Leading Lady & Horror Movie Hostess - Elvira Mistress Of The Dark
Elvira was born Cassandra Peterson at Manhattan, Kansas in 1949 and was raised in Colorado Springs, Colo.
She was a fan of Ann Margaret and after seeing her in Viva Las Vegas Ms. Peterson travelled to that city where she became the youngest showgirl in history.
When Elvis Presley met her he encouraged her to become a singer. After this recommendation from Elvis she toured Europe as the lead singer for an Italian rock group. She then settled in Italy where she met Federico Fellini who cast her in a small part in the film Roma.
Ms. Peterson returned to America and formed her own nightclub review. In the late 1970's she joined the satirical troupe named The Groundlings.
She then worked in comedy as a writer and performed and appeared in several movies.
However, her fame was made with the birth of her character Elvira in 1981.
She has become "a vamp for all seasons."
Maila Numi, the original Vampira sued her unsuccessfully claiming that she had stolen her act.
Some of the films of Cassandra Peterson were:
Roma (1972) In An Uncredited Role
The Working Girls (1974) as Katya
Cheech And Chong's Next Movie (1980) as Hostage
Coast To Coast (1980) as Dinner Party Guest
King Of The Mountain (1981) as A Neighbor
Jeckyll And Hyde- Together Again (1982) as Nurse
The Sting II (1983) as O'Malley's Girl
Stroker Ace (1983) as Girl With Lugs
Balboa (1983) as Angie Stoddard
Last Of The Great Survivors (1984-TV) as Elvira
Get Out Of My Room (1985) as Elvira
Pee Wee's Big Adventure (1985) as Biker Mama
Echo Park (1986) as Sheri
Elvira's Halloween Special (1986-TV) as Elvira
Allan Quartermain And The Lost City Of Gold (1986) as Sorals
Elvira Mistress Of The Dark (1988) as Elvira
Ted And Venus (1990) as Lisa
The Ketchup Vampires (1992) as Elvira
Ring Of The Musketeers (1992-TV) as Jennifer
Acting On Impulse (1993-TV) as Roxy
Attack Of The Killer-B Movies (1995-TV) as Elvira
It's My Party (1996) as Party Guest
Elvira's Haunted Hills (2001) as Elvira/ Lady Elura Hellsubus
Scares And Dares (2001-TV) as Elvira
Red Riding Hood (2006) as Hunter's Mon
All About Evil (2010) as Linda
Bruno And Earlene Go To Vegas (2013) as Artie Duke
First Period (2013) as Ms. Glenn
Ms. Peterson has appeared on television in such programs as Flying High, Happy Days, Open All Night, Harper Valley PTA, CHips, Alice, St. Elsewhere, Fantasy Island, The Fall Guy, Saturday Night Live, Just Say Julie, On The Television, Totally Hidden Video, Heavy Metal Heaven, Strange Universe, Space Ghost Coast To Coast, The Anti-Gravity Room, Nash Bridges, The Ru Paul Show, The Girl Next Door, Medium, Last Man Standing, The Marilyn Denis Show and Written By A Kid.
She has been associated with the following TV series:
Movie Macabre (1981-1985) as Elvira
Elvira's Thriller Theater (1989-1990) as Elvira
The Elvira Show (1993) as Elvira, Mistress Of The Dark
The Search For The Next Elvira (2007) as Elvira
Elvira's Movie Macabre (2011-2011) as Elvira
13 Nights Of Elvira (2014) as Elvira
From 2013 to 2015 she worked on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles TV series as the voice of The Computer and Mrs. Campbell.
Ms. Peterson was married to her manager Mark Pierson from 1981 until 2003 when the couple divorced.
In 2012 Ms.Peterson became an investor in Comikazee Entertainment, Inc which hosts one of the largest pop culture conventions in the U. S. She and Stan Lee of Marvel Comics, who is a fellow investor, were guests of honor at the inaugural Comikaze Expo in 2011.
She has also appeared in several comic books from DC Comics, Eclipse Comics and Claypool Comics. Elvia, Mistress Of The Dark comics were first distributed by Eclipse Comics and then by Claypool Comiscs. The series ran for 166 issues as well as two trade paperback editions.
I have enjoyed Elvira ( Ms. Peterson) on her various TV shows as well as the films Elvira Mistress Of The Dark, Allan Quartermain And The Lost City Of Gold and Elvira's Haunted Hills.
I didn't know that she appeared in as many films as I have listed and will have to check them out, especially when she appeared not as Elvira.
Louie The Movie Buff