Maila Nurmi

Biography

Maila Elizabeth Syrjäniemi (December 11, 1922 – January 10, 2008), known professionally as Maila Nurmi, was an American actress best known for creating the camp 1950s character Vampira. She was of Finnish descent.

Movies & TV Shows

1. Plan 9 from Outer Space (1957) — Vampire Girl
2. The Magic Sword (1962) — The Hag / Sorceress
3. Romance on the High Seas (1948) — Ship Passenger (uncredited)
4. I Woke Up Early the Day I Died (1998) — Woman in Hotel Lobby
5. Sex Kittens Go to College (1960) — Etta Toodie
6. Schlock! The Secret History of American Movies (2001) — Herself
7. The Beat Generation (1959) — Poetess
8. Flying Saucers Over Hollywood: The 'Plan 9' Companion (1992) — Herself
9. The Haunted World of Edward D. Wood, Jr. (1996) — Herself
10. The Big Operator (1959) — Gina
11. Vampira and Me (2013) — Self (archive footage)
12. Population: 1 (1986) — Mother (uncredited)
13. American Scary (2006) — Herself / 'Vampira'
14. I Passed for White (1960) — Girl Poet (uncredited)
15. Vampira: The Movie (2006) — Herself
16. Dracula: A Cinematic Scrapbook (1991) — Vampire Girl (archive footage)
17. The Many Faces of Dracula (2000) — Vampire Girl (archive footage)
18. Vampira: About Sex, Death and Taxes (1995) — Self
19. James Dean: The First American Teenager (1975) — Self
20. The Incredibly Strange Film Show (1988) — Self
21. Vampires: Thirst for the Truth (1996) — Self
22. Monsterama: A Tribute to Horror Hosts (2004) — Self
23. Way of Tomorrow: The Evolution of Science Fiction Movies (2022) — Self - (archive footage)
24. The Vampira Show (1954) — Vampira
25. Bungalow Invader (1981) — Vampira
26. The Jet-Propelled Couch (1957) — Vampira