These talented stars are on the rise. How many do you recognize?

These Stars Are on the Rise

From popular franchises to brand new worlds of exploration, science fiction and fantasy stories are more popular than ever. Check out our list of the best and brightest new and upcoming movies and series.

New and Upcoming Sci-Fi and Fantasy

Discover some of the most anticipated sequels, prequels, and spin-offs coming to theaters and streaming.

New Sequels, Prequels, and Spin-Offs

Cassandra Peterson was born in Manhattan, Kansas, and grew up in Colorado Springs, Colorado. She began her career at age 17 as the youngest showgirl in Las Vegas history in the show "Vive Les Girls" at the Dunes Hotel. After receiving advice from "The King" himself, Elvis Presley, she traveled to Europe where she pursued a career as a singer and actor. She worked in several Italian films, including Federico Fellini's Roma (1972) and performed throughout Europe as lead singer of an Italian rock band.

Upon returning to the United States, she toured the country as star of her own musical-comedy show, "Mama's Boys." She eventually settled in Hollywood, where she spent four and a half years with L.A.'s foremost improvisational comedy group, The Groundlings. In 1981, she auditioned for the role of horror hostess on a local Los Angeles television station. Her show, Elvira's Movie Macabre (1981), and her newly created character, Elvira, became an overnight sensation.

Cassandra has used Elvira's celebrity status to bring attention to many worthy causes and organizations over the years, including her well-known work for animal welfare and raising money and awareness for the prevention of HIV/AIDS. In addition to co-writing and performing in both the local L.A. and nationally syndicated television versions of "Movie Macabre," she co-wrote, produced and starred in two feature films, Elvira: Mistress of the Dark (1988) and Elvira's Haunted Hills (2001). In 2010, she returned to syndicated television in a reboot of her original series, Elvira's Movie Macabre (2010). She returned in 2014 in a similar show format for Hulu's 13 Nights of Elvira. Her latest endeavors include producing, writing and starring in Elvira's 40th Anniversary, Very Scary, Very Special, Special - a 2021 four-hour special streaming on Shudder, and Dr. Elvira, a Halloween promotional mini-series for Netflix.

Cassandra Peterson has spent over four decades solidifying the Elvira brand that has become synonymous with Halloween and the horror genre.

(1996) Released her own brand of beer, &quot;Elvira&#39;s Night Brew&quot;.

(1990) Released her own brand of perfume, &quot;Evil&quot;.

TV commercials: Coors Light beer, shown on Halloween of each year.

(1997) Book (as &quot;Elvira&quot;): &quot;Transylvania 90210&quot;.

(1997) Book (w/<a class="ipc-md-link ipc-md-link--entity" href="/name/nm0660893/?ref_=nmwrk">John Paragon</a>): &quot;Bad Dog, Andy&quot;.

(1982) Record (12&quot; EP): &quot;Elvira and the Vi-Tones&quot; (Rhino Records).

(1983) Record (12&quot; EP): &quot;Elvira Presents Vinyl Macabre&quot; (Rhino Records)

(1988) Album: &quot;Elvira Presents Haunted Hits&quot; (Rhino Records).

(1994) Album: &quot;Elvira Presents Monster Hits&quot; (Rhino Records)

(1995) Album: &quot;Elvira Presents: Revenge of the Monster Hits&quot; (Rhino Records).

(2004) Hostess of cable channel Animal Planet&#39;s Halloween wee.

(1979-82) Print ad: Model for Dr. Brain Richards&#39; self-help book &quot;The Penis&quot;.

(2006) TV commercial (PSA): People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, in which she encourages people to go vegan.

(1998) Book (as &quot;Elvira&quot;): &quot;The Boy Who Cried Werewolf&quot;.

(1997) Book (as &quot;Elvira&quot;): &quot;Camp Vamp&quot;.

(1976) Album cover: Featured as a stripper on the cover for the album &quot;Small Change&quot; by <a class="ipc-md-link ipc-md-link--entity" href="/name/nm0001823/?ref_=nmwrk">Tom Waits</a>

Other works

Cassandra Peterson

Contribute to this page

More from this person

More to explore

Recently viewed