|
Books |
Movies | Games | Music | Timeline | Slideshow |
Marilyn Burns (born Mary Lynn Ann Burns; May 7, 1949 – August 5, 2014) was an American actress. Burns was known for playing Sally Hardesty in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974), which established her as a scream queen and a catalyst of the final girl trope. She reprised the role with a cameo in Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation (1995), and played Verna Carson in Texas Chainsaw 3D (2013), the latter being her last appearance in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise. In 2009, she was inducted into the Horror Hall of Fame at the Phoenix Film Festival.
While in college, Burns made her film debut as a tour guide in Robert Altman's experimental comedy film Brewster McCloud (1970). She played Linda Kasabian in the Emmy-nominated miniseries Helter Skelter (1976) and thereafter sporadically worked in acting, notably portraying Faye in Tobe Hooper's Eaten Alive! (1977) and Dorothy Grim in Future-Kill (1985). Her final works include appearances in the slasher film Butcher Boys (2012), the independent feature Sacrament (2014) and the posthumously-released film In a Madman's World (2017).
On August 5, 2014, Burns was found dead in her home at the age of 65. Her cause of death was not specified.