Cool News
Carmilla Karnstein aka Ingrid Pitt has passed into the great beyond...
Fathergeek here... European horror queen Ingrid Pitt collapsed in a London street on her way to a fan event and died later in a local hospital of heart failure on November 21st. Born Ingoushka Petrov in Poland on November 21, 1937 she survived 3 years in a Nazi concentration camp, escaped from communist East Berlin, and became a well known star of stage, screen, and TV.
Known to most as the seductive bisexual vampire Carmilla in1970's The Vampire Lovers, Ingrid became a staple in the Hammer Films horror line up starring in 73's Wicker Man, as well as 1971's House That Dripped Blood and Countess Dracula, and several others. However she did enjoy a productive non-horror film career as well, appearing in motion pictures like Chimes at Midnight, Doctor Zhivago, A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum, and 1968's Where Eagles Dare. She appeared in 5 episodes of the BBC's renowned Doctor Who series and many other TV shows in England and the USA. Her last film role was as Anna in 2008's Sea of Dust.
Meeting Ingrid is one of old Fathergeek's unfilled desires, alas, it was not ment to be, but hanging on the wall here at geek headquarters in a shadowbox is a book that once belonged to Forry Ackerman signed by Bela Lugosi, John Carradine, Paul Naschy and other vampires of note including Ingrid Pitt. Farewell dear Ingrid, sleep well.
Readers Talkback
comments powered by Disqus-
+ Expand All
-
Great lady. She was by all accounts a very nice person, beyond her iconic status.
-
"The Vampire Lovers" is my favorite Hammer production. Knowing now of her hardship during WWII makes me appreciate her even more.
-
Her and Mary Ure were hot action babes in that movie.
-
Another reason the Wicker Man was so great. I wish more girls would look like her instead of beanpoles.
-
Ingrid Pitt, Caroline Munro and Barbara Steele were, in my opinion, the royalty of horror ladies when I was a kid. She will be dearly missed.
-
R.I.P.
-
One of the greats of 70s genre films. I had no idea about her WWII background.
-
they will probably make a movie about her someday.
-
I can't say I saw her in much besides Hammer's vampire movies and "Wicker Man," but those are memorable. <p> Now I find out she wrote books, spoke seven languages, and was a nice person. <p> I've been watching TCM's Hammer horror movies recently, and they are some great work. Jacquelyn Pearce is another notable actress, and fortunately she's still with us.
-
FYI... "The Wicker Man" and "The House That Dripped Blood" are not, repeat, NOT Hammer films. Come to think of it, I believe Ms. Pitt only appeared in TWO Hammer productions, "The Vampire Lovers" and "Countess Dracula" -- hardly a staple. Even so, she was a sexy '70s genre presence and will be missed. R.I.P., ma'am.
-
but just another random death in terms of my worldview
-
Thanks for all the great memories and fun movies, Ingrid Pitt. Amazingly beautiful, talented and charismatic. Sad, sad day. =(
-
to a very talented actress - nice to see so much of her non horror work acknowledged as well. (Great shout on Jacqueline Pearce as well Kabong) RIP
-
As a child reared in Hammer lore,seing Ms Pitt always made me feel funny down there...
-
in the UK's Shivers magazine called The Pitt of Horror, which was always an entertaining read. Her passing is very sad.
-
Great Lady, rest in peace.
-
My condolecences and sympathies for her family, friends and fans.
-
She was one of the most beautiful actresses of the 60s and very gracious to her fans as well. I asked her for an interview for my old fanzine years ago and she was extremely polite and helpful. I wrote a small obituary this morning as well: http://www.crowsnbones.com/2010/11/ingrid-pitt-1937-2010/ Rest in Peace
-
I'll always remember her fondly for the bonkers character she played in the Peter Davison Doctor Who story "Warriors of the Deep".
-
I met her a few times, she used to be a guest on the Shopping Channel i worked for in the UK, She was lovely and hilarious and was always a pleasure to work with, And told some Eye opening stories about Where Eagles Dare. She will be greatly missed.
-
Very sad. She was one of those women who made the first real impression on my pubescent mind back in the day. Very sexy woman and a true asset to the horror genre in the 60s & 70s. <p> R.I.P.
-
I'll always remember her fondly, as she foolishly tries to karate-kick an electric sea monster to death...
-
The Hammer movies were such a great part of my childhood. Watching creature double feature on channel 48 in Philly was a Saturday afternoon ritual which I dearly miss.
-
A REAL woman in every sense of the word - We will miss you Ingrid - R.I.P.
-
'Countess Dracula' wasn't part of Hammer's Karnstein trilogy. The series consisted of 'The Vampire Lovers' (1970), 'Lust for a Vampire' (1971) and 'Twins of Evil' (1971).
-
Alas she has left the building and returned to the grave.
-
scared the shit out of me. That first story about the writer seeing his fictional stangler stalking him around the estate, with those teeth and that smile; shit that's creepy.
-
I too enjoyed her work. I saw Vampire Lovers as a teen and "Oh Boy!" It may explain my facination with Christina Hendricks.<p>She is great in "Where Eagles Dare." There she is on screen with Eastwood and Burton and she holds her own. I never knew she was a Holocaust Survivor. That just makes her even more amazing. Again, Farewell.-----m
-
Nov. 24, 2010, 2:32 p.m. CST
Miss Pitt - you stirred the nether regions of many a young man
by skimn
In my youth I could sneak issues of Castle Of Frankenstein past my parents, because it was "just one of those monster magazines he loves so much". But with Playboy and such out of reach, it was an influential exploration of the female form that I could access whenever I wanted. Thank you Miss Pitt and CoF for your many pictorials.
-
Nov. 24, 2010, 3:06 p.m. CST
She also narrated Cradle of Filth's Cruelty and the Beast album
by Daremo
I didn't see this mentioned here yet, but she was the narrator for Cradle of Filth's Cruelty and the Beast album. On that album, Pitt reprised her role from the film Countess Dracula.
-
Nov. 24, 2010, 3:16 p.m. CST
i assume everyone here knows the sory about eastwood and burton
by ragingfluff
having a bet to see who would bed her first on the set of "Where Eagles Dare"; later on they told her and she coolly responded "who won?"
-
I had the great fortune to meet Ingrid a few times at the memorabilia event here in the UK. I was with a pal walking the aisles and saw an image of Ingrid in a bath, the water JUST covering her modesty - absolutely the most potent image of sexuality and overwhelming sexiness and womanhood you could hope to conjour. After a day of spotting vaguely attractive cosplayers and former page 3 girls I pointed to the image and said quite clearly, "Now THAT's what a woman looks like." Of course, just below the image was Ingrid, who gave me that knockout smile and thanked me for 'making her day'. What a lady...
-
Well, she actually had the only two good things.
-
met her at Chiller in NJ a few times always pleasant to fans. She got loaded in the bar and was still quite the flirt. She will be missed.
-
Met her a couple of times at UK conventions - mad as a box of frogs, flirty as you like and quite frankly loved having men queue to buy her drinks. Good work, Ingrid.
-
Is great fun. It's an Amicus anthology with Pitt, Cushing and Christopher Lee amongst others. The fact that the person who wrote the tribute to Pitt doesn't even know the difference between Amicus and Hammer is somewhat depressing considering this is supposed to be a huge geek film site.
-
Would have been a great movie or book title.<p><p>Only knew of her from the movies, how ironic that she passed away on her Birthday!<p><p>R.I.P. Miss Pitt
-
Fitfeen year old boys don't know they're born these days. I'll never forget the Friday night horror double bills on BBC2 and discovering Ingrids's Carmilla. Ahhh sweet memories!
-
I was obsessed with her as a five years old-kid when I first saw The Vampire Lovers, staying up to watch it on 'Appointment With Fear' (the Friday night horror movie slot on British TV) with my nan back in 1975. A truly amazing lady. Nice tribute FG.
Top Talkbacks
- Harry dives into STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS' spoilers to reveal the truth behind the blockbuster we're seeing! -- 249 total posts 119 posts
-
HERCULES ON THE RADIO!!
Learn What Ain’t It Cool’s TV Critic Thinks About STAR TREK: INTO DARKNESS, Next Week’s HANNIBAL, MAD MEN, GAME OF THRONES, The New Fall Shows And More!! Listen And Call In LIVE Saturday 8pm PT/11pm ET!! -- 236 total posts 110 posts - Hey! Fat Face! Here's The New Teaser To ANCHORMAN: THE LEGEND CONTINUES! -- 221 total posts 59 posts
- Nordling Reviews STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS! Spoilers Abound! You Are Warned! -- 1024 total posts 58 posts
- UPDATE The Friday Docback Calls 'The Name of the Doctor'!! DOCTOR WHO's S7 Finale Arrives This Weekend!! Now With Glen's Ultra-Brief, SPOILER FREE MiniReview!! -- 311 total posts 53 posts
- Here's A Behind-The-Scenes Look At MAN OF STEEL With New Footage! Also... Is Supergirl In The Prequel Comic? -- 121 total posts 38 posts
-
‘Darkness Will Devour Them All!!’
Sunday Brings Antepenultimate GAME OF THRONES For HBO!! -- 26 total posts 26 posts - 1st Trailer for Jean Pierre Jeunet's THE YOUNG AND PRODIGIOUS SPIVET!!! Joy Follows... -- 32 total posts 15 posts
- New PACIFIC RIM Trailer Takes A Battleship Upside The Head Of Every Other Summer Movie Trailer! -- 285 total posts 13 posts
- Capone reviews STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS and considers the art of messing with canon and why it doesn't bother him!!! -- 513 total posts 13 posts