Elvira
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- For other uses, see Elvira (disambiguation).
Cassandra Peterson (born September 17, 1951) is better known for her on-screen persona "Elvira, Mistress of the Dark". She gained fame on Los Angeles television station KHJ wearing a black, gothic, cleavage-enhancing gown as host of Movie Macabre, a weekly horror movie presentation. Her wicked vampish appearance was offset by her comical character, quick witted personality and most of all talking like a Valley girl.
As of 2006, Peterson has announced her intent to retire her role (see below).
Early life
Although born in Manhattan, Kansas, Peterson grew up in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and graduated from General William J. Palmer High School in 1967. Just days after that, she became a showgirl at The Dunes in Las Vegas, Nevada, at age 16, where she lost her virginity to Tom Jones, an incident she would relate in later years with much embarassment. According to Peterson she required many stitches to repair the damages the next day. In Italy, she was the lead singer in a rock band and a chance encounter with Federico Fellini led to a small part in Roma (1972). Back in the U.S., she joined the Los Angeles-based improvisational troupe The Groundlings where she would eventually create the character which would soon become known as Elvira.
Creation of Elvira
Shortly after her marriage to Mark Pierson in 1981, she created the character Elvira with close friend Robert Redding after a successful audition to be a horror movie show [host]ess and was one of the first such hosts to be nationally syndicated. One of the first successful horror hostesses, Vampira (Maila Nurmi), later unsuccessfully sued Peterson over copyright infringement. Nurmi failed to appear in court and the case was thrown out.From 1982 through 2000 she was the most successfull headliner at the annual Halloween Haunt event at Knotts Berry Farm.
In 1986, Elvira served as a guest commentator at the Los Angeles portion of WrestleMania 2.
In 1988, Peterson starred as her flirtatious creation opposite Edie McClurg and William Morgan Sheppard in the comedy: Elvira, Mistress of the Dark. Because of financial difficulties with the studio New World Pictures the movie was only released to a small amount of theaters. The movie ranked #1 on BillBoard's Home Video Rental charts for a number of years following.
In 1995, she narrated "The Ketchup Vampires", an animated movie about vampires who drank ketchup rather than blood.
Elvira has become a symbol of Halloween, and owns the trademark to her wig and costume. Many seasonal cosmetics and costume products also carry the Elvira brand. She also sang "Monster Rap" and "Haunted House" on the Elvira's Monster Hits album.
In addition, Elvira even marketed her own perfume called Evil and her own dark lager Elvira's Night Brew. She also appeared in a number of beer commercials.
Elvira also featured in three computer games developed by Accolade and Flair Software and a pinball game, as well as several comic book series. Marvel published an adaptation of her first film, while DC Comics published a short-lived Elvira's House of Mystery series featuring Elvira as a host similar to the EC Comics Crypt Keeper. The most successful Elvira comic series, however, has been the comedy/adventure Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, published by Claypool Comics since 1993.
She has been parodied in The Simpsons as movie hostess Boobarella.
The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy also feature an obvious tribute in the form of Grim's favourite TV host, Atrocia.
Recent Years
Peterson makes brief appearances (both as herself and as Elvira) on I Love the 80s 3-D on VH1. She is a supporter of animal rights and an active member of PETA. [link]
In 2005, Peterson (as Elvira) hosted a show on Australian-based cable TV channel TV1; the format was similar to her old show.
During the weekend of January 13, 2006, Peterson held an estate sale at her Hollywood Hills home which constituted many household, personal and movie memorabilia items. The estate sale was due to a move she will eventually be making up to a new residence in the Santa Barbara area of California.
On April 19, 2006, Peterson announced her intention to retire as Elvira, and that she would be seeking a successor for the role, via a reality TV program.[link]
See also
- Elvira, Mistress of the Dark (1988 film)
- Elvira's Haunted Hills (2001 film)
- Halloween traditions
- John Zacherle
- Maila Nurmi
- Pinball Jam - An Atari Lynx game featuring an Elvira and the Party Monsters table
- List of computer and video games with female protagonists
External links
- [Official web page]
- [Ultimate Elvira Fan Site]
- [Claypool Comics]
- [HorrorHosts.com]
- [Elvira Holloween Treats]
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