Movie News

Yvonne DeCarlo has passed away...

Published at: Jan. 10, 2007, 5:45 p.m. CST by headgeek

Hey folks, Harry here with some bad news. Yvonne DeCarlo has passed away. For film fans and television lovers - this is a sad day. She's probably best known as that hottie that Ol Moses fell for in that Technicolor beauty, THE TEN COMMANDMENTS - or as the wondrous undead Lily Munster. But that's not how she started out - for years in the forties she was just playing eye candy in feature films... a showgirl in THIS GUN FOR HIRE, a handmaiden on the ROAD TO MOROCCO, a girl in a cafe wondering, FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS or as Princess Wah-Tah in THE DEERSLAYER (1943). She played Chorus Girls, Secretaries, Handmaiden's, Companions, Office Clerks, Hat Check Girls - until... Film Noir came in where she did the Femme Fatale opposite Burt Lancaster in a pair of the best fucking film noirs around... BRUTE FORCE and CRISS CROSS - and her career had solidified. Suddenly she was playing Calamity Jane and Princess Scheherazade in films. She got to play "larcenous saloon queen" Roxy next to Rock Hudson in SCARLET ANGEL. She was a "B" movie queen - the head lady opposite the Van Helflin's and Edmond O'Brien's and Joel McCrea's and Ricardo Montalbahn's. Handsome well produced films - often times far better than the A films of the period. Just not as heralded. Then - immortality came her way when she landed the role of Sephora in DeMille's THE TEN COMMANDMENTS - a film that will simply never die. One that will ALWAYS play and SHOULD ALWAYS play. She was awesome in the role, not the showiest, but very much the anchor and the heart. Then she was playing with Clark Gable, in my dvd pick this month, BAND OF ANGELS and Victor Mature in TIMBUKTU for Jacques Tourneur! Then with John Wayne in MCLINTOCK! Then the tiny screen a came a-callin' And Lily Munster was born! For 71 episodes of Munster bliss - she had us. I don't know about you, but I loved THE MUNSTERS. And in particular I loved the chemistry between Lily and Herman. She's a big reason why that show has had it's enduring history with us boob tube watchers. After that - Yvonne continued... Playing in anything and everything - from exploitation films like BLAZING STEWARDESSES and SATAN'S CHEERLEADERS and NOCTURNA - to spots on television like ROOTS and FANTASY ISLAND and much more. The last really fun thing she did was on HBO's TALES FROM THE CRYPT series. Remember the episode, DEATH OF SOME SALESMAN? It was that great episode with Ed Begley Jr and Tim Curry in multiple roles. I liked that episode quite a bit, and lit up when I saw Yvonne De Carlo. She's gone now - but I highly recommend checking out her IMDB filmography - and in particular exploring her films from 1946-1964. There's a lot of great work there, be a shame for you to miss it.

Readers Talkback

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Jan. 10, 2007, 5:51 p.m. CST

this sucks

by Shakes

this sucks. Since death always happens in threes, I wonder who the next two will be
Jan. 10, 2007, 5:58 p.m. CST

Rest well, beautiful lady.

by Uncapie

I got to meet year many years ago on the Universal lot. Charming, gracious, funny and loved to talk to people. I was impressed that she was married at one time to stuntman legend, Bob Morgan back in the fifties. A great woman all around. She will be missed.
Jan. 10, 2007, 6:12 p.m. CST

Rest Peacefully

by Pound Sand

That was nicely done, HEADGEEK.
Jan. 10, 2007, 6:40 p.m. CST

Remembered Fondly...

by Lain Of The Net

She made me laugh when I was a child.
Jan. 10, 2007, 6:47 p.m. CST

TV's first undead MILF

by Coyote Joe

She made me think about necrophelia when I was a boy.
Jan. 10, 2007, 6:46 p.m. CST

The first person...

by KarmicRelief

...who says "SPIKE GOTTA EAT!" gets my foot in their ass.
Jan. 10, 2007, 6:54 p.m. CST

A great woman.

by MattyAGoGo

My friends Rick & Odessa are about to have their first child, and will be naming her Lilian after Yvonne's titular character. Hey Harry, you need to get Butch Patrick on here to get his thoughts and memories of Yvonne. God, that would be great. He runs a late night horror show here in LA called Macabre Theatre. I believe you can reach him through their site. www.macabretheatre.com
Jan. 10, 2007, 7:21 p.m. CST

Hotty goes down..

by Billyeveryteen

Goodnight sweet princess.
Jan. 10, 2007, 8:16 p.m. CST

Correction

by KarmicRelief

Just realized I put "Spike" instead of "Spot" in above post. Can't even get the name of the fuckin' dragon right.
Jan. 10, 2007, 8:18 p.m. CST

She was how I define a MILF, honest

by Doctor_Sin

I had the biggest crush on her as Lilly Munster. Then, I caught an old film from her younger, "saloon dance hall western" days and yowza! She was also a very, very quality actress from an age when "actress" meant something. RIP, Yvonne. Always know that you entertained the masses with your skills and beauty and we're all the richer for it.
Jan. 10, 2007, 8:19 p.m. CST

DARN! DARN! DARN! DARN! DARN!

by Uncle Stan

To this day I still spank the monkey to a hot freeze-frame of Lily Munster. Thanks for the memories, Yvonne!
Jan. 10, 2007, 8:23 p.m. CST

Great Obituary, Harry.

by ExcaliburFfolkes

You seem to be the only writer on this site who has the good sense to realize that an obit is supposed to be about the person who died, not the person writing it.
Jan. 10, 2007, 8:38 p.m. CST

Hubba hubba hubba!

by Doctor_Sin

http://tinyurl.com/yn7usr
Jan. 10, 2007, 9:48 p.m. CST

: (

by Mace Tofu

How come all the chicks were HOT in THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. I feel guilty jerking to that flick. Damn you form fitting see thru robes! Yvonne DeCarlo was HOT! RIP! Thanks for the sweet body of work you left us old nerds and future nerds to be.
Jan. 10, 2007, 10:06 p.m. CST

RIP Lily Munster

by DOGSOUP

I once masterbated thinking about Lily Munster and Morticia Addams in a threesome. Good times, good times.
Jan. 10, 2007, 10:28 p.m. CST

One of my favorite shows when I was younger...

by iron pills

I wasn't even born when the series originally aired, but always caught it in syndication on channel 11. Lily & Herman were always my favorite characters on the show. She'll be missed. R.I.P.
Jan. 10, 2007, 11:01 p.m. CST

:(

by The_Countess

This bites!
Jan. 10, 2007, 11:29 p.m. CST

rest in peace

by Bloo

I love the Munsters and the 10 Commandmentstotally different and enduring roles. I just got McLintock and didn't relieze she was in it...i may have to watch that now
Jan. 11, 2007, 12:01 a.m. CST

Love MCLINTOCK

by S-Mart shopper

It even has a stereotypical drunken Indian in it. Yvonne gets all sauced up with The Duke.
Jan. 11, 2007, 12:45 a.m. CST

I didn't even know she was still alive

by ewokstew

I hope she had a good full life.
Jan. 11, 2007, 1:43 a.m. CST

she was gorgeous

by jrbarker

rip
Jan. 11, 2007, 5:34 a.m. CST

It's Amazing..

by Dr.Zeus

...the amount of chemistry that she and Fred Gwynn had on the Munsters. Two of the finest performers on TV from those years. And 71 episodes back then, only two seasons, made it feel like the show had been on forever. Thanks Ms. DeCarlo for making me smile, and continuing to entertain my kids currently.
Jan. 11, 2007, 5:39 a.m. CST

Sad...

by radio1_mike

Rest in Peace, Yvonne. Rest in Pieces, Lily. You were a sexy sweetie all of your life. Thank you for some of the happiest memories in my life.
Jan. 11, 2007, 6:18 a.m. CST

RIP

by Dazzler69

I know I was a fan! Now her and Herman are together in Heaven!
Jan. 11, 2007, 7:54 a.m. CST

she must have

by emeraldboy

been in her 90's
Jan. 11, 2007, 8:15 a.m. CST

RIP IWAO TAKAMOTO

by young1

How come he was overlooked here this week? http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/TV/01/09/takamoto.obit.reut/index.html
Jan. 11, 2007, 8:17 a.m. CST

that link again without spaces I hope...

by young1

http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/TV/01/09/takamoto.obit.reut/index.html
Jan. 11, 2007, 8:20 a.m. CST

%20

by young1

you'll have to delete the %20 spaces yourself for that link to work.
Jan. 11, 2007, 10:23 a.m. CST

Remaining Munster Actors/Actresses

by rengaw

Butch Patrick (Eddie) and both Marilyn actresses remain alive. Beverly Owen was the original Marilyn but left after 18 episodes to get married. Pat Priest played Marilyn for the rest of the two seasons. Al Lewis (Grampa) died back in February 2006. Fred Gwynne (Herman) died in 1993.
Jan. 11, 2007, 12:26 p.m. CST

To reiterate: DARN DARN DARN DARN!!!

by Kentucky Colonel

Munsters cancelled after two seasons with very strong ratings. Why? Because CBS in 1966 made the decision (following NBC's lead) to broadcast in color only, which also killed off the Adams Family and others. I heard that through the grapevine. Bye Lily!
Jan. 11, 2007, 1:23 p.m. CST

Why is it

by Capt. Spaulding

that it's spelled Seporah in "The Ten Commandments" but spelled Tzipporah in "Prince of Egypt?" I actually think the second spelling is Talmudically correct. Is Talmudically a word?
Jan. 11, 2007, 2:24 p.m. CST

She also was Aunt Rosie in Stallone's masterpiece...

by W3bzpinn3r

"Oscar"
Jan. 11, 2007, 5:52 p.m. CST

To be totally honest?

by TheUglyBaby

I totally would have banged Lily Munster. Get a lil freaky deaky with the hot dead chick with the slammin' yabbo's.......
Jan. 11, 2007, 6:42 p.m. CST

...a moment...

by decfx

of silence....
Jan. 12, 2007, 8 a.m. CST

She was HOT! I'd totally do Moses's Mom

by hatespeech

and maybe his dad too

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