Maila Nurmi Profile

Maila Nurmi

	(Maila Elizabeth Syrjäniemi)
11 December 22	is born in Petsamo, Finland, the niece of legendary Olympic long distance runner “Flying Fin” Paavo Nurmi
?	is brought to Gloucester, Massachusetts, by her parents at age 10
41	is a professional entrant in amateur theatricals, doing monologues
c. 44	while appearing in Spook Scandals, a Mike Todd horror stage production, she makes a strong impression on director Howard Hawks because of her curious resemblance to Lauren Bacall
44	director Howard Hawks brings her to Hollywood to appear in a movie, but nothing comes of it
Early 50s	befriends young actor Marlon Brando
53	at a Bal Caribe ball she attracts the attention of producer Hunt Stromberg, Jr. in a $4 costume, formed after Charles Addams’ New Yorker cartoon character Vampira
54	becomes the KABC-TV horror-show queen Vampira on a local Los Angeles late night TV program
April 54	will be in Liberace’s new act at the Riviera, Las Vegas
September 54	is signed by RCA-Victor to do an album of readings from Charles Addams to Edgar Allen Poe
?	becomes good friends with James Dean when hanging out at LA’s Googie’s Restaurant. Together they’re out at Schwab’s and Barney’s Beanery.
January 55	was married for six years to screen and TV writer Dean Franklin Reisner, son of Chuck Reisner
March 55	columnist Earl Wilson reveals: “James Dean, the hot new star (East of Eden), is dating Vampira, the Coast TV character...”
	there are plans she’ll play actress Katherine Kaelrod, the vampire woman in A Fool There Was
April 55	is seen sipping tea with James Dean early in the morning at Googie’s
55	together with Ed Wood, Tor Johnson, Meg Randall and Dolores Fuller, she attends a testimonial benefit for ailing Bela Lugosi
8 January 56	tells New York police that a wiry little man forced his way into her West Side apartment and ordered her to “keep quiet or I’ll kill you.” She broke away from her assailant, Ellis Barber, a 23-year-old attempted rapist known as “the Vamp,” three times but each time was carried back into her apartment. She escaped and fled on her fourth try to a nearby store clad only in slacks.
Mid-January 56	sues Gene Shacove, operator of a Beverly Hills beauty salon for $275,000 charging she was horrified when his drying machine set her hair aflame. She alleges that she suffered painful injuries and is unable to make scheduled television, personal and theatrical engagements.
November 56	crushes Carroll Righter’s Halloween party, “giving the prope shudder to Nora Flynn and Nicky Hilton, Barbara Rush and Frank McCarthy, Jeffrey Hunter and Dusty Bartlett, The Larry Parks, Jerry Walds and many others...”
December 56	columnist Erskine Johnson reports that she graced a recent Hollywood costumer party arriving with “a young actor dressed as the resurrected Dean, his face completely covered in bandages.”
10 March 58	marries young actor John Brinkley. He’s 26; she’s 35.
October 59	columnist Harrison Carroll tells: “This will be startling news to their friends, but I am told actor Carlton Carpenter and Maila Nurmi are engaged and planning to be married this fall...”
20 June 61	marries Italian-born actor Fabrizio Mioni. He’s 30; she’s 38.
?	divorces Mioni
78	lives in a Hollywood apartment and has become a wholesale dealer in movie memorabilia
89	loses a $10 million lawsuit that contends actress Cassandra Peterson’s late-night hostess Elvira pirated her character
90s	her address is 65695 Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90044
10 January 08	as Maila Elizabeth Vampira Syrjäniemi Nurmi Mioni, she dies at age 85 at her Hollywood home. There are no survivors.

Sources: Scream Queens by Calvin Thomas Beck, Paul Marco in Interviews with B Science Fiction and Horror Movie Makers by Tom Weaver, Nevada State Journal, Chronicle-Telegram, People Today, The Daily Review, The Bridgeport Sunday Post, The Berkshire Eagle, The Daily Independent, The Lima News, The Odessa American, The Daily Gleaner, www.Ancestry.com, www.IMDb.com
Recommended Books:
Links: Filmography