Marilyn Burns

Marilyn Burns

Born: July 5, 1949
Died: August 5, 2014
in Erie, Pennsylvania, USA
Marilyn Burns was born Mary Lynn Ann Burns on May 7, 1949 in Erie, Pennsylvania, and raised in Houston, Texas. She attended the University of Texas at Austin where she graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Drama. Marilyn was one of the original scream queens, remembered primarily for her role in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974). She played Sally Hardesty, a teenager who travels with her brother and some friends to the cemetery where her grandfather was buried to investigate reports of grave vandalism, and then encounters an insane, murderous family, including the chainsaw-wielding Leatherface.

Her follow-up appearance was in Eaten Alive (1976), where she played a vacationer who unwittingly stumbles upon a hotel managed by a maniac who feeds his guests to his crocodile. Marilyn earned her scream queen status by starring in other horror movies; Kiss Daddy Goodbye (1981) and Future-Kill (1985). She appeared in the television miniseries Helter Skelter (1976) about the real-life trial of Charles Manson and his family. She played Linda Kasabian, a member of the Manson Family whose testimony helped lead to the convictions of the cult leader and many of his followers.

Marilyn had an uncredited cameo as Sally Hardesty in The Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1995), and made a cameo appearance as Verna Carlson in Texas Chainsaw 3D (2013). However, aside from these roles and occasional appearances at horror conventions, she lived a relatively quiet life out of the spotlight in the Houston area in her later years. Marilyn Burns died at age 65 in her sleep on August 5, 2014 and was found in her Houston, Texas home by family members, the cause was an apparent heart attack, although not specified.

Movies for Marilyn Burns...

In a Madman's World
Title: In a Madman's World
Character: Mrs. Hill
Released: March 10, 2017
Type: Movie
Directly based upon the infamous Houston Mass Murders, the film centers around Elmer Wayne Henley's life before, during, and immediately after his involvement with Dean Corll and David Brooks, and their killing spree of over 28 victims from 1970 to 1973.
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Sacrament
Title: Sacrament
Character: Beulah Standifer
Released: June 7, 2014
Type: Movie
Leaving the city behind for a weekend of booze, bud and bonding at the coast, seven friends find themselves stranded en route to the Gulf Coast of Texas when a big storm interferes with their plans.
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Butcher Boys
Title: Butcher Boys
Character: Ruth
Released: September 6, 2013
Type: Movie
A gut-wrenching, non-stop roller coaster ride through the hellish underbelly of inner-city America. A birthday celebration at an upscale restaurant sets in motion events that bring Sissy, her brother, Mikey, and friends, Kenny and Barbie, face to face with the macabre world of the Boneboys. Inspired by Jonathan Swift's cannibalistic tale A Modest Proposal, the Boneboys are international predators who deal in human flesh - dead or alive. Their hunting grounds are the cities of the world.
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Texas Chainsaw 3D
Title: Texas Chainsaw 3D
Character: Verna Carson
Released: January 3, 2013
Type: Movie
A young woman learns that she has inherited a Texas estate from her deceased grandmother. After embarking on a road trip with friends to uncover her roots, she finds she is the sole owner of a lavish, isolated Victorian mansion. But her newfound wealth comes at a price as she stumbles upon a horror that awaits her in the mansion’s dank cellars.
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Texas Chain Saw Massacre: The Shocking Truth
Title: Texas Chain Saw Massacre: The Shocking Truth
Character: Herself
Released: September 21, 2000
Type: Movie
A documentary primarily focusing on the filming and release of the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
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The American Nightmare
Title: The American Nightmare
Character: Self
Released: September 11, 2000
Type: Movie
An examination into the nature of 1960's-70's horror films, the involved artists, and how they reflected contemporary society.
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The Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Title: The Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Character: Patient on Gurney
Released: September 22, 1995
Type: Movie
When a helpful family invites two lost couples in for a good ol' down-home massacre, the prom night teens find themselves all dressed up... with no place to escape.
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Future-Kill
Title: Future-Kill
Character: Dorothy Grim
Released: May 3, 1985
Type: Movie
The star of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" returns in a story about frat boys lost in the big city while hunted by a violent leader and his elite gang of gun-happy guards.
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Terror in the Aisles
Title: Terror in the Aisles
Character: Sally (archive footage) (uncredited)
Released: October 26, 1984
Type: Movie
A non-stop roller coaster ride through the scariest moments of the greatest terror films of all time.
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Escape from El Diablo
Title: Escape from El Diablo
Character: Carmen
Released: January 1, 1983
Type: Movie
A young American is framed and thrown into a Mexican prison. His friends journey to Mexico to break him out.
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Kiss Daddy Goodbye
Title: Kiss Daddy Goodbye
Character: Nora Dennis
Released: January 1, 1981
Type: Movie
Two children who have psychic powers use them to avenge the death of their father, who was murdered by a biker gang.
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Eaten Alive
Title: Eaten Alive
Character: Faye
Released: December 25, 1976
Type: Movie
A psychotic redneck who owns a dilapidated hotel in the backwater swamps of Louisiana kills various people who upset him or his business, and he feeds their bodies to a large crocodile that he keeps as a pet in the swamp beside his hotel.
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Helter Skelter
Title: Helter Skelter
Character: Linda Kasabian
Released: April 1, 1976
Type: Movie
The investigation of two horrific mass murders leads to the capture and trial of the psychotic pseudo-hippie Charles Manson and his "family".
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The Great Waldo Pepper
Title: The Great Waldo Pepper
Character: Spectator (uncredited)
Released: March 13, 1975
Type: Movie
A biplane pilot who had missed flying in WWI takes up barnstorming and later a movie career in his quest for the glory he had missed.
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The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
Title: The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
Character: Sally Hardesty
Released: October 11, 1974
Type: Movie
A group of five young friends face a nightmare of torment at the hands of a depraved Texas clan.
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Lovin' Molly
Title: Lovin' Molly
Character: Sarah / Molly (uncredited)
Released: April 14, 1974
Type: Movie
Spanning nearly 40 years from 1925 to 1964, two Texas farm boys; straight-arrow Gid and laid-back Johnny fight over the affections of the beautiful and headstrong Molly Taylor, who consistently refuses to marry either of them.
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Brewster McCloud
Title: Brewster McCloud
Character: Tour Guide (uncredited)
Released: December 5, 1970
Type: Movie
Brewster is an owlish, intellectual boy who lives in a fallout shelter of the Houston Astrodome. He has a dream: to take flight within the confines of the stadium. Brewster tells those he trusts of his dream, but displays a unique way of treating others who do not fit within his plans.