Ringside Report Puts the Spotlight on Scream Queens: Part I

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By Geoffrey Huchel

I’m going to do something special for the Halloween season. As part of my “spotlight” series I will be highlighting the careers of the greatest scream queens, from some of the most popular horror films, from the golden age to modern day. These films helped make these actresses become the icons they are today. And I think it’s only apropos to start with the most popular scream queens of all time: Jamie Lee Curtis.

Jamie Lee Curtis is widely known for her role of Laurie Strode in the original slasher classic HALLOWEEN (1978), and a string of horror flicks throughout the 1980s, but the actress has built quite an extensive resume outside the genre.

Curtis (daughter of screen legends Janet Leigh and Tony Curtis) was born on November 22, 1958. She began her career in television, appearing in series such as QUINCY M.E. (1976), THE HARDY BOYS/NANCY DREW MYSTERIES (1977), COLUMBO (1971), OPERATION PETTICOAT (1977), CHARLIE’S ANGLES (1976), THE LOVE BOAT (1977) and BUCK ROGERS IN THE 25TH CENTURY (1979). She got her big break in films when she was cast as teenage babysitter Laurie Strode in John Carpenter’s HALLOWEEN, also starring Donald Pleasence. The film was a major success and was considered the highest-grossing independent film of its time, earning accolades as a classic horror film. Jamie Lee earned praise for her performance, leading her to star in another John Carpenter picture, THE FOG (1980), co-starring opposite her mother, Janet Leigh. She followed up with two more horror films, PROM NIGHT (1980) and TERROR TRAIN (1980). Curtis reprised her role of Laurie Strode in the film’s sequel HALLOWEEN II (1981), reuniting with co-star Donald Pleasance.

Curtis left the horror genre temporarily to focus on other projects in drama, action and comedy such as DEATH OF A CENTERFOLD: THE DOROTHY STRATTEN STORY (1981), portraying real-life slain model Dorothy Stratten, LOVE LETTERS (1983), TRADING PLACES (1983), with Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd, PERFECT (1985), with John Travolta, A FISH CALLED WANDA (1988),with Kevin Kline, BLUE STEEL (1990), MY GIRL (1991), with Dan Aykroyd, Macauley Culkin and Anna Chlumsky, FOREVER YOUNG (1992), with Mel Gibson, TRUE LIES (1994), MY GIRL 2 (1994), reuniting with stars Dan Aykroyd and Anna Chlumsky. HOUSE ARREST (1996), FIERCE CREATURES (1997), starring opposite her A FISH CALLED WANDA co-stars Kevin Kline and John Cleese, and NICHOLAS’ GIFT (1998). It wouldn’t be long before Curtis returned to the role that made her famous. She reprised Laurie Strode for a second time in HALLOWEEN H20: 20 YEARS LATER (1998). This installment finds Laurie the dean of a Northern California private school, under an assumed name, who once again comes face to face with Michael Myers. Curtis’s mother, Janet Leigh, appears in a cameo.

Josh Hartnett and Michelle Williams also star. Following H20, Curtis’s next film was the comedy DROWNING MONA (2000), starring Danny DeVito, Bette Midler and Neve Campbell. Curtis reprised Laurie Strode for a third time in the franchise’s next installment HALLOWEEN: RESURRECTION (2002). Curtis had a smaller role in this film, and it seemed that we may have seen the last of our beloved heroine, Laurie Strode. Or had we not? For her next film, Curtis co-starred opposite Lindsay Lohan in the comedy remake FREAKY FRIDAY (2003). Curtis kept bringing the comedy when she starred opposite Tim Allen in the holiday film CHRISTMAS WITH THE KRANKS (2004), based on the John Grisham novel, “Skipping Christmas”, and YOU AGAIN (2010), also starring Kristen Bell and Sigourney Weaver. She returned to TV to appear in a 5-episode arc in NCIS (2003), and as a series regular in the horror/comedy SCREAM QUEENS (2015).

The series also starred Emma Roberts, Abigail Breslin, Lea Michele, Keke Palmer and Billie Lourd. The series lasted two seasons. Curtis also appeared in 6 episodes of NEW GIRL (2011), starring Zooey Deschanel. Fans of the HALLOWEEN franchise were excited to hear the announcement of another HALLOWEEN movie, and that Jamie Lee Curtis was signed on to reprise Laurie Strode again. This direct sequel from the original wiped out all the other HALLOWEEN films, as if they never happened, eliminating the relationship of Laurie and Michael as brother and sister. The film, simply titled HALLOWEEN (2018), debuted to $76.2 million, marking the second-best ever opening weekend in October and the highest of the franchise. In 2019 Curtis starred with an ensemble cast in the hit mystery/comedy KNIVES OUT, with Daniel Craig, Christopher Plummer, Chris Evans, Don Johnson, Ana de Armas and Toni Collette.

Curtis is set to again reprise her role of Laurie Strode in the sequels HALLOWEEN KILLS (2021) and HALLOWEEN ENDS (2022). So, we will be seeing more of Laurie battle her psycho stalker, Michael Myers.

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