Screen Sirens Scream!

These twenty heroines portrayed imperiled women in science fiction, horror, film noir and mystery movies from the 1930s to the 1960s. Some—like Sandy Descher, who confronted the giant ants of Them!—were only girls when they faced their screen perils. Others—such as Mary Murphy, who played opposite Marlon Brando in The Wild One—were leading ladies in other film genres. Yet others—such as June Wilkinson, considered by many as Playboy’s greatest model—came from outside the acting world.
Each interview is preceded by an introduction. Besides the three above, the interviewees are Ramsay Ames, Claudia Barrett, Jean Byron, Linda Christian, Faith Domergue, Amanda Duff, Evangelina Elizondo, Margaret Field, Mimi Gibson, Marilyn Harris, Kitty de Hoyos, Donna Martel, Joyce Meadows, Noreen Nash, Cynthia Patrick, Paula Raymond and Joan Taylor. Among the films they starred in are The Mummy’s Ghost, Robot Monster, Tarzan and the Mermaids, This Island Earth, It Came from Beneath the Sea, Where Danger Lives, The Man from Planet X, The Monster That Challenged the World, Frankenstein, The Brain from Planet Arous, Phantom from Space, The Mole People, The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms and Earth Vs. the Flying Saucers. Some interviews were previously published in a different form in fan magazines.

Paul Parla has honed his knack for uncovering and rediscovering film stars since moving to Glendale, California, in 1983.
The late Charles P. Mitchell was a librarian in Millinocket, Maine. He wrote on film for numerous periodicals and on music for several more and hosted radio shows about classical music in New York City and Portland, Maine.

Paul Parla and Charles P. Mitchell
Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 256
Bibliographic Info: 55 photos, index
Copyright Date: 2009 [2000]
pISBN: 978-0-7864-4587-5
Imprint: McFarland

Preface      vii

1. RAMSAY AMES

Reminiscences of the Doomed Ananka      3

2. CLAUDIA BARRETT

Ro-Man’s Mate      13

3. JEAN BYRON

The Byronic Heroine      21

4. LINDA CHRISTIAN

Mermaid Enchantress      35

5. SANDY DESCHER

Child Star and Space Child      47

6. FAITH DOMERGUE

This Island Faith      57

7. AMANDA DUFF

Karloff ’s Screen Daughter      79

8. EVANGELINA ELIZONDO

Cinderella of Mexico      85

9. MARGARET FIELD

Meeting the Man from Planet X      93

10. MIMI GIBSON

Unleashing the Monster That Challenged the World      105

11. MARILYN HARRIS

Flower Girl from Frankenstein      115

12. KITTY DE HOYOS

Memoirs of a Lady Werewolf      123

13. DONNA MARTELL

Indian Princess and Space Commander      133

14. JOYCE MEADOWS

The Beauty and the Brain      143

15. MARY MURPHY

Wild One’s Sweetheart      159

16. NOREEN NASH

Encountering the Phantom from Space      175

17. CYNTHIA PATRICK

Mole-Man Memories      189

18. PAULA RAYMOND

Pursuing the Beast from 20,000 Fathoms      197

19. JOAN TAYLOR

The Indian Maid vs. The Flying Saucers      213

20. JUNE WILKINSON

Defying Macumba Love      223

Index      239

“fascinating interviews…valued, insightful, highly recommended”—Midwest Book Review; “well-researched and always respectful…a fascinating book”—Shock Cinema; “conveys the essential warmth, pride, and appreciation of these actresses for their work…recommend[ed]”—Monsters from the Vault; “the warmth and resilience of these nearly forgotten actresses comes through in all the memories they share”—Big Reel; “an enviable collection of rare posters and photos”—Filmfax.