THE FIRST GOTHIC PRINCESSES
VAMPIRA
Vampira was the name of the exotic and macabre character who would play Maila Elizabeth Syrjäniemi, born in Finland in 1922.
At the age of 17 she arrived in the United States, where she would participate in film productions and modeling. It was at this time that she acquired her stage name: Maila Nurmi.
The creation of the character of Vampira was more a casual than a planned event. It all happened in 1953, when Maila Nurmi went to a costume party, more specifically: the annual Caribe Masquerade.
Maila Nurmi was disguised as the mother of the Charles Addams cartoon: The Addams (remember that in 1953, the characters in the comic strip still had no names).
Her stunning image of a tight black dress, long black hair, and very pale skin caught the attention of a television producer, who offered the actress the chance to present horror movies for a television network.
Vampira hardly ever comes to light as it seems that Maila Nurmi was not interested and it was very difficult for the producer to contact her. Fortunately, after many attempts, a contract was signed.
Interestingly, Vampira's name was created by Maila Nurmi's own husband, Dean Riesner. Very appropriate choice since the exotic nature of the name guaranteed the success of the pre-Gothic fiction character.
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Vampira aired on April 30, 1954, on the show Dig me later, Vampira. A show that was soon replaced on May 1, 1954, by a more official one: The Vampira Show.
The show was the first in history to feature horror films. Vampira was always accompanied by her pet: a huge spider named Rollo, to whom she spoke. In the Vampira show, she came and went on a stage full of cobwebs and fog, offered jokes and macabre twists, and instead of autographs, she offered epitaphs.
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The fame of the show was such that several impersonators and other characters were created to present horror films or other genres.
Vampira was a resounding success and as an actress, Maila Nurmi, got several leading roles in several films.
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Curiosity:
Maila Nurmi had a romantic relationship with James Dean, but then they had a troubled separation just before the death of the young and mythical actor. Since then, rumors had it that Vampira had put a curse on James Dean, causing his death.
The character of Vampira is a clear influence for another famous pre-Gothic character: Elvira.
CONTINUARÁ…
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