This has been a rough year for horror fans, losing so many people that have given us so much pleasure over the years. And now, news of yet another one. Actress Valerie Gaunt passed away this last Tuesday the 27th. Now Gaunt only appeared in two films in her very short career, but those two made quite the impact in the horror world, not to mention the British film industry.
In 1957, she appeared as Justine, the maid (and more) to one Baron Frankenstein, played by the one and only Peter Cushing. She made the mistake of forcing the Baron’s hand by telling him that she was pregnant, which might be an issue with his fiancée. This leads him to introduce her to his creation. Let’s say that doesn’t end well for poor Justine. The film of course is Hammer’s The Curse of Frankenstein.
The following year, she returned to Hammer to appear in Horror of Dracula, playing Christopher Lee’s vampire slave. She very well might be the very first vampire to show her fangs….in color. But we’re not here to debate that.
So while Gaunt only appeared in these two films, they’re kind of a big deal, so it would be very easy for us to always remember her performances, as either the conniving housemaid, or the luscious vampire woman.As horror fans, it is our job to remember these fine and talented actors who continue to give us pleasure.
Our thoughts go out to her friends and family in this sad time.
The acting world has lost another great talent recently, Fritz Weaver. Now he might not have appeared in a ton of genre pieces, but he definitely did his share. He had little parts in plenty of sci-fi/horror TV shows, like the original Twilight Zone, Night Gallery, X-Files, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Friday the 13th: The Series, Monsters, and Tales from the Darkside (which featured Tom Savini’s directorial debut). But he also appeared in a few feature film, like Demon Seed (1977). But for me, the role that I will always remember him from, which just happens to be one of my all-time favorites, the 1982 film Creepshow, where he plays Prof. Dexter Stanley, who comes face to face with the contents of The Crate!
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