Kathleen Hughes, Iconic Scream Queen of Sci-Fi, Passes Away at 96

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Actress Kathleen Hughes, known for her striking presence and the chilling shriek she produced in the iconic 1950s 3D sci-fi movie “It Came From Outer Space,” has sadly passed away at the age of 96.

Hughes died Monday, according to her close friend, John Jigen Griffin-Atil.

Previously employed by Fox and later Universal, Hughes was described by critic Bosley Crowther of the New York Times as a “subtly toxic character” in her role as an actress involved in an affair with John Forsythe in the crime drama “The Glass Web” (1953), alongside Edward G. Robinson.

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Hughes, who once worked for both Fox and Universal, was labeled by Bosley Crowther of the New York Times as “a delicate dose of venom” while playing an actress engaged in an affair with John Forsythe in the 1953 crime drama “The Glass Web,” which also featured Edward G. Robinson.

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Having worked for Fox and Universal at one point, Hughes was seen by Bosley Crowther of the New York Times as a “delicate serving of poison” during her stint as an actress having an affair with John Forsythe in the 1953 crime drama “The Glass Web,” alongside Edward G. Robinson.

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In her role as an actress involved in an affair with John Forsythe in the 1953 crime drama “The Glass Web” (alongside Edward G. Robinson), Hughes was referred to by Bosley Crowther of the New York Times as a “poisonous morsel,” having previously worked for both Fox and Universal.

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In her performance in the 1953 crime drama “The Glass Web” (with Edward G. Robinson), Hughes, who had previously been employed by both Fox and Universal, was characterized by Bosley Crowther of the New York Times as a “delicate, dangerous concoction,” given that she played an actress having an affair with John Forsythe.

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Previously working for both Fox and Universal, Hughes portrayed an actress engaged in an affair with John Forsythe in the 1953 crime drama “The Glass Web” (starring Edward G. Robinson). Bosley Crowther of the New York Times called her a “subtly toxic character.”

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Having worked for Fox and Universal, Hughes played an actress involved in an affair with John Forsyth in the 1953 crime drama “The Glass Web” (starring Edward G. Robinson). Bosley Crowther of the New York Times referred to her as a “poisonous yet delicate portrayal.

About a year ago, she changed her originally dark hair to blonde for the role of a college student in the 1952 film “For Men Only,” which was both directed and acted by Paul Henreid.

In a 1949 screen test, Doris Hughes may have given Rock Hudson his initial on-screen kiss. Later, she played the role of Rock Hudson’s maid servant opposite Piper Laurie in the adventure film “The Golden Blade,” released in 1953.

In the 1956 movie “Three Bad Sisters,” she played an incredibly unsympathetic character. During an interview in 2019, she shared her fondness for a particular scene where she whipped her on-screen sister with a horsewhip and sent her crying and bleeding into the night. The sister then got into a car and drove off a cliff. She found it amusingly ironic that such a tragic event could be comical.

Hughes remained married for a span of 59 years to writer-producer Stanley Rubin, best known for his works such as “The Narrow Margin”, “River of No Return”, and “The President’s Analyst”. Regrettably, he passed away in March 2014 at the age of 96.

Following his role as Ann Blyth’s friend in the 1952 film “Sally and Saint Anne,” Hughes chose to assist with testing the innovative 3D cameras that would be used for Universal’s “It Came From Outer Space” (1953), a film inspired by a Ray Bradbury story and starring Richard Carlson and Barbara Rush.

She shared that they requested her to walk back and forth on a small pathway dressed in a swimming suit, perhaps due to her more pronounced figure at the time. Laughing, she added that she was glad to oblige.

As a passionate gamer speaking, I really yearned to be part of the Jack Arnold-directed movie, but was informed that the cast was already finalized. However, I managed to lay my hands on the script and stumbled upon a role with a powerful scene that resonated with me. After relentlessly pestering for about a month, I eventually got the chance to embody the girlfriend of Russell Johnson’s humanoid alien character.

Later, Hughes found herself among the cast being snapped for promotional photos for the film. She was instructed to ‘Raise your hands and shout’, as she recounted in a conversation with Rode, this happening in 2017. The image subsequently gained popularity and versatility. “It has been utilized for various purposes, such as ‘A hummus flavor that screams’… Even my cousin in Canada spotted my picture on a birthday card!

Her husband put his foot down when her photo was used for a condom advertisement.

Betty von Gerkan, also known as Elizabeth, was born on November 14, 1928, in Los Angeles. Her uncle, F. Hugh Herbert, was a screenwriter and playwright who developed the character of teenage Corliss Archer, portrayed by Shirley Temple in the 1945 comedy film “Kiss and Tell” produced by Columbia Pictures.

In 1970, the actress standing at 5 feet 9 inches shared that her uncle had often said she wouldn’t fit in pictures due to her height. He believed that all leading actors were short. However, her determination to disprove him might have been one of the factors driving her persistence in acting.

Following her graduation from Fairfax High School, she attended L.A. City College and starred in Maxwell Anderson’s play “Night Over Taos” at the Geller Theater on Miracle Mile (currently the location of the Petersen Automotive Museum). At this point, a talent scout from Fox approached her.

After signing with the studio, she first appeared on the big screen in “Road House” (1948), a film starring Cornel Wilde and Ida Lupino. Later, she featured in several Fox films, such as “Mr. Belvedere Goes to College,” which was also released in 1949, along with the baseball movie titled “It Happens Every Spring.

Following a three-year stint, the fox was let go, and then she graced the screen in Warner Bros.’ “I’ll See You in My Dreams” (1951), featuring Doris Day and Danny Thomas, and Lippert Pictures’ “For Men Only.” After this, she spent another three years working as a contract player for Universal.

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After three years of employment, the fox was released, and subsequently appeared in Warner Bros.’ “I’ll See You in My Dreams” (1951) with Doris Day and Danny Thomas, as well as Lippert Pictures’ “For Men Only.” Subsequently, she spent another three years under contract at Universal.

In a 1969-1970 NBC drama series called “Bracken’s World,” which was set in Hollywood and produced by her husband, Hughes portrayed the character Mitch, a producer’s secretary. Additionally, she made an appearance in a 1973 episode of “M*A*S*H” as Lt. Col. Henry Blake’s (McLean Stevenson) wife on a home movie.

Additionally, she graced various television programs such as Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, 77 Sunset Strip, The Tall Man, Perry Mason, Bachelor Father, Gomer Pyle, USMC, I Dream of Jeannie, and Quincy M.E. Her filmography includes Dawn at Socorro (1954), Cult of the Cobra (1955), The Late Liz (1971) and Revenge (1990).

In the 1987 film “Ironweed”, she was originally cast to portray a passionate female character involved in a romantic scene with Jack Nicholson, yet her performance ended up being edited out during post-production.

Remaining family members are her three offspring – Angie, who works as a film music editor, John, an accomplished documentary filmmaker, and Michael.

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2025-05-21 02:55