Cassandra Peterson (born September 17, 1951) is an American actress, writer and singer. She is best known for her portrayal of the horror hostess character Elvira, Mistress of the Dark. Peterson gained fame on Los Angeles television station KHJ-TV wearing a revealing, black, gothic, cleavage-enhancing gown as host of Elvira’s Movie Macabre, a weekly B movie presentation.

Elvira: Mistress of the Dark is a 1988 American comedy horror film directed by James Signorelli. Cassandra Peterson plays the role of horror hostess Elvira in the character’s feature film debut. The screenplay was written by Peterson, John Paragon and Sam Egan.^[2]