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Marilyn Burns

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For other uses, see Marilyn Burns (disambiguation).

Marilyn Burns
Burns in 2012
Born
Mary Lynn Ann Burns

(1949-05-07)May 7, 1949
Erie, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedAugust 5, 2014(2014-08-05) (aged 65)
Houston, Texas, U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active1970–2014
Signature

Marilyn Burns (born Mary Lynn Ann Burns; May 7, 1949 – August 5, 2014) was an American actress. She was known for playing Sally Hardesty in Tobe Hooper's horror film The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974), which established her as a scream queen and a catalyst of the final girl trope. She was involved in two more films of its resulting franchise: a cameo in The Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1995) and a supporting role in Texas Chainsaw 3D (2013). In 2009, she was inducted into the Horror Hall of Fame at the Phoenix Film Festival.

While in college, Burns made her film debut as a tour guide in Robert Altman's experimental comedy film Brewster McCloud (1970). She went on to play Linda Kasabian in the true crime television film Helter Skelter (1976), and appear in Hooper's horror film Eaten Alive (1977) and the science fiction film Future-Kill (1985), the latter of which was written by her Texas Chain Saw Massacre co-star Edwin Neal. Her final film, In a Madman's World (2017), was posthumously released.

Burns was found dead in her home on August 5, 2014.[1]

Early life

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Mary Lynn Ann Burns was born on May 7, 1949 in Erie, Pennsylvania,[2][1] and was raised in Houston, Texas, where she resided for most of her life.[3] While in the seventh grade, she appeared in a musical production of A Midsummer Night's Dream.[citation needed] She attended the University of Texas at Austin, and graduated with a drama degree in 1971.[2]

Career

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In 1970, she made her first film appearance in Robert Altman's comedy film Brewster McCloud (1970). Burns was cast in the leading role of the drama film Lovin' Molly (1974)—having received the script and been costumed. However, for the established actors Anthony Perkins, Blythe Danner and Beau Bridges to appear, they wanted newcomer Susan Sarandon to be cast in the role instead. Burns got to remain a part of the production as a stand-in for Blythe and Sarandon. She also helped cast some of the extras in George Roy Hill's period drama The Great Waldo Pepper (1975).[4]

The cast of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre at a reunion event in 2012; Burns is second from the left.

In 1974, Burns starred in Tobe Hooper's independent horror film The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. She plays the character of Sally Hardesty, a teenager who travels with her brother and some friends to the cemetery where her grandfather is buried to investigate reports of grave vandalism, and then encounters a family of cannibals including the chainsaw-wielding Leatherface.[5]

Burns and Hooper had previously met during the production of Lovin' Molly the previous year.[6] When a casting call was held, she auditioned and was given the lead role.[7][8] The film was produced with a budget of $80,000–$140,000.[6][9][10] Burns had performed several of her stunts herself,[11][12] and she, along with other cast members, had sustained several injuries throughout production.[13][14][15][16] In an article for Texas Monthly detailing the production of the film, John Bloom reported that Burns had "been poked, prodded, bound, dragged through rooms, jerked around, chased through cocklebur underbrush, jabbed with a stick, forced to skid on her knees in take after take, pounded on the head with a rubber hammer, coated with sticky stage blood, and endlessly pursued by Hansen with his chain saw and Neal with his constantly flicking switchblade."[17][18]

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre was released to major critical and commercial success.[19] The film grossed an excess of $30 million and became the 12th highest-grossing film of its year,[20] and was the most successful independent feature until it was overtaken by Halloween in 1978.[21][22] Writing for The Cincinnati Enquirer, Donald B. Berrigan stated that Burns "deserves a special Academy Award for one of the most sustained and believable acting achievements in movie history."[23] Screen Rant ranked Burns's performance first on their list of the "10 Greatest Female Performances in Horror Film History", writing that she "is so convincing in her work as the mentally broken Sally that the audience can’t help but be left shaken and deeply disturbed by the time the end credits roll."[24] The acting of Burns has continued to earn praise from critics and audiences, and established her as a scream queen and a popular culture icon.[25][26][27][28]

In 1976, Burns had a role in the television miniseries Helter Skelter about the real-life trial of Charles Manson and his "family".[29][30] In the series, she played Linda Kasabian, a member of the Manson family who was granted immunity in exchange for her testimony against the defendants. Recalling her memories of working on Helter Skelter, Burns said: "It was a great experience, but nobody really wanted to touch it [due to the subject matter]. It was like, 'Who wants to be in that picture? Who's actually gonna do that picture?'"[4] The miniseries was acclaimed and nominated for three Emmy Awards.[citation needed]

Following her roles in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and Helter Skelter, Burns sporadically worked in acting. She played Faye in the horror film Eaten Alive (1977), where she reunited with director Tobe Hooper,[31][32] and subsequently starred in the films Kiss Daddy Goodbye (1981) and Future-Kill (1985).

Burns briefly reprises the role of Sally Hardesty in The Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1995), which was directed by Kim Henkel.[33] Her cameo was made in order to establish "an emotional connection between the Sally character and the Jenny character, a kind of perverse passing of the torch".[34] She was set to reprise the role of Sally Hardesty once more in the 2003 remake film of the same name, where she would play an aged-up Sally, however this idea was ultimately scrapped.[35][36] At the 2009 Phoenix Film Festival, Burns was inducted into the horror hall of fame.[37]

In 2012, Burns made a special appearance in the Kim Henkel-written feature Butcher Boys, which is often deemed a "spiritual sequel" to The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.[38] In 2011, Burns was cast in the slasher film Texas Chainsaw 3D as Verna Carson;[39][40] it was released on January 4, 2013, and marks her last appearance in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise.[41] Her final film roles include Beulah Standifier in 2014's Sacrament, and Ms. Hill in the independent feature In a Madman's World, which was released posthumously in 2017.[42][43][44]

Death

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On August 5, 2014, at the age of 65, Burns was found dead by her brother Bill at her home in Houston.[45][46] Her cause of death was not specified.[47][48]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1970 Brewster McCloud Tour Guide Uncredited
1974 The Texas Chain Saw Massacre Sally Hardesty
1977 Eaten Alive Faye
1981 Kiss Daddy Goodbye Nora Dennis
1984 Terror in the Aisles Sally Hardesty Documentary; archive footage
1985 Future-Kill Dorothy Grim
1995 The Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre Sally Hardesty Uncredited
2012 Butcher Boys Ruth [38]
2013 Texas Chainsaw 3D Verna Carson [49]
2014 Sacrament Beulah Standifer [44]
2017 In a Madman's World Mrs. Hill Posthumous release[43][42]

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1976 Helter Skelter Linda Kasabian Main role
1998 Michael Hayes Sally Episode: "Under Color of Law"

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Work Result
2009 Phoenix Film Festival International Horror & Sci-Fi Hall of Fame Herself Won

References

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  1. ^ a b "Marilyn Burns, 'Chainsaw' Actress, Dies at 65". The New York Times. August 6, 2014. Retrieved August 9, 2014.
  2. ^ a b Savage, Dillon (December 11, 2024). "Burns, Mary Lynn Ann [Marilyn] (1949–2014)". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association.
  3. ^ Marilyn Burns profile Archived March 6, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, FANGORIA.com; accessed August 9, 2015.
  4. ^ a b "Lady of the Chainsaw: An Interview with Marilyn Burns". The Terror Trap. January 2004. Retrieved August 6, 2014.
  5. ^ "They Came. They Sawed. :: Texas Monthly". July 8, 2011. Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved September 24, 2022.
  6. ^ a b Jaworzyn, Stefan (2003). The Texas chain saw massacre companion. London: Titan. ISBN 1-84023-660-4. OCLC 52619578.
  7. ^ Alison, Macor (2010). Chainsaws, Slackers, and Spy Kids: Thirty Years of Filmmaking in Austin, Texas. ISBN 978-0-292-72243-9.
  8. ^ "Tobe Hooper Remembers 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre' - Screens - The Austin Chronicle". June 5, 2011. Archived from the original on June 5, 2011. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  9. ^ Lambie, Ryan (October 1, 2019). "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: How Low-budget Filmmaking Created a Classic". Den of Geek. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  10. ^ "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) - Financial Information". The Numbers. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  11. ^ "The Terror Trap: Lady of the Chainsaw: An Interview with Marilyn Burns: Part I". www.terrortrap.com. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  12. ^ Mulley, Rosie (April 18, 2020). "Top 10 Final Girls In Horror, Ranked". CBR. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  13. ^ "SXSW: Tobe Hooper On Why Audiences Get 'Texas Chain Saw Massacre' Better Now Than When It Was First Released | IndieWire". September 4, 2017. Archived from the original on September 4, 2017. Retrieved September 10, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  14. ^ "SXSW 2014 Interview: THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE Director Tobe Hooper Talks His Legacy of Unspeakable Horror". September 3, 2017. Archived from the original on September 3, 2017. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  15. ^ "The 'intolerably putrid' making of 'The Texas Chain Saw Massacre'". New York Post. June 14, 2019. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  16. ^ Fordy, Tom (February 23, 2022). "'It was rotten, it was putrid': how The Texas Chain Saw Massacre almost killed its cast". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  17. ^ Bloom, John (November 1, 2004). "They Came. They Sawed". Texas Monthly. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  18. ^ "The Real Life Injuries in 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre'". Longreads. June 20, 2014. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  19. ^ "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre . Austin Chronicle . 11-02-98". July 11, 2011. Archived from the original on July 11, 2011. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  20. ^ "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  21. ^ Friedman 2007, p. 132
  22. ^ "Halloween (1978) - Box Office Mojo". June 6, 2011. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  23. ^ "Clipped From The Cincinnati Enquirer". The Cincinnati Enquirer. November 17, 1974. p. 159. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  24. ^ Pacheco, Shawn (February 24, 2020). "10 Greatest Female Performances In Horror Film History". ScreenRant. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  25. ^ "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, "Naturally" Watch Tinashe's Horror-Infused Music Video". Fangoria. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  26. ^ "Halloween 2012: 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre' at Universal". Press Enterprise. September 23, 2012. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  27. ^ "Attrici da urlo: da Vera Farmiga a Jamie Lee Curtis, le grandi scream queen tra cinema e TV". Movieplayer.it (in Italian). Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  28. ^ Squires, John (February 1, 2022). "Where Has Sally Hardesty Gone? The Character's Fate in Various 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre' Timelines". Bloody Disgusting!. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  29. ^ "Marilyn Burns: Five roles other than 'Texas Chain Saw Massacre'". The Mercury News. August 7, 2014. Retrieved September 11, 2022.
  30. ^ Venable, Nick (August 5, 2014). "Texas Chain Saw Massacre Star Marilyn Burns Dead At 65". Cinemablend. Retrieved September 11, 2022.
  31. ^ Deep Red Horror Handbook.
  32. ^ "Eaten Alive: the bizarre true story behind Tobe Hooper's alligator horror movie". www.telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved September 26, 2022.
  33. ^ "Exclusive: Cast & Crew Reflect on Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation - Part 2 - Dread Central". December 8, 2017. Archived from the original on December 8, 2017. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  34. ^ Squires, John. "HL Exclusive: Writer/Director Kim Henkel Reveals Secrets of 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation' | Halloween Love". Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  35. ^ "Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The - Mania.com". August 26, 2014. Archived from the original on August 26, 2014. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  36. ^ Harris, Dana (June 19, 2002). "Horror redo 'Chainsaw' catches Biel, Balfour". Variety. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  37. ^ "International Horror and Sci-Fi Festival Awards". Phoenix Film Festival. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  38. ^ a b O'Connell, Joe (October 8, 2013). "A 'Texas Chain Saw' Pedigree". www.austinchronicle.com. Retrieved September 26, 2022.
  39. ^ "Marilyn Burns Returns for 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3D!'". Craveonline.com. January 19, 2011. Archived from the original on January 22, 2015. Retrieved August 9, 2014.
  40. ^ "R.I.P. 'Texas Chain Saw Massacre' Star Marilyn Burns". Deadline. August 6, 2014. Retrieved September 11, 2022.
  41. ^ "A Complete Timeline of the 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre' Films". Netflix Tudum. Retrieved September 11, 2022.
  42. ^ a b Rouner, Jef. "Dean Corll Biopic, In a Madman's World, Finally Gets a Release Date". Houston Press. Retrieved September 26, 2022.
  43. ^ a b Barton, Steve (March 29, 2013). "Indie Horror Month 2013: Dig the Twisted Details on In a Madman's World". Dread Central. Retrieved September 26, 2022.
  44. ^ a b "Marilyn Burns, who starred in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, dead at 65". National Post. Associated Press. August 6, 2014. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  45. ^ "Marilyn Burns, 'Chainsaw' Actress, Dies at 65". The New York Times. Associated Press. August 7, 2014. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  46. ^ Duke, Alan (August 6, 2014). "'Scream queen' Marilyn Burns dies, survivor in 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre'". CNN. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  47. ^ David, Colker (August 8, 2014). "Marilyn Burns dies at 65; starred in 'Texas Chain Saw Massacre'". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on February 22, 2022. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
  48. ^ Couch, Aaron (August 5, 2014). "'Texas Chainsaw Massacre' Star Marilyn Burns Dies at 65". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  49. ^ "Lionsgate releases official Press Release for Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3-D". Shocktillyoudrop.com. July 19, 2011. Retrieved July 19, 2011.
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