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1-12 of 12
- Actress
- Writer
Best known as Hammer Films' most seductive female vampire of the early 1970s, the Polish-born Pitt possessed dark, alluring features and a sexy figure that made her just right for Gothic horror! Ingrid Pitt (born Ingoushka Petrov) survived World War II and became a well-known actress on the East Berlin stage, however, she did not appear on screen until well into her twenties. She appeared in several minor roles in Spanish films in the mid 1960s, mostly uncredited, before landing the supporting role of undercover agent "Heidi", assisting Clint Eastwood and Richard Burton defeat the Third Reich in Where Eagles Dare (1968).
Her exotic looks and eastern European accent came to the notice of Hammer executives who cast Pitt as vampiress "Mircalla" in the sensual horror thriller The Vampire Lovers (1970). The film was a box office success with its blend of horror and sexual overtones, and Pitt was a beautiful, yet ferocious bloodsucker. Next up, Pitt was cast by Amicus Productions as another gorgeous vampire in the episode entitled "The Cloak" in the superb The House That Dripped Blood (1971). This time, Ingrid played an actress appearing in horror films alongside screen vampire Jon Pertwee, but then later reveals herself to be a real vampire keen on recruiting fresh blood.
Ingrid donned the fangs for her third vampire film in a row, Countess Dracula (1971) which was loosely based around the legend of the 16th century bloodthirsty Countess Elizabeth Bathory. Whilst not as successful, as the two prior outings, Ingrid Pitt had firmly established herself as one of the key ladies of British horror of the 1970s. She then appeared in the underrated at the time - now widely regarded as a classic - The Wicker Man (1973) as an uncooperative civil servant annoying Edward Woodward in his search for a missing child. Further work followed in The Final Option (1982), as "Elvira" in the adaptation of the John le Carré Cold War thriller Smiley's People (1982), Wild Geese II (1985) and The Asylum (2000).
Ingrid Pitt made regular appearances at horror conventions and fan gatherings, had penned several books on her horror career, and she relished talking to fans about her on screen vampiric exploits. Ingrid's fan club is known as the "Pitt of Horror"! A much loved and genuine cult figure of modern horror cinema, she died on November 23, 2010, just two days after her 73rd birthday.- Vanessa Howard was born on 10 October 1948 in Worthing, Sussex, England, UK. She was an actress, known for Girly (1970), Some Girls Do (1969) and The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer (1970). She was married to Robert Chartoff. She died on 23 November 2010 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Actress
- Writer
Born in London, England on February 28, 1922, the very lovely and light-haired British actress Joyce Howard left school at age 17 and initially studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). One of her first professional starring roles was in the play "Temporary Residence" at the Embassy Theatre in London.
Howard's first film was as a second female lead opposite Derek Farr in the propaganda war drama The Voice in the Night (1941) (aka A Voice in the Night) directed by Anthony Asquith and starring Clive Brook and Diana Wynyard. She then went on to appear in a number of WWII-era films, including noteworthy supports in the working class drama Love on the Dole (1941), The Common Touch (1941) (as another love interest), and the Arthur Askey comedy Back-Room Boy (1942), before co-starring opposite James Mason in the mystery thriller Terror House (1942) (aka Terror House). Their pairing proved so compatible that they were signed up again to co-star in another effective mystery thriller They Met in the Dark (1943).
During WWII, Joyce continued to co-star in a host of London stage plays, including "Romeo and Juliet" at the Old Vic. Following the war, Joyce made a return to films with lead and second lead roles in They Knew Mr. Knight (1946), Woman to Woman (1947) opposite Douglass Montgomery, Mrs. Fitzherbert (1947) (in the title role with Peter Graves starring as the Prince of Wales), and her final movie Shadow of the Past (1950) earning top billing as the "Lady in Black."
Save for a few TV roles in the late 1950s, Howard pretty much abandoned her acting career following her marriage to actor Basil Sydney and the raising of their three children. Instead she extended her talents off camera to that of author, novelist and playwright. She first worked in the writing field with such plays as the BBC-produced "Broken Silence" and the novels "Two Persons Singular" and "A Private View."
Following her divorce from Basil Sydney , who would subsequently die from pleurisy in 1968 at the age of 73, Howard remarried in 1962 and made a transcontinental move with her family to the U.S.A. She worked as a story analyst in Burbank, then was hired as executive assistant at Paramount. She moved up the ladder with a position as executive story editor for Paramount TV and was also responsible for property acquisition and development.
Howard would continue to write for TV from time to time. She died in Santa Monica, California of natural causes at age 88 and was survived by her three children by Sydney.- Laura Pestellini was born on 27 April 1919 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy. She was an actress, known for Under the Tuscan Sun (2003), Don Matteo (2000) and Sedotta e bidonata (2007). She died on 23 November 2010 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy.
- Make-Up Department
- Special Effects
- Actress
Marlene Stoller was born on 26 September 1957 in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. She was an actress, known for Darkman (1990), The Blob (1988) and George of the Jungle (1997). She died on 23 November 2010 in North Hollywood, California, USA.- Editor
- Editorial Department
- Actor
Mauro Alice was born in 1925 in Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil. He was an editor and actor, known for Carandiru (2003), Macumba Love (1960) and Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985). He died on 23 November 2010 in Sao Paulo, Brazil.- Producer
- Director
- Actress
Denise Cramsey was born on 21 February 1969 in Allentown, Pennsylvania, USA. She was a producer and director, known for Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (2003), Forensic Files (1996) and Trading Spaces (2000). She died on 23 November 2010 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Writer
- Producer
Hubert von Bechtolsheim was born on 20 April 1929 in Munich, Germany. He was a writer and producer, known for Liebesgeschichten (1967), In freier Landschaft (1977) and Der Mann aus dem Bootshaus (1967). He died on 23 November 2010.- Camera and Electrical Department
- Cinematographer
Herb Roberts was a cinematographer, known for Red Zone Cuba (1966), Seinfeld (1989) and Centennial (1978). He died on 23 November 2010 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- James Tyler was born on 3 August 1940 in Hartford, Connecticut, USA. He was an actor, known for Romeo and Juliet (1976), The Pyrates (1986) and The Good Old Days (1953). He was married to Joyce Geller. He died on 23 November 2010 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Jorma Savikko was born on 7 July 1926 in Lieto, Finland. He was a writer, known for Tehtaan varjossa (1969), Teollisuustyöntekijä Virtanen (1977) and Pääluottamusmies (1970). He died on 23 November 2010 in Kotka, Finland.
- Veikko Jääskeläinen was born on 20 October 1924 in Pieksämäki, Finland. He was an actor. He was married to Terttu Yli-Luoma. He died on 23 November 2010.