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Top stories submitted and voted on from Propeller.

Scream Queen Hazel Court Dies at 82

Posted: 2008-04-17 07:03:34

Filed Under: Star Obituaries, Movie News

LOS ANGELES (April 17) - Hazel Court, an English actress who co-starred with the likes of Boris Karloff and Vincent Price in popular horror movies of the 1950s and '60s, has died. She was 82.

Court died early Tuesday of a heart attack at her home near Lake Tahoe, daughter Sally Walsh said Wednesday.

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While she had a substantial acting career both in England and on American TV, Court was perhaps best known for her work in such films as 1963's "The Raven." She co-starred with Price, Karloff and Peter Lorre in director Roger Corman's take on the classic Edgar Allan Poe poem.

Corman directed her in five movies. Like other "scream queens" of the era, Court often relied on her cleavage and her ability to shriek in fear and die horrible deaths for her roles.

"The Premature Burial," "The Masque of the Red Death," "The Curse of Frankenstein" and "Devil Girl from Mars" helped propel her to cult status and brought her fan mail even in her later years.

"She'd probably get over 100 pieces of fan mail a month and she would apply to every single one," her daughter said.

Court had finished an autobiography, "Hazel Court - Horror Queen," which will be published in Britain, Walsh said.

The daughter of a professional cricket player, Court was born Feb. 10, 1926, in the English town of Sutton Coldfield. As a teenager, she was appearing in stage productions when she was spotted and signed by the J. Arthur Rank Organisation, which owned movie studios and theaters.

She got her first movie bit part by the time she was 18 and went on to become a popular actress and pinup girl, her daughter said.

"She was one of the great beauties of all time," Walsh said. "She was a redhead with really green eyes and almost ... the perfect face. She was on the cover of almost every magazine."

Court co-starred with Patrick O'Neal in the 1957 British TV comedy series "Dick and the Duchess." In the late 1950s, she came to the United States to work on the TV show "Alfred Hitchcock Presents."

Besides acting, Court was a commissioned sculptor and painter whose works appeared in public galleries.

Court is survived by daughters Walsh and Courtney Taylor, son Jonathan Taylor and stepdaughters Anne Taylor Fleming and Avery Taylor.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

2008-04-17 07:03:34

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216 comments

njcam 11:10:06 AM Apr 22 2008

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I'll always remember Hazel from the film, "Devil Girl From Mars" a truly spectacular film starring an Alien woman who wears black leather and her robot. Classic feature. We'll miss you Hazel.

syncretic2 12:00:07 AM Apr 21 2008

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Hazel Court was beautiful and her performance in "The Raven" is classic. She will be remembered as a fine actress and a beautiful woman. Horror films are not given the same credit as dramas, yet we all all drawn to a great chiller/thriller. Rest in peace.

smalto11 11:54:14 PM Apr 20 2008

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I am a big fan of old horror movies. Hazel made a fantastic contribution to film, her work is apprecitated and she will be missed. For her family and friends, please know that many of us are saying a prayer for Hazel and those who loved her.

kathyscott7 11:49:47 PM Apr 20 2008

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i remember seeing her in vincent price movies...condolences to her family and friends who loved her and will miss her..as all old movie fans will...God bless..