Maila Nurmi Finnish-American actress Date of Birth: 21.12.1921 Country: USA

Biography of Maila Nurmi

Maila Elizabeth Syrjäniemi, known professionally as Maila Nurmi, was a Finnish-American actress who became famous for portraying the character Vampira. She was born on December 21, 1921, in Petsamo, Finland. When Maila was two years old, her family moved to the United States. She spent her childhood in Ashtabula, Ohio.

At the age of 17, Maila moved to Los Angeles, where she started working as a model for pin-up artists Alberto Vargas and Man Ray. It was during this time that she changed her difficult-to-pronounce surname Syrjäniemi to Nurmi. Like many aspiring actresses of the 1950s, she posed for men's magazines such as "Famous Models," "Gala," and "Glamorous Models."

The character Vampira emerged in 1953 when Maila attended choreographer Lester Horton's annual masquerade ball dressed as one of Charles Addams' comic characters from "The New Yorker." Her appearance, with pale white skin and a form-fitting black dress with a plunging neckline, caught the attention of television producer Hunt Stromberg Jr., who invited her to appear on his late-night show on KABC-TV. Within a year, she had her own show called "The Vampira Show," where she presented old horror films while moving through a foggy set filled with cobwebs. It was the first horror show on television. The name Vampira was given to her by her husband, Dean Riesner.

In 1955, the show was canceled on KABC-TV but Maila retained the rights to the Vampira character. Soon after, KHJ-TV picked up the show and continued its broadcast. In 1954, Maila was nominated for an Emmy award for "Most Outstanding Female Personality." In 1958, she appeared in Ed Wood's cult horror film "Plan 9 from Outer Space," playing a vampire. However, with the end of the 1950s, Vampira's star began to fade, and Maila fell into obscurity.

Maila Nurmi was well acquainted with Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, and James Dean. Rumor has it that she had a romantic relationship with James Dean, despite his reputation as a homosexual. Additionally, she had a long-lasting affair with renowned director Orson Welles.

Her first husband was screenwriter Dean Riesner, known for his work on "Dirty Harry." Riesner also wrote several scripts for the Vampira show. On June 20, 1961, Maila married actor Fabrizio Mioni, but the marriage was short-lived, and they later divorced. Maila did not have any children from either marriage.

In the mid-1960s, Maila became an advocate for animal rights, which took a toll on her financial situation. She struggled financially for a long time and resorted to selling autographed copies of her autobiography, as well as her paintings and personal items through online auctions.

In the early 1970s, Maila opened an antique store called "Vampira's Attic." She also created a line of handmade clothing and jewelry. In the early 1980s, KHJ-TV attempted to revive the Vampira character, but Maila ultimately declined. The show was launched with the character renamed Elvira, played by Cassandra Peterson.

In 1994, Lisa Marie portrayed Maila in the film "Ed Wood" directed by Tim Burton. During this time, Maila frequently met with Lisa Marie to discuss the nuances of the role, and they continued their friendship afterward.

In 1995, a Finnish documentary filmmaker named Mika J. Ripatti released a film titled "About Sex, Death, and Taxes" dedicated to Maila. Maila made her final appearance in a feature film in 1998, with a cameo role in "I Woke Up Early the Day I Died." In 2000, she appeared in the documentary film "Schlock! The Secret History of American Movies" by Ray Greene, which explored the rise and fall of horror films.

In 2001, Maila's official website was launched, and her autobiographical book was released for sale. In her final years, Maila lived in a small apartment in North Hollywood.

On January 10, 2008, at the age of 86, Maila Nurmi passed away from a heart attack.