Celebrate the Centenary of Maila Nurmi aka Vampira this Sunday with Feral House

Vampira (Maila Nurmi) on her studio set in 1955.

Are things a little too Chrismassy for your liking? Bring a little Halloween into December by celebrating what would have been the 100th birthday of the coolest ghoul we have ever known. Feral House, known for their alternative publishing, is planning a Sunday event honoring Maila Nurmi, known by the stage name Vampira.

Vampira, born December 11, 1922, found success in Hollywood as television’s very first horror host, a la Elvira and Svengooli. But she is perhaps best known as the star of Ed Wood’s campy classic, “Plan 9 from Outer Space.”

The day will begin with a 3pm wreath-laying at Maila Nurmi’s monument at Hollywood Forever Cemetery, followed by a signing and film festival starting at 5pm at American Cinemateque Los Feliz 3, which gives you just enough time to drive and grab a bite.

At 5pm there will be a signing by Sandra Niemi, Maila’s niece and author of Glamour Ghoul: The Passions and Pain of the Real Vampira (Published by Feral House). A screening of Tim Burton’s Ed Wood starts at 7pm, followed by a panel discussion including Ed Wood screenwriters Larry Karaszewski and Scott Alexander, Sandra Niemi, RH Greene, director of “Vampira and Me,” Oscar-nominated makeup artist VE Neill, who worked on “Ed Wood,” and Dana Gould. Following the panel at 10pm, the theater will screen “Plan 9 From Outer Space,” as well as rare Vampira footage.

Tickets are $13 for the films, but you can probably just crash the wreath-laying. TICKETS.

Elise Thompson

About Elise Thompson

Born and raised in the great city of Los Angeles, this food, culture and music-loving punk rock angeleno wants to turn you on to all that is funky, delicious and weird in the city. While Elise holds down the fort, her adventurous alter ego Kiki Maraschino is known to roam the country in search of catfish.
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