Cassandra Peterson - The Woman Behind the Hollywood Icon Elvira, Mistress of the Dark Reveals Never-Before-Shared Details About Her Life In a New Tell-All Memoir

Published to coincide with the 40^th Anniversary of ‘Elvira’ and in conjunction with the author’s 70^th birthday, archetypical horror hostess and pop-culture icon Cassandra Peterson has penned a hauntingly, uninhibited memoir entitled Yours Cruelly, Elvira: Memoirs of the Mistress of the Dark (Hachette Books; September 21, 2021, ISBN, 9780306874352; $29.00; Hardcover). In the book actress Cassandra Peterson candidly reveals for the first time intimate details about a brutal sexual assault by a famous athlete, that she is happily celebrating a 19-year relationship with the woman who is the love of her life, her lifelong fascination with the macabre that led her to the title of Mistress of Dark, and much more. Peterson’s 40-year career as Elvira includes an IMAX movie, books, more than a thousand licensed products, and the eponymous films “Elvira, Mistress of the Dark” and “Elvira’s Haunted Hills.”

Unique and at times scandalous, Yours Cruelly, Elvira tells the story of a small-town girl’s journey to becoming the world’s most glamorous Hollywood Halloween icon. Elvira came to life in 1981, when Cassandra, then a struggling actress, auditioned at local LA channel KHJ as a presenter for its late-night horror movies. She channeled her inner vixen and cloaked the newfound persona with ghoulish charm — nailing the job that helped her to become an “overnight” success. Before becoming the “Queen of Halloween,” Cassandra had always identified with the disenfranchised, maligned creatures in horror movies — an association she developed at eighteen months old when she grabbed a boiling pot of water from the stove and suffered third-degree burns that covered 35% of her body.

Other intimate details in Yours Cruelly, Elvira that go beyond Cassandra’s first-time revelation of rape and of her nearly two-decade love affair with a woman, include:

her journey as a seventeen-year-old Las Vegas showgirl

her recollection of chasing rock stars — from Jimi Hendrix and Jimmy Page to the Animals

the one-on-one late-night conversation with Elvis Presley that changed her life

her wild night with Tom Jones

her hysterical repartee with Sammy Davis, Jr.

her uncomfortable moment with Frank Sinatra

her experiences performing with The Groundlings, working with Paul Reubens and Phil Hartman

the behind-the-scenes tension backstage during her appearance on SNL

her battles with Coors and the company’s ironic sense of ethics

her firsthand account of a neighbor’s murder

her adventures while living in a “haunted house”

her work with PETA

her 25-year marriage, which ended in divorce

how the character of Elvira was born!

Cassandra explains, “I was determined not to let my burns define me, so I set out on my own at fourteen, and by seventeen I was performing as the youngest showgirl in Las Vegas history, where I found myself in some very adult situations. My book details a lifetime of crazy escapades — some wild and exhilarating, others shocking and sad —either way, it’s been one hell of a ride!”

Author Profile

Al Mega

I'm Al Mega the CEO of Comic Crusaders, CEO of the Undercover Capes Podcast Network, CEO of Geekery Magazine & Owner of Splintered Press (coming soon). I'm a fan of comics, cartoons and old school video games. Make sure to check out our podcasts/vidcasts and more!