Unless you have been living in a vacuum, you are well aware that we are in the midst of Halloween season in upstate New York. Fans of camp, ghouls, and gore love to watch Halloween specials this time of year.
If you grew up in the eighties, you may remember Elvira’s Movie Macabre series, which ran until 2014. This series features low-budget horror movies that Elvira frequently interrupted with her own humorous insights and criticisms.
Elvira’s success as a spooky TV personality still remains strong, even though the actress, Cassandra Peterson, is in her sixties. In the spirit of Halloween, let’s learn more about Cassandra Peterson and her fascinating TV alter ego.
Childhood
Born in Manhattan, Kansas in 1951, Cassandra Peterson severely burned her body as a toddler when she pulled a pan full of boiling eggs off of the stove. As a result, her body was badly scarred when she was a child, and her classmates made fun of her appearance.
Colorado Springs
When she was seven, her family moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado, a place she would later say is where “all freaks come from.” Here, her love for costumes and camp developed because her mother opened up a costume shop. Her mother frequently made costumes for Cassandra, and she would wear them to school all the time.
Dance Career
In high school, Peterson also developed a love for dancing, and she auditioned for a Las Vegas show when she was just 17. She got the part, and she had to convince her parents to sign paperwork allowing their underage daughter to dance at the Dunes Hotel in 1969.
Elvis
While dancing in the show, Vive Les Girls, Peterson met Elvis Presley and dated him briefly. Presley encouraged her to become a singer and move to Italy, and she followed suit. In Italy, she sang in an Italian pop band and acted in a small part in Federico Fellini’s 1972 movie, Roma.
Mama’s Boys
After a few years, Peterson returned to the states and starred in a nightclub act, Mama’s Boys. She also posed a few times for Playboy magazine.
Comedic Chops
In 1979, Peterson sharpened her comedic chops alongside Paul Reubens (Pee Wee Herman) and Phil Hartman when she joined the Groundlings improv troupe. Her improv experience would later come in handy while taping Movie Macabre.
Movie Macabre
When a local TV station was looking for a host for their B-rated horror movies, and Peterson auditioned alongside 200 other actresses. The producers wanted the host to have a likeness to Morticia Addams from The Addams Family, but with a fresh twist.
The Birth of Elvira
Robert Redding, Peterson’s close friend and makeup artist, created the aesthetic of Elvira, who resembled some kind of cross between a sexy vampire and a witch. Her tight black dress was very low cut and also included a very high slit in the front, which was quite revealing. She also wore a black beehive wig, which created a punk twist to the entire look.
Elvira’s Success
Due to her revealing costume and wry, sarcastic humor, Elvira became a success seemingly overnight. Soon, she was making frequent appearances on The Tonight Show and made a cameo on Saturday Night Live. In 1988, she co-wrote, starred in, and produced the movie, Elvira, Mistress of the Dark. In 2001, she produced and starred in the sequel, Elvira’s Haunted Hills.
Elvira Products
Not only was the show a success, but a variety of different products sold over the years under Elvira’s name. Some of these products included action figures, model kits, perfumes, costumes, theme park rides, Halloween costumes and a micro-brew beer.
Elvira Franchise
Peterson began searching for a younger actress to replace her as Elvira in the 2007 reality show, The Search for the New Elvira. As Peterson grew older, she considered passing the torch, so to speak. However, even in her sixties, Peterson herself is still acting the part of Elvira.
When She’s Not Elvira
Although Peterson is fully booked as Elvira in the month of October, she runs her own production company the rest of the year. Licensing and marketing the Elvira brand is a full-time job, but one that Peterson embraces.
The last thing you want to happen while watching Movie Macabre or Elvira, Mistress of the Dark is for your propane supply to run out. If you’re one of the many homes in upstate New York fueled by propane, you could be out of hot water or heat, and that’s as scary as any horror movie.
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