When did The Vampira Show start on TV?
The Vampira Show was a hosted horror movie show, with Vampira played by Maila Nurmi. It aired on KABC-TV Channel 7, Los Angeles, California (USA) between 30 April 1954 until 2 April 1955. The movies included classic horror, crime, and detective stories.
Who was the first TV host to be a vampire?
Nurmi, in her sexy vampire costume, was a walking gimmick. Premiering on April 30, 1954, Dig Me Later, Vampira was a truly groundbreaking television show. Prior to Nurmi’s show, no one had ever commented about bad movies, or stopped films to make jokes at the expense of the poor production.
Is the movie Vampira on a kinescope?
Scenes from the kinescope film were featured in the 1995 Finnish documentary about Nurmi, About Sex, Death and Taxes, and in the 2006 film Vampira: The Movie . In 2007, the kinescope film of Nurmi in character was restored by Rerunmedia, whose previous work includes restoring footage from The Ed Sullivan Show and Dark Shadows.
Who was Cassandra Peterson in the Vampira Show?
When Nurmi quit the project, a new character, Elvira (portrayed by Cassandra Peterson), replaced her. By 1982, Elvira’s Movie Macabre was syndicated in over 80 markets across the United States. Nurmi later sued Peterson for copying the Vampira persona. However, the case was dismissed.
Where did the character of Vampira come from?
Vampira’s personality was based on elements of several silent film actresses including Theda Bara and Gloria Swanson. The Vampira character was influenced by the Evil Queen from Walt Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and from the Dragon Lady character in the Terry and the Pirates comic strip.
Who was the hostess on the Vampira Show?
The show and its hostess were an instant success and led to Nurmi’s appearance on numerous 1950s television shows including The Red Skelton Show and Ed Sullivan’s Toast of the Town.