Star of quirky horror films such as Attack of the Giant Leeches
Yvette Vickers, who has died aged 82, found a niche in the world of psychotronic movies, the film genre made up of low-budget horror and quirky exploitation films, which could be described as "bad enough to be good". These movies attract obsessive devotion from fans who revel in films with ludicrous titles such as Attack of the 50ft Woman (1958) and Attack of the Giant Leeches (1959), both of which starred Vickers as a victim of the titu- lar monsters.
In the former film, Vickers is carrying on with the hubby of the wealthy woman who is turned into a giantess. In the latter, it is Vickers's husband who wreaks revenge on his wife and her boyfriend, by forcing them at gunpoint into the swamp inhabited by the massive bloodthirsty leeches. (Actually, the "leeches" were men in suction-cup-covered suits that did...
Yvette Vickers, who has died aged 82, found a niche in the world of psychotronic movies, the film genre made up of low-budget horror and quirky exploitation films, which could be described as "bad enough to be good". These movies attract obsessive devotion from fans who revel in films with ludicrous titles such as Attack of the 50ft Woman (1958) and Attack of the Giant Leeches (1959), both of which starred Vickers as a victim of the titu- lar monsters.
In the former film, Vickers is carrying on with the hubby of the wealthy woman who is turned into a giantess. In the latter, it is Vickers's husband who wreaks revenge on his wife and her boyfriend, by forcing them at gunpoint into the swamp inhabited by the massive bloodthirsty leeches. (Actually, the "leeches" were men in suction-cup-covered suits that did...
- 5/15/2011
- by Ronald Bergan
- The Guardian - Film News
In what is absolutely the strangest, and saddest, story I've reported lately, the mummified body of actress, singer and pinup model Yvette Vickers has been found in her Benedict Canyon home. It is expected she died of natural causes.
Apparently, Vickers, who appeared in 1950s cult faves such as Attack of the 50 Foot Woman and Attack of the Giant Leeches, died a year ago at age 82, but no one realized it until a concerned neighbor, Susan Savage, noticed her mail piling up last week. Savage then forced open a barricaded front gate, scaled a hillside, climbed through a broken window and pushed past piles of "clothes, junk mail and letters" to reach her, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Vickers was discovered by filmmaker Billy Wilder, who gave her a small role in the classic Sunset Boulevard. She snagged a few decent films such as Hud, opposite Paul Newman,...
Apparently, Vickers, who appeared in 1950s cult faves such as Attack of the 50 Foot Woman and Attack of the Giant Leeches, died a year ago at age 82, but no one realized it until a concerned neighbor, Susan Savage, noticed her mail piling up last week. Savage then forced open a barricaded front gate, scaled a hillside, climbed through a broken window and pushed past piles of "clothes, junk mail and letters" to reach her, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Vickers was discovered by filmmaker Billy Wilder, who gave her a small role in the classic Sunset Boulevard. She snagged a few decent films such as Hud, opposite Paul Newman,...
- 5/3/2011
- by Theron
- Planet Fury
Well this is beyond creepy. The Los Angeles Times reports that Yvette Vickers, star of the schlock sci-fi (schli-fi?) classic "Attack of the 50 Foot Woman" (1958) was found dead in her Los Angeles home last Wednesday. But not just any kind of dead: mummified dead.
Vickers, who was 82, became a recluse after her Hollywood career, which ended in the early 1990s. According to a friend quoted in the Times, she was convinced she was being stalked, and became increasingly paranoid. With no immediate survivors -- she was married and divorced twice -- Vickers had no one looking in on her. So when neighbors finally became suspicious of the mail piling up outside her house, they were the ones who discovered her body, which was "so decomposed that it was unrecognizable," according to People. Police say that the condition of Vickers' body indicates she was dead for nearly a year when she was found.
Vickers, who was 82, became a recluse after her Hollywood career, which ended in the early 1990s. According to a friend quoted in the Times, she was convinced she was being stalked, and became increasingly paranoid. With no immediate survivors -- she was married and divorced twice -- Vickers had no one looking in on her. So when neighbors finally became suspicious of the mail piling up outside her house, they were the ones who discovered her body, which was "so decomposed that it was unrecognizable," according to People. Police say that the condition of Vickers' body indicates she was dead for nearly a year when she was found.
- 5/3/2011
- by Matt Singer
- ifc.com
Apparently she’d been dead in her apartment for many months and they just discovered her mummified remains. The sultry B-movie starlet was known for her sexy sneer and was often cast as bad girls in 50′s schlock such as Reform School Girl (1957) and Attack Of The Giant Leeches (1958). The vivacious blonde was Playboy’s Playmate of the Month in July 1959. I met her at a Fangoria convention years back and she was a great, fun broad. Listen to her commentary on the Attack Of The 50 Foot Woman DVD and you’ll hear a woman with a lot of stories to tell.
From Yahoo News:
Los Angeles . Los Angeles County coroners are trying to confirm that a badly decomposed body found in the home of former Playboy Playmate and B-movie actress Yvette Vickers is hers.
A neighbor discovered the body in a mummified state last week, police told the Los Angeles Times.
From Yahoo News:
Los Angeles . Los Angeles County coroners are trying to confirm that a badly decomposed body found in the home of former Playboy Playmate and B-movie actress Yvette Vickers is hers.
A neighbor discovered the body in a mummified state last week, police told the Los Angeles Times.
- 5/3/2011
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Today at Trailers From Hell join Allison Anders as she comments on the trailer to Reform School Girl.
Stooges and Bowery Boys director Edward Bernds brings his budget-savvy aesthetic to one of Aip's profitable drive-in delinquency teen exploitation pics. (Great poster, btw) Bernds was accidentally nominated for an Oscar a year earlier, when the Academy confused his Bowery Boys vehicle High Society with the Bing Crosby-Grace Kelly musical. Jonathan Kaplan remade this in 1994 for cable.
Stooges and Bowery Boys director Edward Bernds brings his budget-savvy aesthetic to one of Aip's profitable drive-in delinquency teen exploitation pics. (Great poster, btw) Bernds was accidentally nominated for an Oscar a year earlier, when the Academy confused his Bowery Boys vehicle High Society with the Bing Crosby-Grace Kelly musical. Jonathan Kaplan remade this in 1994 for cable.
- 1/7/2010
- by Superheidi
- Planet Fury
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.