Synonymous with putting chills, thrills, and her own brand of sexy humor into horror, Elvira Mistress of the Dark has been a pop culture icon for four decades. Her notoriety began with Elvira's Movie Macabre in the early '80s, a local late night Los Angeles television series that featured actress Cassandra Peterson as Elvira, a Goth-punk femme fatale who introduced cheesy scary movies and entertained viewers with her witty commentary.
The series was wildly successful and thrust Elvira into the national limelight, where she acquired fans who were won over by her coquettish personality, hilarious puns, and seductive insinuations. Peterson was able to later parlay her fame into building a merchandise empire throughout the '80s and '90s, with Elvira's likeness gracing the front of mugs, comic books, and pinball machines thanks to the series that started it all. Here are 10 things fans never knew about Elvira's Movie Macabre.
It Was Originally Hosted By A Man
Elvira's Movie Macabre came about because of the death of Larry Vincent, the host of the Los Angeles based horror show Fright Night, which left a vacancy for a new horror host and a new image for the weekend highlight.
Fright Night had been a local staple of late night horror from 1970 until 1981, and the character of Sinister Seymour, the Master of the Macabre (Vincent) was quite popular for ridiculing the low-budget horror and sci-fi films he presented (a method Elvira would later imitate). Producers decided to bring back Fright Night but this time with a hostess.
Cassandra Peterson Created The Elvira Character
The producers of Movie Macabre allowed Cassandra Peterson, who won the role of Elvira by beating out 200 other hopefuls, to design the overall image and personality of the new hostess.
Along with her friend Robert Redding, she designed Elvira's character after famous horror hostess Vampira, as well as Charles Addams' popular character Morticia, and incorporating a Valley Girl spunk into their dark beauty. When the Elvira character was finalized, Fright Night became Elvira's Movie Macabre.
Elvira Almost Looked Like Sharon Tate
When Cassandra Peterson was originally developing the Elvira character, she'd come from a slew of other gigs that didn't exactly scream a background in horror. Her other gigs included a stint as a Vegas showgirl to being a member of The Groundlings improv comedy group.
The closest Peterson got to resembling something akin to the horror genre's trappings was her first draft of Elvira's look, which took notes from Sharon Tate's performance in The Fearless Vampire Killers. With her vibrant red hair and pale skin, Peterson could be a dead ringer for Tate in the film!
The Show Was Sued By Vampira
Maila Nurmi, who had portrayed the iconic horror hostess Vampira for The Vampira Show in the '50s, thought that Cassandra Peterson copied her character in creating Elvira. She promptly sent the production a cease and desist letter. Nurmi argued that both characters wore black skin-tight dresses, had black hair, heavily applied makeup, and even closed episodes with similar catch phrases.
The court ruled in Peterson's favor, deciding that while there was a resemblance, it wasn't close enough to warrant legal action. It should be noted that Nurmi actually worked with producers on the Fright Night reboot when it was initially a Vampira revival, but she left when the studio refused to cast Lola Falana in the lead role. Nurmi's exit led to a casting call, which Peterson auditioned for and won.
The Show Wasn't Easy To Shoot
Transforming Cassandra Peterson into the Mistress of the Dark took nearly two hours in the makeup chair. Her natural flame-red hair needed to be hidden, her dark makeup applied, and her ample bosom carefully placed into a corset designed specifically for her dress.
Nothing about the Elvira outfit was particularly comfortable, especially since Peterson needed to walk in six inch stilettos for the role. The shooting schedule was also long and often during the early hours of the morning, making filming anything but a fun time.
It's The Only Show To Feature Elvira
After the success of Elvira's Movie Macabre, Peterson shopped a sitcom around to major networks. A pilot was distributed to CBS, featuring the Mistress of the Dark as a love potion saleswoman and fortune teller living in Manhattan, Kansas with her relatives.
It ultimately wasn't picked up for syndication, but can be seen in its entirety online. Elvira wasn't hurting for time on television however, as she guest-starred as herself in countless popular shows of the time like CHiPs, and even recently in Last Man Standing.
Coors Beer Catapulted Elvira To Fame
Elvira's Movie Macabre was a local series known by Los Angelinos but not as recognizable to anyone outside of Southern California. It wasn't until Elvira became the spokesperson for Coors beer that she became a household name.
Coors dubbed itself "The Official Beer of Halloween" and hired Elvira to be the mascot, resulting in her appearing in several commercials and her likeness as cardboard cutouts of her figure appearing in every major retailer that sold the beer during October.
It Launched Elvira's Movie Career
After the first few successful years of the series, Elvira made her big screen debut in Elvira: Mistress of the Dark in 1988. It was followed by a long-awaited sequel called Elvira's Haunted Hills, which was produced by Peterson.
Peterson has been campaigning to raise funds for a third movie to round out an Elvira trilogy, but so far the project is still in development and has been for some time while story details are finalized.
The Show Came Back In 2010
Elvira's Movie Macabre was a hit from 1981 until 1993, with Elvira introducing all manner of cheesy old horror and sci-fi films and peppering their running time with her caustic remarks.
The series returned again in 2010 for a new season, this time with films in the public domain. Just like its earlier incarnation, it aired after midnight, and was filmed on a set built in Peterson's home.
The Show Could Be Rebooted
Recently, Peterson began shopping Elvira's Movie Macabre to streaming services like Netflix, looking at rebooting the popular program for its brand. Unfortunately Netflix passed on the show, having already purchased Mystery Science Theater 3000.
Peterson isn't deterred however, and is continuously looking for the perfect home to feature Elvira's comeback. It's possible the series might feature a new actress portraying Elvira, similar to the reality series Peterson produced called The Search For The Next Elvira.