I wanted to do something a little different today, and so I am harking back to the days of yesteryear to take a look at horror actresses through the decades. I plan on running a post for each decade. Why? Just for fun, and because sometimes, I can’t thinking of anything to post, or not something that can be written within my time frame.
So, let’s kick things off with the 1930’s, a decade that provided us with some of the finest Horror movies ever made. Movies that are still just as scary today as they were back then.
1. Fay Wray
Undoubtedly, the face of a decade, Fay Wray was the first real Scream Queen – even if the rumors of her famous scream actually being the work of another actress are true) Besides King Kong, Fay appeared in no less than 4 horror movies during the 1930’s more than many other actresses. Her career included a total of over 100 movies and left a lasting legacy on the movie world.
2. Helen Chandler
Famous for playing Mina Harper opposite Bella Lugosi’s famous Count, Helen Chandler ended life as a recluse. An actress with a glittering stage reputation, she never managed to have the same impact on the big screen. An addiction to sleeping pills and alcohol led to a stint in a sanitarium, and in the 1950, she inadvertently started a fire that caused severe disfigurement. A tragic life story of an actress who never truly achieved her full potential.
3. Gloria Stewart
Before she boarded the Titanic, Gloria Stewart wowed cinema goers in such horror movies as the 1931 classic The Old Dark House, which not only launched an entire sub genre, also marked the first ever credited role for a certain Boris Karloff, and also the iconic Invisible Man directed by James Whale.
4. Leila Hyams
Undoubtedly the leading Horror Lady of 1932, Leila Hyams starred in both Freaks and The Island of Lost Souls. Despite having a career that lasted but a single decade, Leila has left a lasting imprint on the Horror genre.
5. Lucille Lund
As seems to be the case with a lot of actresses in this era, Lucille Lund did not enjoy the longest of careers, and is perhaps only really known for one film. Good thing it was the unforgettable horror movie The Black Cat.
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