Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: R.I.P.: Maila "Vampira" Nurmi

This is topic R.I.P.: Maila "Vampira" Nurmi in forum Film-Yak at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Mark Ogden (Member # 43) on 01-11-2008, 07:14 PM:

Maila Nurmi, who appeared as the ghoul girl "Vampira" during the 1950s on Los Angeles television, and later in movies (most notably the indescribably bad Plan Nine From Outer Space) has died in Hollywood. She was the first true horror film host, and led the way for such as Zacherly, Ghoulardi, and others that were created by local stations to promote the old Universal "Shock Theatre" movie package. It seemed at one time that every town had one. In fact, the character of "Elvira" was created in the 80s by her old station, KHJ, when Nurmi balked at playing Vampira for them again. She actually sued Cassandra "Elvira" Peterson for ripping off her act, but didn't have the money to pay the legal fees to proceed. Another pioneer from a golden age of television gone . . . (You can catch a brief glimpse of her in the original 60's Chiller Theatre Opening Montage, familiar to all who grew up in the NY/LA areas in the sixties).

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Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 01-11-2008, 09:23 PM:

She'll be missed.

Though with that lawsuit against them creating "Elvira", it didn't really help her case that she testified that the character "Vampira" was based on the character "Morticia Addams."

Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 01-12-2008, 01:38 AM:

Oh, that's sad. I was just checking out her website and Myspace last week. She hung on fairly well over the years, all things considered.

She died peacefully in her sleep at home on Thursday (1/10), and had just turned 86 years old on 12/21.