Friday, April 15, 2016

#29 Linda Harrison *

* - author has her autograph

 Linda Harrison will probably always be remembered as the cute, mute love interest in the Planet of the Ape series. She did, however, have at least 12 other movie and TV credits – and some of those with actual speaking parts!

 I’m sorry – that was very catty. Linda is an incredibly beautiful woman, is also in one of my favorite movies of all time, and happens to be a very nice person. Check her out on her website and on the convention circuit.


 Embarrassing Real Birthplace:  Berlin (MD)

 Cheesy Pageant Titles
  • Fire House Queen
  • Miss Berlin (MD)
  • Miss Worcester County
  • Miss Ocean City
  • Miss Del-Mar-Va

Embarrassing Movies
  • Airport 1975
  • Way … Way Out
  • Death Squad
  • The Fat Spy *
  • Midnight Massacre
*- author has seen

Embarrassing Taglines
  • Something hit us... The crew is dead... Help us, please, please help us!
  • You'll be sorry you were ever born human
  • Hunted . . . haunted . . . wanted . . . like beasts of prey!
  • It's a killer ... a Diller ... a blast of laffs!


 Embarrassing Characters
  • Cheerleader
  • Madam
  • Miss Stardust
  • Woman in Cart
  • Quinia Brutus

Interesting Tidbits
  • Her family owned what was at one time the largest fruit tree nursery business in the U.S.
  • Won first prize in the Delmarva Chicken Festival Talent Contest, at age 11
  • Was fourth runner-up in the Miss America contest in 1965
  • Was the first TV Wonder Woman (in a 1967 pilot)
  • Appeared under the name Augusta Summerland, in Airport 75
  • Along with Charlton Heston, was the only actor to appear in the original (1968) and remake (2001) of Planet of the Apes
  • Is currently filming again after a hiatus of 15 years

Where can I learn more?



<#30          #28>
Posted by at No comments:

Saturday, April 9, 2016

#30 Carroll Baker

A typical ‘50s platinum blonde, Carrol Baker combined a classic B movie persona with some serious acting chops. In fact, she had an Academy Award nomination and won a Golden Globe (though both for the dreadful Southern Gothic Baby Doll). On the other hand, Baker also starred in some serious B’s, especially after she moved to Italy late in her career. She was known for being something of an exhibitionist and also as notoriously hard to work with and litigious.


 Embarrassing Real Name:  Karolina Piekarski

 Embarrassing Real Birthplace:  Johnstown, PA

 Cheesy Pageant Titles
  • Miss Florida Fruits and Vegetables
  • Worst Actress of the Year, Harvard Lampoon
  • Lifetime Achievement Award, Hoboken International Film Festival

Embarrassing Movies
  • Skeletons
  • Bloodbath
  • Deathwork (AKA Captain Apache)
  • Orgasm (AKA PARANOIA)
  • Hitler’s SS: Portrait of Evil
  • Kindergarten Cop

Embarrassing Taglines
  • Thelma and Louise meet Rocky!
  • One Woman Alone with Five Lusty Men
  • PARANOIA sucks you into a whirlpool of erotic love!

Embarrassing Characters
  • Viva
  • Treasure
  • Mama Freud
  • Polly Pott
  • Baba Yaga, Devil Witch

Number of Marriages:  3


 Shortest Marriage:  1 year

 Unlikely Spouses & Boyfriends:  Prince Carlo Borromeo

 Whiffs of Scandal
  • Rape victim
  • At 21, married a man 33 years her senior
  • Controversial roles as nymphos, rape victims, etc.
  • Well-known for extremely revealing dress
  • Appeared semi-nude in Playboy (and then later sued them)
  • Nervous breakdowns
  • Skin flicks

Interesting Tidbits
  • Debuted as a tap dancer at the local Lions Club
  • Assistant to the Great Volta, a magician
  • Weather girl for Channel 9 in NYC
  • Convert to Judaism
  • Was in Andy Warhol’s Bad
  • Author of 3 books

Where can I learn more?


Nice, uh, whatever it is


<#31          #29>
Posted by at 1 comment:

Friday, April 1, 2016

#31 Joi Lansing

The stereotypical '50s blonde bombshell, Joi Lansing extended her shtick into the '60s and even the '70s. Not a bad actress, she ended her career just over 100 credits (albeit with many of those in TV). Joi was also a decent singer, and had a popular nightclub act. You have to check out her "Scopitones" – '60s version of music videos – on YouTube.


 Embarrassing Real Name
  • Joy Brown
  • Joyce Wassmansdorff  (her stepfather’s name)

Embarrassing Real Birthplace:  Salt Lake City

 Cheesy Pageant Titles
  • Miss Hollywood
  • Miss Armed Forces Day of the World
  • Queen of Candy

Embarrassing Movies
  • So, You’re Taking in a Roomer
  • Hot Cars *
  • Bigfoot *
  • Terror at Midnight
  • Queen of Outer Space *
  • Hillbillies in a Haunted Mansion *
* - author has seen

Embarrassing Taglines
  • Violence! Guilt! Drama! 
  • The Screen's Spectacular Inferno of the Battle for Civilization!
  • A Stop-at-Nothing Blonde ... A Buck-Hungry Guy ... A Red-Hot Racket ... Slam the Screen Head-On!
  • America's abominable snowman ... breeds with anything!
  • SEE! War of the planets! Astounding she-beasts of Venus!

Embarrassing Characters
  • Blonde in Bar
  • Blonde Bathing Beauty
  • Blonde Babysitter
  • Blonde Roomer
  • Blonde Getting Ticket
  • The Blonde

 Number of Marriages:  4

 Shortest Marriage:  4 months

 Unlikely Spouses & Boyfriends
  • Lance Fuller (Ed Wood favorite)
  • George Raft
  • George Jessel
  • Frank Sinatra
  • Howard Hughes
  • Mickey Rooney

Whiffs of Scandal:  
  • First marriage at age 17
  • Second marriage was to someone who was not yet divorced
  • Possible lesbian affair

Untimely Demise:  43, of breast cancer

 Interesting Tidbits
  • Signed at MGM at age 14
  • Devout Mormon
  • Referred to as the "Marilyn Monroe of television"
  • Never posed nude
  • Early devotee of yoga

Where can I learn more?

Nice hat


<#32          #30>
Posted by at No comments:

Friday, March 25, 2016

#32 Karin Dor

Karin Dor was a German actress who specialized in Westerns. Yes, you heard that right. Now, let me explain …

 Germany’s most popular author of all time is one Karl May (pronounced “my”). And his most popular genre just so happens to be westerns. No, he never actually lived in the American West. Yes, he pretty much made everything up on the fly. And, indeed, his stuff tends to be rather fantastic.

 That said, there is no shortage of German movies based on May’s tales – with several of them featuring our Karin. She also did a number of Edgar Wallace stories (he’s often considered the father of the modern thriller), was in a Dr. Mabuse flick, and was a Bond girl as well.


 Odd Real Name:  Katherose Derr

 Embarrassing Movies
  • The Valley of Death
  • The Face of Fu Manchu
  • The Monsters of Terror *
  • The Carpet of Horror
  • The Torture Chamber of Dr. Sadism  *
* - author has seen

Embarrassing Taglines
  • They spread a reign of terror from the badlands of Oklahoma to the hell-hills of the Dakotas!
  • Obey Fu Manchu or Every Living Thing Will Die!
  • June is busting out all over! In COLOR plus the new depth perception... it puts a girl in your lap!
  • A mature person's trip through the ultimate in horrific wickedness
  • Indian Gold! Blood-Red Fury! Lake of Terror! Battle of Vengeance!


 Embarrassing Characters
  • Manina
  • Pepita
  • Brunhilde
  • Helga Heidebrink

Number of Marriages:  3

 Shortest Marriage:  2 years

 Whiffs of Scandal
  • Married to a 45-year old when she was 16
  • Substance abuse

Where can I learn more?


Honestly, I have no idea


<#33          #31>

Posted by at No comments:

Friday, March 18, 2016

#33 Veronica Carlson *

* - author has her autograph

 Veronica Carlson was the classic “English rose” – a fresh, blonde, buxom, pale-skinned beauty. As such, she fit the formula for a Hammer victim to a T. 

 Unfortunately, though, Veronica’s career was rather short, lasting only eight years, and with only three Hammer flicks among her 20 credits. She retired at age 30 and eventually moved to the U.S. (she currently lives in South Carolina). She keeps herself busy these days with painting and is also popular on the convention circuit. And she still looks unbelievable today.


 Real Name:  Veronica Glazer

 Embarrassing Movies
  • The Horror of Frankenstein
  • Dracula Has Risen from the Grave
  • Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed
  • Pussycat, Pussycat, I Love You

Embarrassing Taglines
  • Step Right Up! The Freakmaster will scare the very life out of you!
  • ALL NEW AND ALL TOO TERRIFYING! THE MOST FRIGHTENING 'FRANKENSTEIN' MOVIE EVER FILMED!
  • Inflamed with his Vampire thirst for blood and evil and beautiful girls.

Embarrassing Characters
  • Ulla
  • Ritva
  • Tall Blonde
  • Revolutionary


 Interesting Tidbits
  • Got her first modeling job because she knew judo
  • Was discovered in a newspaper ad by the head of Hammer
  • Was a genuine Hammer fan before starring in their movies
  • Was the only female lead to play opposite Christopher Lee's Dracula and Peter Cushing’s Dr. Frankenstein
  • Refused to appear nude, which may have had something to do with her early retirement
  • Has been married to the same guy for over 40 years

Where can I learn more?


Veronica and friend

<#34          #32>
Posted by at No comments:

Friday, March 11, 2016

#34 Margaret Lee

Though British-born, Margaret Lee moved to Italy before her first picture. There, she did sword and sandal epics, eurospy flicks, giallos, and a surprising amount of Italian TV. She would eventually move to the US, but she always seemed much more a continental presence than an Anglo-Saxon one.


 Embarrassing Real Name:  Margaret Box

 Embarrassing Real Birthplace:  Wolverhampton 

 Embarrassing Movies
  • Agent 077: From the Orient with Fury
  • Asylum Erotica
  • Colossus of the Stone Age
  • Night of the Blood Dragon
  • Secret Agent Superdragon *
  • The Twelve-Handed Men of Mars
  • Fire Monsters Against the Son of Hercules
  • The Tiger Sprays Himself with Dynamite
  • Excuse Me, Padre, Are You Horny?
* - author has seen

Embarrassing Taglines
  • A Masterpiece of Supernatural Sex
  • Mad menace in Rio! Wow women & Pow action! 
  • Sizzling kisses and swinging adventure! The ultimate weapon! The ultimate plot! Watch out for everything!

Embarrassing Characters
  • Lady Lister
  • Fanny Fonseca
  • Baby Eva
  • Sayonara


 Whiffs of Scandal:  Nude scenes

 Interesting Tidbits
  • Also the name of a contemporary US artist, 60s tennis star, Singaporean actress, and Hong Kong actress
  • Co-starred with Klaus Kinski in 12 films
  • Was Marilyn Monroe’s double in Something’s Got to Give
  • Has two sons in the film industry

Where can I learn more?

Oopsies!


<#35          #33>
Posted by at No comments:

Friday, March 4, 2016

#35 Shirley Eaton

Shirley Eaton will always be remembered for getting painted in gold and then expiring on James Bond’s bed. If you’re a real Bond fan like me, you may have a hard time understanding that she was actually in a number of other movies (primarily comedies, by the way) and had an acting career that spanned almost 20 years.

 Shirley’s Wikipedia article notes that “she was considered a sex symbol in the 1960s.” In other late-breaking news, Wikipedia also announced that the pope is, indeed, a Catholic and that bears have actually been spotted going number two in certain sylvan settings.


 Embarrassing Movies
  • Dentist on the Job (yup, the thing that begins Monty Python and the Holy Grail)
  • The Million Eyes of Sumaru *
  • The Blood of Fu Manchu
  • The Naked Brigade
* - author has seen


Embarrassing Taglines
  • Trapped in the quicksand of love...Caught up in a nightmare of murder and intrigue!
  • Terrific... Shocking... Scandalous...
  • LUSCIOUS LIPS - Lethal in their biting sting of death!
  • SHE is the most SADISTIC...DIABOLICAL...WOMAN WHO EVER LIVED!

Embarrassing Characters
  • Deirdre Proudfoot
  • Millicent Groaker
  • Sophie Clutterbuck
  • Angel Dream
  • Black Widow

 Interesting Tidbits
  • First appearance on stage at 12, TV at 14, and the big screen at 17
  • Trained in ballet and voice
  • Appeared in Goldfinger for only five minutes, with her death coming at minute 16
  • Has actually worked with two Bonds, Connery and Moore (on The Saint, for the latter)
  • Gave it all up to be a mom at age 32
  • Also paints and sculpts and has published a book of poetry
  • Got painted in gold again, at age 78, to mark the 50th anniversary of Goldfinger
  • You cannot suffocate from being covered in paint (Snopes)

Where can I learn more?


"He [makeup artist Paul Rabiger] was as impersonal
about gilding me as if he was painting a barn."

<#36          #34>


Posted by at No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)