Hot & Horrifying: The First Ladies Of Horror (1) Hot & Horrifying: The 1st Ladies of Horror / By David Byron Hot & Horrifying: The 1st Ladies of Horror / By David Byron Produced by NVF Film Productions http://wickedkittyproductions.webs.com 911 Nicholas Vincennes , Indiana 47591 www.freewebs.com/nvhmag1 Acknowledgments: Edited by David Byron & Nicole Kruex Book cover design by Nicole Kruex Rachel Grubb photos: Sailor Girl / photo by Joshua Lemon Bloody Prom Dress / photo by Heidi Shubb Liz Adams Photo by Matthew A Cooke Contents: Scream Queen Overview Comments Interviews 1st Ladies profiles Tribute to Brinke Stevens Afterword / by Iron Dave Nicole Kruex � star of Zen: Hunter and Funland Rachel Grubb / star of Terror Overload and 13 Hours In A Warehouse Chainsaw Sally Star and co-creator April Burril Michelle Tomlinson / Star of The Cellar Door & Brain Dead Writer/Director Michelle Fatale Denise Gossett/ Star of Decaying Orbit and festival Director of Shriekfest Shannon Lark/ Actress of Walking Distance and CEO of Chainsaw Mafia Liz Adams / Director of Side Effect Scarlet Salem/ Star of Terror Overload & Killer Biker Chicks FX artist Megan Areford Elaine Lamkin / Writer/interviewer/ Dread Central Dai Green- columnist for Horrornews.net Melanie Robel / star of Alien Vengeance Julie Anne � star of Slices Maureen ''Mo'' Whelan / Producer and star of Client 14 Teri McMinn / star of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Teresa Fahs / Director, FX artist Judy Cerda / star of The Forbidden Island Brooke Lewis/ Owner Philly Chick Pictures/Actress/Producer/Ms.Vampy/KinkyKillers/iMurders Actress/model Mikki Lawless Lillith Stabs / star of Vampire Call Girls and Bad Movie Police The Lonely Ones star Devanny Pinn Suzi Lorraine /Gorezone Magazine columnist and star and co-producer of "Won Ton Baby!". Debbie Rochon / host of Fangoria Radio on Sirius/XM and star of over a hundred horror films including COLOUR FROM THE DARK and AMERICAN NIGHTMARE. Zoe Chlanda / star of Cynthia's Revenge Cyndi Crotts / actress of Slip Of the Tongue Lissa Slasher / star of His Name Was Jason Albino Farm star / Bianca Barnett Tara Cardinal / star of Legend Of the Red Reaper Victoria DeMare / star of Werewolf In A Women's Prison Monique Dupree / star of Bachelor Party In the Bungalow Of the Damned Hot & Horrifying: A Scream Queen Overview Hollywood 'Scream Queens' have been around since Mary Philbin, Brigitte Helm and Theda Bara captivated silent screen audiences in the 1920s. When Helen Chandler screeched and swooned into the arms of Bela Lugosi in 'Dracula'(1931) - the first sound horror film - a new era of scream queens was born. And in every decade since, they have found new ways to fire our imagination and keep us coming back for more. The scream genre developed in the 1920s through the science fiction era of the 1950s. But in the decades that followed, a new generation of screamers emerged. And, like their predecessors, autograph material for these queens of horror is available in a wide range of formats and prices. The 1960s: Genesis of the Modern Scream Queen The modern scream queen - a woman just as comfortable screaming as making others scream, slammed onto the screen in the Italian-made Black Sundqy (1960). Her name: Barbara Steele. She was the first woman to become a horror star in her own right, ranking with the greatest of the Titans of Terror, until then an all-male bastion. Steele started a cult craze that horror film producers exploited all over the globe. A British journalist explained Steele's attraction: "She is the only girl in films whose eyelids snarl." Following Black Sunday, the British-born Steele starred in The Pit and the Pendulum (1961), Castle of Blood (1962), Nightmare Castle (1965), The Long Hair of Death (1967) and Curse of the Crimson Altar (1968). With her exotic beauty, large dark eyes and cold laugh, Steele's screen persona oozed fear and seductiveness. As close to a "Scream Goddess" as one can get, Steele is a must for collectors of horror autographs. Unfortunately, her signature is not common, and a SP can command $75 or more. A very private person, she seldom responds to mail requests. Your best bet is to search dealer catalogs. One scream queen that readers might overlook is the stuffed corpse of Norman Bates' mother in the Alfred Hitchcock photo-slasher flick, Psycho (1960) - a truly disturbing film, even by today's standards. Janet Leigh and Vera Miles may come to mind first for the film (both have gladly signed through the mail), but it's "Mother" - as voiced by Jeanette Nolan, Virginia Gregg and Paul Jasmin - who rules the set as one of the most evil characters ever to haunt the screen. Gregg also gave voice to "Mother" in two sequels, Psycho II (1982) and Psycho III (1983). For the final chapter of the Bates saga, Psycho IV: The Beginning (1990), British actress Olivia Hussey played Norma Bates with maniacal gusto. Across the Atlantic, Hammer Films continued to give us scream queens in Barbara Shelley, Raquel Welch, Ursula Andress (as She in 1965), Veronica Carlson and Linda Hayden. Most of these ladies are excellent signers and will oblige requests through the mail. The '60s also saw many veteran actresses re-making themselves as scream queens, most importantly Bette Davis in Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962) and Hush Hush ... Sweet Charlotte (1965), and Joan Crawford in Strait- Jacket (1964). Both of these stars' signatures are available in various formats and prices. Finally, like many a young boy in the late '60s, I would often rush home from school to turn on America's favorite Gothic soap opera, Dark Shadows. On my mind and breathless puppy love imaginings was actress Lara Parker, or even better, her evil witch-vampiress Angelique. Parker was the scream queen of television at that time. She may not have had as rabid a following as Barnabas, the 200-year-old vampire played by Jonathan Frid, but guys adored her ... from a safe distance, of course! Lara makes frequent guest appearances at conventions and Dark Shadows reunions. She is just as beautiful in person, and a beautiful signer as well! The 70s: Carry-on Screaming!
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