Marilyn Burns
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Marilyn Burns (born Mary Lynn Ann Burns; May 7, 1949 – August 5, 2014) was an American actress. Burns is best known for her performance as survivor Sally Hardesty in Tobe Hooper's exploitation horror film The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974), which is considered one of the best horror films of all time. In 2009, Burns was inducted into the Horror Hall of Fame at the Phoenix Film Festival. In 2025, the film was her first to be inducted into the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.<ref name=":10">Template:Cite web</ref>
While in college, Burns was involved in the Houston film industry. She made her film debut in Robert Altman's comedy Brewster McCloud (1970) as a tour guide. Burns' most notable performances outside of the The Texas Chainsaw Massacre films were Linda Kasabian in the Emmy nominated true crime television film Helter Skelter (1976) and Faye in Hooper's horror film Eaten Alive (1977). On August 5, 2014, she was found dead in her home.<ref name="NYT1" /> Her final film, In a Madman's World (2017), was released posthumously.
Early life
Mary Lynn Ann Burns was born on May 7, 1949 in Erie, Pennsylvania,<ref name=":5">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=NYT1>Template:Cite web</ref> and was raised in Houston, Texas, where she resided for most of her life.<ref>Marilyn Burns profile Template:Webarchive, FANGORIA.com; accessed August 9, 2015.</ref> While in the seventh grade, she appeared in a musical production of A Midsummer Night's Dream.Template:Citation needed She attended the University of Texas at Austin, and graduated with a drama degree in 1971.<ref name=":5" />
Career
In 1970, she made her first film appearance in Robert Altman's comedy film Brewster McCloud (1970). Burns was cast in the leading role of the drama film Lovin' Molly (1974)—having received the script and been costumed. However, for the established actors Anthony Perkins, Blythe Danner and Beau Bridges to appear, they wanted newcomer Susan Sarandon to be cast in the role instead. Burns got to remain a part of the production as a stand-in for Blythe and Sarandon. She also helped cast some of the extras in George Roy Hill's period drama The Great Waldo Pepper (1975).<ref name="The Terror Trap">Template:Cite web</ref>
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In 1974, Burns starred in Tobe Hooper's independent horror film The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. She plays the character of Sally Hardesty, a teenager who travels with her brother and some friends to the cemetery where her grandfather is buried to investigate reports of grave vandalism, and then encounters a family of cannibals including the chainsaw-wielding Leatherface.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Burns and Hooper had previously met during the production of Lovin' Molly the previous year.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite book</ref> When a casting call was held, she auditioned and was given the lead role.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The film was produced with a budget of $80,000–$140,000.<ref name=":0" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Burns had performed several of her stunts herself,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and she, along with other cast members, had sustained several injuries throughout production.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In an article for Texas Monthly detailing the production of the film, John Bloom reported that Burns had "been poked, prodded, bound, dragged through rooms, jerked around, chased through cocklebur underbrush, jabbed with a stick, forced to skid on her knees in take after take, pounded on the head with a rubber hammer, coated with sticky stage blood, and endlessly pursued by Hansen with his chain saw and Neal with his constantly flicking switchblade."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre was released to major critical and commercial success.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The film grossed an excess of $30 million and became the 12th highest-grossing film of its year,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and was the most successful independent feature until it was overtaken by Halloween in 1978.<ref name="Friedman">Friedman 2007, p. 132</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Donald B. Berrigan of The Cincinnati Enquirer praised the actress, saying: "Marilyn Burns, as Sally, deserves a special Academy Award for one of the most sustained and believable acting achievements in movie history."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Screen Rant ranked Burns's performance first on their list of the "10 Greatest Female Performances in Horror Film History", writing that she "is so convincing in her work as the mentally broken Sally that the audience can’t help but be left shaken and deeply disturbed by the time the end credits roll."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The acting of Burns has continued to earn praise from critics and audiences, and established her as a scream queen and a popular culture icon.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 1976, Burns had a role in the television miniseries Helter Skelter about the real-life trial of Charles Manson and his "family".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In the series, she played Linda Kasabian, a member of the Manson family who was granted immunity in exchange for her testimony against the defendants. Recalling her memories of working on Helter Skelter, Burns said: "It was a great experience, but nobody really wanted to touch it [due to the subject matter]. It was like, 'Who wants to be in that picture? Who's actually gonna do that picture?'"<ref name="The Terror Trap" /> The miniseries was acclaimed and nominated for three Emmy Awards.Template:Citation needed
Following her roles in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and Helter Skelter, Burns sporadically worked in acting. She played Faye in the horror film Eaten Alive (1977), where she reunited with director Tobe Hooper,<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and subsequently starred in the films Kiss Daddy Goodbye (1981) and Future-Kill (1985).
Burns briefly reprises the role of Sally Hardesty in The Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1995), which was directed by Kim Henkel.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Her cameo was made in order to establish "an emotional connection between the Sally character and the Jenny character, a kind of perverse passing of the torch".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She was set to reprise the role of Sally Hardesty once more in the 2003 remake film of the same name, where she would play an aged-up Sally, however this idea was ultimately scrapped.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> At the 2009 Phoenix Film Festival, Burns was inducted into the Horror Hall of Fame.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2012, Burns made a special appearance in the Kim Henkel-written feature Butcher Boys, which is often deemed a "spiritual sequel" to The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.<ref name=":1" /> In 2011, Burns was cast in the slasher film Texas Chainsaw 3D as Verna Carson;<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> it was released on January 4, 2013, and marks her last appearance in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Her final film roles include Beulah Standifier in 2014's Sacrament, and Ms. Hill in the independent feature In a Madman's World, which was released posthumously in 2017.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /><ref name=":4" />
Death
On August 5, 2014, at the age of 65, Burns was found dead by her brother Bill at her home in Houston.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Her cause of death was not specified.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Brewster McCloud | Tour Guide | Uncredited |
| 1974 | The Texas Chain Saw Massacre | Sally Hardesty | |
| 1977 | Eaten Alive | Faye | |
| 1981 | Kiss Daddy Goodbye | Nora Dennis | |
| 1984 | Terror in the Aisles | Sally Hardesty | Documentary; archive footage |
| 1985 | Future-Kill | Dorothy Grim | |
| 1995 | The Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre | Sally Hardesty | Uncredited |
| 2012 | Butcher Boys | Ruth | <ref name=":1">Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 2013 | Texas Chainsaw 3D | Verna Carson/Sally Hardesty | <ref name="TCM3-D">Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 2014 | Sacrament | Beulah Standifer | <ref name=":4">Template:Cite news</ref> |
| 2017 | In a Madman's World | Mrs. Hill | Posthumous release<ref name=":3">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":2">Template:Cite web</ref> |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Helter Skelter | Linda Kasabian | Main role |
| 1998 | Michael Hayes | Sally | Episode: "Under Color of Law" |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Phoenix Film Festival | International Horror & Sci-Fi Hall of Fame | Herself | Template:Won |