Tim Burton to remake this 50s classic: the star of the original film met a tragic fate

A B movie released in 1958 that has risen to the status of a minor sci-fi classic, Attack on the 50-Legged Woman, which was already the subject of a 1993 remake starring Daryl Hannah, will be the subject again. A new version, this time under the auspices of Tim Burton. An opportunity to reflect on the fate and trajectory of Yvette Vickers.

B-movie muse, former Playmate Playmate in the 1950s, best known for playing the 50-foot-tall woman in the sci-fi classic. In 1958, the attack of the 50-foot womanYvette Vickers had her hour of glory, though it was ultimately very fleeting before she slipped into oblivion and total anonymity. to an outcome both tragic and despicable, reminiscent of the disastrous end to the trajectory of former Disney studio child star Bobby Driscoll.

Shampoo in Hollywood

Born on August 26, 1928 and originally from Missouri, Yvette Vickers grew up with parents who were jazz artists and musicians. As a child, he traveled a lot, accompanying his parents on musical tours around the country. It wasn’t until he entered the University of California, Los Angeles that he discovered an interest in acting classes and, in the enddecides to become an actor.

After a few commercials for a shampoo brand, he made small appearances on television and landed a leading, albeit uncredited, film role in Boulevard du crepuscule in 1950. Minor film appearances, most notably in James Cagney’s only signature work, Two Steps From Hell, 1957.

This is just 50 ft. Female AttackIn 1958, he managed to take the leading role. In this sci-fi film by Nathan Juran, she plays the beautiful Honey Parker; The mistress of a married man (William Hudson), who will try to escape his troubled wife with him.

Below is the trailer of the movie…

If he stayed in the B series, the film allowed him to win the lead role again the second year, in Attack of the Giant Leeches. Mesmerized by her good looks, Hugh Hefner approached Vickers to ask her to be Playboy’s Best Friend of the Month in July 1959.

The magazine Playboy, published before the film, did a lot for Yvette Vickers’ sudden popularity, which now appears in the hands of conquerors such as Cary Grant, Lee Marvin or Jim Hutton. If he marries three times, he will never have children.

A very (very) shooting star

His fame was as sudden as it was temporary, though he starred in, for example, Martin Ritt’s The Wildest of All in 1963, headlined by Paul Newman. Proposals are becoming more and more rare, only filming an episode of the series here and there.

He tried to return to the Switch series in the 70s, but the attempt failed. Completely eclipsed in the 80s, he made one last attempt to return to the screen in 1991 in a film called Evil Spirits.

Towards the end of her life, Yvette Vickers became paranoid, convinced that people were constantly following her, drank copious amounts of alcohol, and became extremely overweight. Most of the time, he lives in complete seclusion, in a small house in Beverly Hills.

In April 2011, her neighbour, Suzanne Savage, worried that she had not seen her for a long time, raised the alarm. He found the actor’s body on the upper floor of his house after breaking the barricaded door. According to the Los Angeles Times, Yvette Vickers’ body was found amid trash, clothing and mail.

Arriving at the scene, the police were shocked to find that Yvette Vickers’ body was literally mummified. His death was at least a year old, given the unfortunate actor’s advanced state of mummification.

“He was a very independent spirit. Right up until the end he received many postcards and letters from fans asking for autographs.” said Susan Savage. The fact is that he died in complete oblivion and general indifference. About his death, Hugh Hefner said: “He had a full life. But the fact that he could have died without a friend noticing right away is very sad.”