Horror Legend Vampira (Maila Nurmi) Had Died

In the early days of television, when horror movies were often campy by nature, actress Maila Nurmi created the character Vampira, a glamorous ghoul who as hostess of late-night fright films in the 1950s layered on her own brand of camp.

The Vampira character won Nurmi fame and a dedicated cult following. Nurmi claimed that Vampira also was the uncredited inspiration for later ghoulish yet glamorous female characters in film and television, including Elvira.

Nurmi, who appeared in director Ed. Wood Jr.'s infamous 1959 film "Plan 9 From Outer Space," was found dead Jan. 10, 2008 in her Hollywood home. The cause of death was still being investigated. She was believed to be around 85 years old.

Full Article: Los Angeles Times - Vampira Is Dead - Maila Nurmi RIP 2008