Finland for Thought
             Politics, current events, culture - In Finland & United States

Moi! Thanks for visiting!
I have a new blog: BETTER! FUNNER! - come say hi!
Be sure to check out my new book: "How to Marry a Finnish Girl"
And find out more about me: www.philschwarzmann.com

...Enjoy!


16.1.2008

Vampira dies in Hollywood

Tags: Everything — Author:   @ 1:01 pm

Few people know that Finland—Helsinki, in particular—is probably the gothiest place on Earth. One might ask, did Finland’s Goths arrive centuries-ago seeking refuge from Attila? Or did they move directly from Gotland? Nobody really knows their origins, but Saturday nights downtown can be a real costume party.

Sadly, the inventor and inspiration of this macabre fashion statement, the goddess of gothic garb herself, died recently in Hollywood. Maila Nurmi, the former TV personality known as Vampira, was 85.

Her real name was Maila Elizabeth Syrjaniemi (later changed to Maila Nurmi) and she was born in Petsamo, Finland (now Pechenga, Russia) on Dec. 11, 1922. At age 2, she and her family emigrated to Ohio, in search of a better life.

RIP, Vampira.

  • winter “Yea, Proton Power, now in remission”

    did El Vira come from her?

  • infinndel

    Vampira wants the bloood of a WWirgin white boy..

  • Kristian

    Yeah, I think she tried to sue Cassandra Peterson for allegedly stealing her “likeness” and renaming it Elvira. But she lost.

    By the way, anyone ever google over Hollywood? Some impressive homes there. Almost everyone has both, a swimming pool and tennis court.

  • Pekka

    R.I.P. Vampira.

    Wonder how expensive those homes are.

  • Dave the Revelator

    All Finnish Women Are Vampires.

  • winter “Yea, Proton Power, now in remission”

    “Almost everyone has both, a swimming pool and tennis court.”

    actually I have a friend who lives there. He just spent $10,000 on a birthday party for a kid, free horse rides, expensive toys, clowns, and a full time party organizer.

    Lets not even go into his new pool with a in-water stereo system, that pipes the music underwater for your listening pleasure.

  • Dave the Davelator

    “Lets not even go into his new pool with a in-water stereo system, that pipes the music underwater for your listening pleasure.”
    -Comment by winter

    Fine with me.

  • Freeridin’ Franklin

    winnie:
    “actually I have a friend who lives there.”

    In evil liberal Hollywood? And still your friend? You deserve a trip to club Gitmo, traitor.

  • http://www.Zimbio.com/VampiraIknew WILLIAM DAKOTA

    Remembering Vampira

    I knew Maila Nurmi for many years when I lived in Hollywood. During the fifties, she had been associated with James Dean. Her and Jack Simmons used to go to a night time restaurant called Googies. It was at Laurel Canyon and Sunset next to the famous Schwab’s drugstore. Jimmy used to stop by for coffee. Jack Simmon’s would later become Jimmy’s roommate. Maila was married at this particular time and was appearing on TV as Vampira. After Jimmy died, she was interviewed by numerous magazines, and was mentioned as Jimmy’s girlfriend. Not true, but it got her publciity that followed her through until her recent death. I saw her on a re-run of the Hugh Hefner’s Halloween party show. In a segment, she was interviewed. Suddenly she let out a shrill scream. It surprised me and cracked me up. I never knew she had it in her.
    She was destitute for the latter part of her life. She would occasionally be at autograph parties at the Holiday Inn in North Hollywood. Eventually, she made enough money to have a variety of photos developed to sell.
    She loved animals. She had cats and pigeons and birds and whatever she was able to get hold of. I don’t know where she got the money to feed all of them. At one time she worked on Heliotrope at a restaurant, cleaning up after hours and she lived next door, in what looked like a converted garage. I brought her to my apartment a few times and we watched movies. I also took her to a James Dean’s fan’s home to meet Barry Blakely and his girl friend Beryl. Barry phoned to tell me she had passed away. I lost my mother around the same time.
    There was a Dean convention, called DeanCon in North Hollywood. I took her there as well as a James Dean look-alike. Maila answered a lot of questions regarding her association with Jimmy. She enjoyed herself, having a lot of attention. Other than the Ed Wood’s film, PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE, I don’t believe she appeared in any other film. But, her role as Vampira, brought her many fans, who still remembered her, probably moreso, as Jimmy Dean’s friend, than her role. Of course anyone who has read James Dean’s biographies are aware of Vampira. She was still star struck and would often mention some actor or actress she had run into. John Savage was one of her favorites. She was hard to keep up with because she couldn’t afford a telephone. I know she had a website someone started for her. I believe it was called Vampira’s Attic. Someone named Tomato started it, I believe. He died at a young age. He had been a close friend and drove her to the autograph parties. She was fun and very friendly with me. I wrote an article on her for my newspaper, the Hollywood Star. As I age, most of the celebrities I knew from films, are passing away. Li

  • Mike Beckman

    God Bless into another world…and thank you for Vampira!! A fellow Finn/American…

blog comments powered by Disqus

Invalid XHTML | CSS | Powered by WordPress

1