook" scribe, she jokes that "Bitchin' in the Kitchen," a take-down of domestic bliss she sang with Cliff De Young, often comes to mind.

"Whenever I have to cook something that song pops into my mind," she jokes. "I have thought, 'This should be a TV series and that should be the theme song.'"

Talk on the remake, acting

In the '80s Harper starred alongside Steve Martin and Bernadette Peters in the ambitious, dramatic Depression-set "Pennies From Heaven;" Peter O'Toole in the wistful comedy "My Favorite Year;" and Dylan McDermott in "The Blue Iguana."

Often cast as an underestimated women with quiet strength, the actress says she sees herself in some of the characters she's brought to life.

"I don’t know exactly why I get the parts I get," she says. "But I do think I, personally, may look a little lost and vulnerable but I actually have a strong core. "Maybe that’s why I’ve been chosen for certain roles. I don’t exactly know but I think that’s a wonderful type of role."

Harper teases that she has an exciting upcoming television project. It remains as hush-hush as the horrors of "Suspiria."

'Very rare and lucky'

A mother of two daughters with studio executive Thomas Rothman, Harper authored a number of books and recorded albums for children through the '90s and noughties. Several songs can be heard in "Winnetka" between stories about her upbringing.

She says it's been exciting to see her films garner more attention through social media. Argento's film, especially, has re-entered the public consciousness as frightened film buffs return to it again and again for its style and flair.

Talk about a "Suspiria" remake floated for decades but Harper never took it seriously until Luca Guadagnino ("Call Me By Your Name," "I Am Love") was attached. His take, a vastly different re-imagining, adds further context and pathos to a turbulent Berlin.

"When I heard Luca Guadagnino was going to direct it I immediately thought it was going to happen and it would definitely be very interesting," she says. "I'm so lucky that Luca chose to make his own 'Suspiria' and invite me."

The film, released last year, stars Dakota Johnson in Harper's original role and Tilda Swinton working overtime as three characters, one of which Harper became acquainted with. The veteran actress worked alongside the shape-shifting Swinton (done up as an old German psychiatrist) in a love story that takes the audience out of the bewitched dance academy.

"It sort of feels like the beginning of my career and this new point are coming together in a circle connected by these two beautiful movies," Harper gushes. "It just seems like a very rare and lucky circumstance."

As for a "Winnetka" sequel, Harper said she enjoyed working in audio storytelling and is considering a reprisal. It's just a matter of deciding which era of her life to focus on.

'Winnetka'

Available at winnetkapodcast.com.