By Amanda Reyes
It would be difficult to pin a label on the women mentioned in this article. All are gorgeous, strong, and smart and each imbues something unique that made them so original in the first place. But one fact ties these vixens, girls-next-door, spinsters and housewives together - All are Small Screen Scream Queens. From 1970-1979 this fine assortment of talented ladies took over the boob-tube (pun intended!) and created memories long held dear by latch key kids everywhere. Moreover, they became icons of an era sadly long since passed. The Made for TV movies of the 70s provided a unique contribution to the genre and have actually created a sub-genre all their own.
Just what makes a Small Screen Scream Queen, you ask? Since not much attention has been given to this sect of pop-culture, I though I'd explore the qualifications here...
First, she should be in more than one TV Thriller/Horror movie and should hold some sort of iconic stature within the genre. This of course is flexible since so many recollections of these long-forgotten (by some, at least) films are based mostly on childhood memories.
Second, the characters should be strong. They can also be kooky, flighty, funny, serious, sexy, irritating, etc, but they must overcome the odds (or at least try pretty damn hard) to complete the task at hand and rid the world of 'The Evil'.
And finally, these women should be hot, hot, HAWT!
Although my foray into the world of 70s TVM horror is constantly expanding (the more you know the less you know, right?), I give to you a list of women who represent the finest the small screen had to offer. Perfect diction, impeccably dressed, an ability maintain an extravagant lifestyle with no means of income (i.e. what exactly was their job?) and strong as hell, these women ain't gonna take it any more!
Donna Mills (1940 - ) – Mills became an icon to fans of prime-time soaps with her bitchy portrayal of Abby Cunningham Ewing on
Knot's Landing but she was already an actress with a list of credits as long as your arm. A prolific genre performer who even appeared in a couple of episodes of the criminally underrated British series,
Thriller, she played everything from a newlywed in purgatory to a giant black widow and she did it with strength and charm. These days Mills appears mostly in the 'women in peril' subgenre and still brings that air of sophistication and phenomenal beauty that made us so fond of her in the first place.
Scream-O-Meter: 10
See Donna Scream in:
- Haunts of the Very Rich (1972)
- Night of Terror (1972)
- The Bait (1973)
- Thriller: Someone at the Top of the Stairs (1973)
- Live Again, Die Again (1974)
- Thriller: One Deadly Owner (1974)
- Thriller: The Killer with Two Faces (1975)
- Who Is the Black Dahlia? (1975)
- Beyond the Bermuda Triangle (1975)
- Look What Happened to Rosemary's Baby (1976)
- Smash Up on Interstate 5 (1976)
- Curse of the Black Widow (1977)
- The Hunted Lady (1977)
- Superdome (1978)
- Hanging by a Thread (1979)
Kate Jackson (1948 - ) – While most fans will remember Jackson best for her portrayal as Sabrina the 'smart angel' on Charlie's Angels, fans of TVMs will think of her as more of a renaissance woman. Starring in everything from
Satan's School for Girls to
Death at Love House, she may well be the quintessential Small Screen Scream Queen. In fact, her film choices during the decade have since gone on to become a blueprint for actresses everywhere. Strong willed and smart as a whip, Jackson proved you could be as pretty as you were confident. Oh yeah, and she rocked the turtleneck!
Scream-O-Meter: 9
See Kate Scream in:
- Satan's School for Girls (1973)
- Killer Bees (1974)
- Death Cruise (1974)
- Death Scream (1975)
- Death at Love House (1976)
Linda Day George (1944 - ) – Gorgeous and voluptuous Linda Day George was already a solid mainstay on television in the 60s as a character actress. She hit it big in the 70s playing Linda Casey on
Mission Impossible and was nominated for an Emmy for her performance. But it was her work not only in television horror movies but also in big screen terror fare that marked her as one of the most beloved horror queens of the era. She was also married to the fantastically handsome Christopher George until his death in 1984, and starred in many so-bad-they're-good flicks beside him (
Pieces anyone?). In the mid to late 80s she sporadically showed up on TV here and there before she retired but, her work in horror had already solidified her as a genuine Scream Queen.
Scream-O-Meter: 9
See Linda Scream in:
- House on Greenapple Road (1970)
- She Cried Murder (1973)
- Thriller: Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are (1974)
- Panic on the 5:22 (1974)
- Death Among Friends (1977)
- Mayday at 40,000 Feet! (1976)
- Murder at the World Series (1977)
- Ants! (1977)
- Cruise into Terror (1978)
Anjanette Comer (1939 - )– This regal lady made some interesting films, television and otherwise. She might best be known to horror fans as the social worker with her own agenda in the jaw dropping Ted Post classic
The Baby. But she was in many television genre films including
Five Desperate Women and
Terror on the 40th Floor. Her waify, ultra-feminine exterior belied the storming strength inside, making her perfect as a put upon heroine.
Scream-O-Meter: 8
See Anjanette Scream in:
- Five Desperate Women (1971)
- The Deadly Hunt (1971)
- Night Games (1974)
- Terror on the 40th Floor (1974)
- Death Stalk (1975)
- Dead of Night (1977)
Carol Lynley (1972 - ) -Few women have ever come close to matching Carol's other worldly beauty and even fewer actresses can boast such an impressive resume. Appearing in everything from
Bunny Lake is Missing to
The Poseidon Adventure, Carol's talent was one you could count on. She possessed a childlike quality that kept her ethereal beauty earthbound, making her characters that much more vulnerable. She was a good match for the masculine charms of Darrin McGavin in the popular
Night Stalker TVM and she kept the screams rolling in several dependable made for television thrillers.
Scream-O-Meter: 8
See Carol Scream in:
- Weekend of Terror (1970)
- The Night Stalker (1972)
- The Elevator (1974)
- Death Stalk (1975)
- Thriller: If it's a Man, Hang Up (1976)
- Cops and Robin (1978)
- The Beasts are on the Street (1978)
Cloris Leachman (1926 - ) – From
Phyllis to Scream Queen, Leachman always seemed to take the road less traveled. Unusually attractive with a sense of style so grand you practically salivated over her wardrobe (the credits to
Phyllis were simply to die for!). Leachman was more than a Diane Von Furstenberg ad, she continually played smart characters that developed strength through adversity. She showed the world her stuff in
Dying Room Only and the small screen could barely contain her. She was the first to discover the dark secret of the
Haunts of the Very Rich and she fought for the truth in
Mrs. R's Daughter, but it wasn't until her strangely surreal performance in
The Telly Savalas Variety Special that we realized this woman could conquer everything – including a really bad music number in the unaired special.
Scream-O-Meter: 8
See Cloris Scream in:
- Haunts of the Very Rich
- Dying Room Only
- Mrs. R's Daughter
- Death Scream
- Death Sentence
- Hitch-Hike
- Crime Club
Elizabeth Montgomery (1933 – 1995) – This fair-haired lady made America fall in love with her as Samantha the good witch on
Bewitched. But little did they know that underneath all that girl-next-door beauty was an actress waiting to display her chops on darker fare. Instead of fighting the evil, she
was the evil (or was she?) in one of the most unforgettable TV Movies of the decade,
The Legend of Lizzie Borden. Everyone remembers the poem 'Lizzie Borden took an axe/ and gave her mother forty whacks/ when she thought that she was done/ she gave her father forty one.' And who could forget the image of Elizabeth's naked silhouette doing some serious damage to her dysfunctional family. The case was never solved, but Montgomery proved herself an actress worthy of meatier material. And in a nice twist, instead of screaming, she was forcing us to scream!
Scream-O-Meter: 8
See Elizabeth Scream in:
- The Victim (1972)
- She Cried Rape (1974)
- The Legend of Lizzie Borden (1975)
- A Killing Affair (1977)
- Act of Violence (1979)
Joan Hackett (1934 – 1983) – Quirky and winsome, Hackett's loopy charms have never been duplicated. Normally the weakling who wallowed in unrequited love, she didn't always come out on top but she did her best to overcome the odds, usually meeting tragedy instead. Yet, the lanky actress held her audience in rapture with her peculiar line delivery. In
Five Desperate Womenshe finds a dead pooch and declares 'He was a good little doggy and he liked me,' only to be strangled to death shortly after. You kinda feel bad for the kooky kid who just wanted to be loved. Hackett became a staple in the world of TV horrors and since her untimely death in 1983 we have not been the same.
Joan Hackett's Scream-O-Meter: 8
See Joan Scream in:
- How Awful About Allan (1970)
- Five Desperate Women (1971)
- Lights Out (1972)
- Reflections of Murder (1974)
- The Possessed (1977)
- Dead of Night (1977)
- Stonestreet: Who Killed the Centerfold Model (1977)
Stefanie Powers (1942 - ) – Bright and determined, Powers found fame well after the TV horror movie craze as Robert Wagner's charming companion on
Hart to Hart, although she had already began a love affair with the small screen a decade earlier. Starring in everything from the atmospheric chiller
Sweet, Sweet Rachel to the timely thriller/drama
A Death in Canaan, it was either her effortless charisma or her consistent portrayal of independent women that made Powers such an essential part of the TVM. One thing is for sure, she left behind an envious resume filled with all things scary. One of the most recognizable faces in the sub-genre, Powers never completely turned her back on us and can be see frequently in modern small screen thrillers (i.e. Lifetime, baby!).
Scream-o-Meter: 8
See Stefanie Scream in:
- Five Desperate Women (1971)
- Sweet, Sweet Rachel (1971)
- Paper Man (1971)
- Skyway to Death (1974)
- Night Games (1974)
- Sky Heist (1975)
- Never Con a Killer (1977)
Barbara Eden (1934 - ) – A wickedly voluptuous actress, Barbara became famous as the jinn who would do any bidding her male master wanted her to. She was adorable as Jeannie but it was obvious there was more to her than just sex kitten appeal. In
The Stranger Within Barbara puts in a strong, terrifying performance as a woman pregnant with…
something. She also got to get dramatic again in the eerie
Howling in the Woods (co-starring her Jeannie partner Larry Hagman) and she was good at it! A completely undervalued talent, Barbara's television movie fare proved she was one blonde that you couldn't make fun of.
Scream-O-Meter: 7
See Barbara Scream in:
- A Howling in the Woods (1971)
- The Woman Hunter (1972)
- The Stranger Within (1974)
- Stonestreet: Who Killed the Centerfold Model (1977)
Eve Plumb (1958 -) – Eve is best know as the whiny middle daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Brady on
The Brady Bunch. However, as much as she longed to be 'Marsha, Marsha, Marsha,' Eve got to take on some fairly interesting roles in her childhood and teens, which separated her from the rest of her TV clan. She started off awfully young in
The House on Greenapple Road and then kept it up all the way to the infamous cult television movie
Dawn: Portrait of a Runaway.
Scream-O-Meter: 7
See Eve Scream in:
- House on Greenapple Road (1970)
- Dawn: Portrait of a Teenage Runaway (1976)
- Force of Evil (1976)
- Alexander: The Other Side of Dawn (1977)
- Telethon (1977)
- Secrets of Three Hungry Wives (1978)
Karen Black (1939 - ) – Karen only made a couple of TV horror movies, but she broke the mold as Amelia, the bookish mommy's girl who accidentally unleashes a deadly spirit lurking inside of a doll - a Zuni Fetish doll. Yeah, that's right. You remember. You remember
Trilogy of Terror well. One of the most famous segments in television history and one of my favorite childhood memories was seeing that little doll stab Karen's toes! Karen might have gone on to play Mama Firefly in
House of 1,000 Corpses but she had already sealed her Scream Queen status back in 1975!
Scream-O-Meter: 7
See Karen Scream in:
- Trilogy of Terror (1975)
- The Strange Possession of Mrs. Oliver (1977)
Patty Duke Astin (1946 - ) – She may have come across all sweet and adorable as identical cousins on
The Patty Duke Show, but this actress was up for far more serious fare. Just check her out as Neely O'Hara in
Valley of the Dolls, if you don't believe me! Patty got to spread her wings a little bit more on the small screen. Her adorable girl-next-door looks often betrayed the storm that was brewing underneath. She got a chance to flex those dark powers in the muddled thriller
She Waits, but with little effect. Luckily, it looked like she was just biding her time and finally got a bona fidechance to scare us with several television movies in the late 70s.She starred in the ponderous
Look What Happened to Rosemary's Baby as Rosemary. Not a bad part, only in this story, the son of Satan had gone on to become a, gulp, rock musician! I'm shaking now!Her film choices might not have been stellar, but Patty's persistence at putting in a good performance enchanted horror fans forever!
Scream-O-Meter: 7
See Patty Scream in:
- She Waits (1972)
- Nightmare (1974)
- Curse of the Black Widow (1977)
- Killer on Board (1977)
- The Swarm (1978)
- Hanging by a Thread (1979)
Shelly Winters (1920 -2006) – What list is complete without mentioning the amazing Shelly Winters? By the 70s she had swallowed so much scenery you could see the woodchips hanging out of her mouth! She was great fun to watch and could make or a break a film with just her mere presence. An A list actress that brought so much energy to just about everything she did that is made it impossible not get giddy just watching her have fun. Case in point, check out Shelly as the revenge bent housemother in
The Initiation of Sarah. Going from dowdy to insane monster, she was like a Porsche revving from zero to sixty. But aside from her boisterous performances, Shelly could also draw the audience in with an unspoken compassion, which she did in the underrated and obscure thriller
Revenge. Yeah, she was going to hack Bradford Dillman into tiny bits, but he had it coming, I tell ya! The world will not ever know another creature as divine as Ms. Winters.
Scream-O-Meter: 7
See Shelly Scream in:
- Revenge (1971)
- The Devil's Daughter (1973)
- The Initiation of Sarah (1978)
Sheree North (1932 – 2005) - Unbelievably sexy and strong, Sheree is easily one of my favorite actresses on this list. She was originally intended to be a replacement (or at least some stiff competition) for Marilyn Monroe when she first broke into pictures. Her career never took her to that level of stardom, but she settled nicely into the role of character actress. And that's what set her apart - her character. She came across as brazen and confident and most importantly, she was memorable. From Lou Grant's night club singing girlfriend to Blanche's troubled sibling on the
Golden Girls, Sheree was always the one you gravitated towards. She appeared in several made for television movies, making the small screen just that much more glamorous.
Scream-O-Meter: 7
See Sheree Scream in:
- Vanished (1971)
- Snatched (1973)
- Maneater (1973)
- Winter Kill (1974)
- Most Wanted (1976)
- The Night They Took Miss Beautiful (1977)
- Portrait of a Stripper (1979)
Vera Miles (1929 - ) – Those cheekbones! One of most subtlety commanding actresses on the list, she's a bit like her onscreen sister in
Psycho, Janet Leigh. Vera was consistently good in any role she took – big or small. Speaking of small, she gave many memorable performances on television, including the bitch from hell in the
Columbo episode
Lovely but Lethal. Ah, that kind of sums it up, Lovely but Lethal!
Scream-O-Meter: 7
See Vera Scream in:
- A Howling in the Woods (1971)
- Baffled! (1973)
- Runaway! (1973)
- Live Again, Die Again (1974)
- The Underground Man (1974)
- The Strange and Deadly Occurrence (1974)
- Smash-Up on Interstate 5 (1976)
- Fire! (1977)
Andrea Marcovicci (1948 - ) – Multi-talented Marcovicci started her TV Movie life tackling the subject of assault in
Cry Rape. She also starred in the pilot for Harry O as well as appearing in several other films and series. But it was her performance as Barbara in the over the top thriller
A Vacation in Hell where she played a card carrying man-hater that sealed her fate as a Small Screen Scream Queen. Her chiseled beauty gave Barbara a vulnerability and sadness to the part. Now a singer, Andrea might have left the world of television but we have not forgotten her.
Scream-O-Meter: 6
See Andrea Scream in:
- Cry Rape (1973)
- Smile Jenny, You're Dead (1974)
- Thriller: The Devil's Web (1975)
- A Vacation in Hell (1979)
Anne Francis (1930 - ) – Beautiful Anne got her start in film in 1947 as the un-credited 'bobby soxer' in
This Time For Keeps but it wouldn't take long for this voluptuous blonde to make name for herself. She burned up the small screen in 1965 when she was cast as
Honey West in the short lived series.She bounced back and forth between television and theatricals and appeared in several fine small screen films through the 70s, including the excellent mob film
Mongo's Back in Town and
Cry Panic with William Forsythe. It looks like television agreed with her and she mostly worked in that medium until her last appearance on
Without a Trace in 2004. Come back Anne!
Scream-O-Meter 6
See Anne Scream in:
- Haunts of the Very Rich (1972)
- Wide World of Mystery: Night Life (1973)
- Cry Panic (1974)
- The Last Survivors (1975)
Belinda Montgomery (1950 - ) – Pretty Belinda Montgomery might be the most underrated actress on this list. Not a household name – not even close, Belinda was subtlety fabulous in most of her performances. She shined when she played mousey lost girls, but she could also kick ass as good as anyone else – when she had to. Case in point, Belinda took on Shelly Winters in the TVM classic
The Devil's Daughter. She might not have come out the winner, but she kept swinging until she was down for the count. That's why we love her.
Scream-O-Meter: 6
See Belinda Scream in:
- Ritual of Evil (1970)
- The Devil's Daughter (1973)
- Crime Club (1973)
- Murder in Music City (1979)
Diane Baker (1938 - ) - Diane's unassuming beauty and outward confidence made her a favorite among fans of TV movies. And she left us a lot of films for us to drool over. This brunette starlet always added a little extra class to whatever production she was appearing in. And she was more than just easy on the eyes - It was during the 70s that she was also allowed to spread her wings a little in the world of filmmaking and she produced a couple of noteworthy films, including an
ABC Weekend Special titled
Portrait of Grandpa Doc! Wow, remember those? Diane is still working today and was most recently seen as Dr. House's mom on, you guessed it,
House!
Scream-O-Meter: 6
See Diane Scream in:
- Do You Take This Stranger (1971)
- A Little Game (1971)
- Killer by Night (1972)
- The Police Story (1973)
- The Last Survivors (1975)
Gretchen Corbett (1947 - ) - The name might not ring a bell, but Gretchen was all over the airwaves in the 70s. Her odd beauty and whip smart sensibilities made her a favorite recurring character on
The Rockford Files (she played his lawyer Beth Davenport). She also graced other remarkable TV series from that decade such as
Columbo,
McMillan and Wife and
Banacek (all of those shows that aired under the moniker
The NBC Mystery Wheel). She was no stranger to horror either. She started off early with an appearance in John Hancock's masterpiece
Let's Scare Jessica to Death, but it was the small screen that kept beckoning. She was featured in both
The Savage Bees and the glamorous television thriller
She's Dressed to Kill. For whatever reason, Gretchen never became the huge star we know she should have been, but the filmmography she left behind would make even the most seasoned actors jealous.
Scream-O-Meter: 6
See Gretchen Scream in:
- The Cay (1974)
- Knuckle (1975)
- The Savage Bees (1976)
- Mandrake (1979)
- She's Dressed to Kill (1979)
Janet Leigh (1927 – 2004) – Ms. Leigh was already an established Scream Queen when her time in television movies rolled around, with the most famous shower scene in history. On the small screen, she didn't shriek quite as loudly, but still brought that sense of dignity to every production she appeared in.
Scream-O-Meter: 6
See Janet Scream in:
- House on Greenapple Road (1970)
- Deadly Dream (1971)
- Murder at the World Series (1977)
- Telethon (1977)
Jessica Walter (1941 - ) – Jessica played the psycho-bitch from hell in Clint Eastwood's mini-masterpiece
Play Misty for Me and it made her a star. Her depth of effortless maliciousness also spread over to the small screen where she contributed to some bona fide scares. Julie's incredible performance as drunken Freddie in
Home for the Holidays insured her place in television movie infamy. She even took on the Women in Prison subgenre in the tele-film
Women in Chains, which starred Ida Lupino as an evil warden and another Small Screen Scream Queen, Belinda Montgomery! And that was just the beginning. Ms. Walter stayed away from television exploitation for awhile but came back with a bang in the ultra-glamorous small screen slasher
She's Dressed to Kill. She then went on to play Robert Mandan's bitchy ex in the
Three's Company spin-off
Three's a Crowd! Now that's scary!
Scream-O-Meter: 6
See Jessica Scream in:
- Home for the Holidays (1972)
- Women in Chains (1971)
- She's Dressed to Kill (1979)
Julie Harris (1925 - ) – Wonderfully awkward Harris was perfect at playing spinsters. Her plain yet compelling looks personified loneliness. And she was a highly praised actress by the time she moved over to the small screen. Having already won the hearts of horror hounds with her elegantly painful performance in
The Haunting, she seemed a perfect choice for put-upon, lonesome characters fighting against the grain. You instantly wanted to take her home, give her a cup of tea and let her know it was going to be alright. But Harris
was alright; in fact she was better than alright. Though she only appeared in a few TVM thrillers, she chose them wisely and has endeared herself to fans world over.
Julie's Scream-O-Meter: 6
See Julie Scream in:
- The House on Greenapple Road (1970)
- How Awful About Allan (1970)
- Home for the Holidays (1972)
Kim Darby (1947 - ) – Untypical of the normal Hollywood starlet, Darby set about finding fame by playing unique characters that served a purpose other than eye candy. She found fame as the tomboy cowgirl in
True Grit, winning accolades. She only appeared in two genre TV Movies, the first being the ineffectual Francis Ford Coppola supernatural tale
The People. But her second attempt at a paranormal thriller marked her iconic stature.
Don't Be Afraid of the Dark remains one of the most sought after TV Movies of that era. Darby plays a dowdy housewife who runs afoul of some devilish little creatures in her new abode. Darby's performance of a woman quietly being driven mad is only heightened by the movie's gut-punch ending. It only took this one movie for Darby to steal the bloodied hearts of TVM nuts everywhere.
Scream-O- Meter: 6
See Kim Scream in:
- The People (1972)
- Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (1973)
Linda Blair
(1959 - ) - Bubbly little Linda Blair has never been a stranger to the darker side of cinema. When she was just knee high to Satan, she was spitting up pea soup and it made her a household name. Linda also starred in some great television movies, and always played the spunky teen (except when she was raped with a broom handle in
Born Innocent! That kind of took the spunk right out of her!). Her adorable curly locks and sweet as pie smile made her America's Sweetheart of the Macabre, a title she richly deserves.
Scream-O-Meter: 6
See Linda Scream in:
- Born Innocent (1974)
- Sarah T.: Portrait of a Teenage Alcoholic (1975)
- Sweet Hostage (1975)
- Stranger in our House (1978)
Barbara Rush (1927 - ) - This A List actress starred along side such tasty leading men as Marlon Brando, Paul Newman andRichard Burton in the 50s, but settled for the small screen in the 70s. She still got to support the talents of scrumptious men like Paul Burke, Bradford Dillman, and George Hamilton and her charm brought that sense of strength films with titles like
Death Car on the Freeway so richly needed.
Scream-O-Meter: 5
See Barbara Scream in:
- The Eyes of Charles Sand (1972)
- Moon of the Wolf (1972)
- Crime Club (1973)
- Death Car on the Freeway (1979)
Barbara Stanwyck (1907 – 1990)– Barbara effortlessly moved her Oscar nominated career into television, even starring in her own anthology show (
The Barbara Stanwyck Show, 1960). In the 70s, she only starred in two made for television thrillers, but like many of the golden greats listed above, she brought richness to roles that might otherwise be considered secondary in a lesser actor's hands.After these movies she took her popular character Conny Colby Patterson to from
Dynasty to
The Colbys.
Scream-O-Meter: 5
See Barbara Scream in:
- The House that Would Not Die (1970)
- Taste of Evil (1971)
Connie Selleca (1955 - ) – This gorgeous brunette is probably best known as playing Mr. Hanley's prettiest pal on
The Greatest American Hero in 1981, but by that time, Connie had already racked up an impressive list of credits. She didn't get started until 1978, but made up for lost time with her debut as the beautiful and cursed water nymph in the mystical TVM
The Bermuda Depths. Less a horror film than a dark fairy tale, Depths is one of the most haunting television movies of its time.
Scream-O-Meter: 5
See Connie Scream in:
- The Bermuda Depths
- She's Dressed to Kill
Pamela Franklin (1950 - ) – Petite and pretty Pamela dreamed of becoming a dancer but fell into acting. She was no stranger to horror either – her film debut came in 1961 in a version of Henry James classic novel
Turn of the Screw called
The Innocents. She worked on through the 70s before retiring in 1981. Happily married and enjoying life out of the spotlight, Pamela left just enough good horror on her resume to leave fans wanting more.
Scream-O-Meter: 5
See Pamela Scream in:
- Satan's School for Girls (1973)
- Thriller: Write Home Mom, I'm Dead
- Thriller: Screamer (1974)
Sian Barbara Allen (1946) - Oddly pretty Sian is probably best known as Jenny Pendleton, John Boy's first love on
The Waltons. She spent the better part of the decade working on television, spinning her deceptively alluring charms, before she disappeared into relative obscurity. We miss you!
See Sian Scream in:
- The Scarecrow (1972)
- Scream, Pretty Peggy (1973)
- Smash-Up on Interstate 5 (1976)
Honorable Mentions:
Denise Nicholas (1944 - ) – Denise only made on TV thriller, but in it she gets to play a Final Girl who is a call girl! Hats off to Denise for always bringing depth to her parts!
See Denise Scream in:
- Five Desperate Women (1971)
Olivia DeHavilland (1916 - ) – A living legend., Olivia's grace and beauty insured her A list status when she wowed audiences in
Gone with the Wind. Although she maintained an eventful career, she seemed to work only when it suited her, before retiring in 1988. The small screen embraced her during her twilight years and she appeared in such noteworthy works as
Roots and
North and South. But it was her performance as Laura in
The Screaming Woman that gets her name on this list. An eerie and simple film, Olivia brought a sense of old school talent and like all great actresses practically carried the movie on her back. Her elegance helped push an undemanding film up from the depths of made for TV hell.
See Olivia Scream in:
- The Screaming Woman (1972)
Valerie Harper (1940 - ) – Harper charmed the world as the optimistically single Rhoda Morgenstern on
The Mary Tyler Moore Show. That got her a show titled after her character but her genre TV Movie credits proved she was an actress capable of something other than comedy.
Night Terror still remains one of the creepiest films ever to grace the small screen. Hapless (and fairly helpless) housewife Carol Turner crosses the desert plains en route to her hubby only to be stopped by a crazed gun dealer with a voice box (I ain't making this up kids!). When she witnesses a murder, it begins a chase across the great divide. And we were glued to our seats!
See Valerie Scream in:
For even more Made For TV Mayhem, visit Amanda at
http://madefortvmayhem.blogspot.com/
An awesome article!
I made this website. I'm sorry.