1958
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Maila Elizabeth Syrjäniemi (December 11, 1922 – January 10, 2008), known professionally as Maila Nurmi, was an American-Finn actress who created the campy 1950s character Vampira. She was raised in Astoria, Oregon , where she worked in tuna and salmon canneries.
Maila Nurmi was the original "Vampira" of 1950s TV horror shows, created by Howard Hawks and inspired by Charles Addams. She also appeared in films like Plan 9 from Outer Space and The Beat Generation, and became an animal rights activist and painter.
Learn about Maila Nurmi, the Finnish-American actress who created Vampira, the first horror host on TV. Discover her lies, influences, achievements, and controversies in this article.
Jan 25, 2021 · Maila Nurmi was a Finnish-American actress who invented the iconic horror host character Vampira in 1954. Learn about her life, career, and the controversies surrounding her legacy in this article.
Jan 12, 2021 · In "Glamour Ghoul," a niece of Maila Nurmi — better known as Vampira — documents the exciting, fraught Hollywood life of a bygone horror camp icon.
Maila Nurmi was the original "Vampira", a glamour ghoul of late night 1950s TV. She was born in Massachusetts, married three times, appeared in Plan 9 from Outer Space, and became an animal rights activist.
Maila Nurmi was a former model and nightclub performer who created the iconic Vampira character for a TV horror show in 1954. She became a friend and muse of James Dean, and later a recluse who refused to sign over her creation to the network.
