In her youth, Cassandra Peterson dreamed of connecting her life with music, but fate decreed otherwise. The actress remembered the audience thanks to the role of Elvira, the lady of the night. She can be seen in many rating television projects, for example, “The Last Real Man”, “Detective Nash Bridges”, “Without a Face”, “Neighbor”. Peterson gives preference to horror and dramas, but sometimes starred in comedies. What else can you tell about the American?
Cassandra Peterson: The Start
The performer of the role of the mysterious Elvira was born in Kansas, this happened in September 1951. Cassandra Peterson was born in an ordinary family, her parents were not related to the world of cinema. The girl’s childhood passed in Colorado Springs, she graduated from school in 1969.
Kassandra was fond of dancing, when she was still a child, in her teens, worked as a dancer in a bar. After graduation, the future star moved to Las Vegas, because she did not see any prospects for herself in her native city. Soon she got a job at The Dunes Casino, taking on the role of show girls. The name Peterson was immortalized in the Guinness Book of Records, as she became the youngest dancer in Vegas history.
First successes
In her youth, Cassandra Peterson was delighted with the work of the singer Ann-Margret. This woman became famous thanks to joint concerts with Elvis Presley, was even awarded the nickname "Elvis in a female form." It is not surprising that at first the future performer of the role of the gothic lady Elvira was thinking about a musical career.
In the early 70s, Peterson moved to Italy, became the vocalist of the rock band I Latins Ochanats. As a singer, the girl did not achieve much success, which made her pay attention to cinema. Cassandra played her first role in the film “Diamonds Forever”, which is another story about the adventures of James Bond. She appeared in the episode, playing a dancer, her name does not even appear in the credits. In 1972, the future star met the director Fellini, who entrusted her with a small role in his film "Rome." The name of the beginning actress did not get into the credits again, however, Cassandra continued to believe in herself.
From obscurity to fame
Only in 1974, Cassandra Peterson managed to attract public attention. The actress played a small role in the film "Girls at Work", her heroine appeared in one episode, but the audience was remembered for the fact that she was without clothes. Further, Kassandra became the host of her own pop show, which was called "Mama's Sons." The project gave her the first fans, but the real glory was still ahead.
The image of Elvira, who made the actress famous, was born in 1981. This happened thanks to the show Movie Vacabre, the host of which she became. Cassandra appeared before the audience in the image of a mysterious lady, dressed in a black outfit with a deep neckline. Her heroine was distinguished by a peculiar sense of humor, which quickly found her fans. The presenter's style was borrowed from Mayla Nurmi, who sued her several times because of this.
In 1985, the actress released a series of cassettes and took on the role of leading the Thriller Theater. In this show, the classic failed 50s films that Peterson ruthlessly dealt with were in the spotlight.
Elvira
In 1988, Kassandra Peterson waited for her second high point. The biography of the actress suggests that she again managed to attract public attention thanks to the picture "Elvira: Lady of Darkness." The tape failed at the box office, but was in high demand as a home video. Almost immediately after that, the Marvel company began adapting the story in the form of a comic strip.
“The Arsenio Hall Show”, “Just Tell Julie”, “Parker Lewis Is Not Lost”, “Space Ghost”, “Hollywood Quarters” - the actress played the role of her famous heroine again and again. Calendars, books, postcards on which it was depicted were in great demand.
Cassandra released her own line of spirits, called Evil, opened her own "House of Nightmares" in Atlanta. Then she starred in the movie "Elvira: Lady of Darkness 2".
What else to see?
Of course, the actress over the years of work was not only the exploitation of a vivid image. She can be seen in film projects and series that are not related to Elvira. In which particular films did Cassandra Peterson star? The films “For the First Time”, “How to Conquer Vegas”, “Little Red Riding Hood”, “Meetings in the Third Dimension”, “Echo Park”, “Scam 2” were released in different years.
Also, the star of American cinema can be seen in the series "Nash Bridges", "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles", "High Flight", "Fantasy Island".
Personal life
Kassandra has been divorced for many years. The actress was married to her colleague Mark Pearson, the reasons for their separation remained behind the scenes. The star does not regret the time spent on this union, because thanks to this, her only daughter Sadie was born.
This concludes the story of such a bright woman as Cassandra Peterson. Photos of the celebrity can be seen in the article.