FEATURE: SINISTER SIX: SMASHING SCREAM QUEENS

With this week’s announcement that the wonderful Jamie Lee Curtis is heading back to her horror roots for Fox TV’s new horror-comedy, aptly titled Scream Queens, I thought it was time to check out some more of the genre’s iconic leading ladies.

From the slasher heyday of the late 70s-early 80s to today’s horror efforts, this doesn’t contain every single actress who deserves the title of Scream Queen, but it does contain some of the very best…

1: P.J. SOLES

(Carrie, Halloween, The Butterfly Room, The Devil’s Rejects)

One of Curtis’ Halloween co-stars, P.J. Soles’s Lynda fared less fortunately than Laurie Strode. Not just content with being ‘the one that went topless’ in Carpenter’s slasher classic, Soles also has a role in genre must-see, Carrie too! If that weren’t enough, in more recent years Soles has returned to horror with a string of roles. ‘FANTASTIC’.

2: LINNEA QUIGLEY

(Return of the Living Dead, Night of the Demons, Creepozoids, Sorority Babes at the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama, Silent Night Deadly Night, Pumpkinhead 2)

Ms Quigley is pretty much a living legend to me. Starring in dozens of cult-classics that will be all-too familiar to my fellow children of the Eighties, Quigley is one of the greatest and most prolific scream queens of all time. Known for her serious acting chops and willingness to bare her well-honed bod (she even released a horror work out tape!), Linnea was one of the first names on this list.

3: DEBBIE ROCHON

(Tromeo and Juliet, Santa Claws, Bleed, Terror Firmer, Dorchester’s Revenge: The Return of Crinoline Head)

Equally prolific in her horror and cult film appearances, the feisty and tough Rochon became a mainstay of Troma films during the Nineties. Completely and utterly embracing her role as a horror icon, Rochon has appeared in dozens of horror films and a quick look at her imdb page shows PLENTY more on the way. A genuinely great actress, she elevates films just through appearing in them. Ms Rochon, I salute you.

4: NEVE CAMPBELL

(The Craft, Scream, Scream II, Scream III, Scream IV)

While the quantity of Neve Campbell’s horror output can’t touch that of Quigley, Soles or Rochon, the importance of her work cannot be understated. As the lead star in Scream, the film that single-handedly resurrected the horror genre in 1996, she became a superstar scream queen. A talented actress, she became the face of one of the biggest horror franchises of all time and earned a place on this list.

5: BARBARA CRAMPTON

(Re-Animator, From Beyond, Castle Freak, You’re Next, Chopping Mall, Lords of Salem)

Clearly a firm favourite with director Stuart Gordon, Barbara Crampton has appeared in a number of his films, not least of which the ever-popular (and awesome), Re-Animator. Along with roles in Gordon's Lovecraftian From Beyond and Castle Freak, Crampton also appeared in campy-classic Chopping Mall. Furthermore, she has returned to the genre in recent years, notably in Adam Wingard's superb You're Next. Vivacious and clearly game to get her hands (and other body parts) dirty, Crampton is a top drawer Scream Queen.

6: DANIELLE HARRIS

(Halloween 4, Halloween 5, Hatchet 2, Hatchet 3, Chromeskull: Laid to Rest 2, See No Evil 2, Urban Legends, Blood Night: The Legend of Mary Hatchet, Halloween 2007, Stake Land)

Danielle Harris is THE reigning Scream Queen today. Don’t believe me? Look at that filmography. After appearing in the original Halloween franchise, Harris took a short break rom horror before returning with a bang. She took over the lead role in both of the Hatchet sequels, the lead in the Soska sisters’ See No Evil 2, returned to Halloween franchise in Rob Zombie’s remakes and is appearing in genre film after genre film. The pretty, pint-sized sparkplug is EVERYTHING that a modern scream queen should be, showing an impressive versatility in her roles and terrific pride in the genre. Danielle is not just the top reigning Scream Queen, she is one of the best ever.

So, any thoughts on the list? Can you think of any surprising additions?

Feel free to drop any comments below.

If you haven’t already, do please check out and like the Hickey’s House of Horrors Facebook page, which you can find here. It gives you a nice quick link to any new posts on this blog, plus regular news updates from around the web. I check the internet so you don’t have to!

I hope you enjoyed your stay.