Barbara Steele
Biography
Barbara Steele is an English actress and producer born on December 29, 1937, in Birkenhead, Cheshire, England, United Kingdom. She is known for starring in Italian gothic horror films of the 1960s and has been referred to as the Queen of All Scream Queens and Britain's first lady of horror. Her film work includes playing the dual role of Asa and Katia Vajda in Mario Bava's landmark film Black Sunday in 1960. She also starred in The Pit and the Pendulum in 1961, The Horrible Dr. Hichcock in 1962, The Long Hair of Death in 1964, and Castle of Blood in 1964. Additionally, Steele had supporting roles in Federico Fellini's 8 and a half in 1963, David Cronenberg's Shivers in 1975, Joe Dante's Piranha and Louis Malle's Pretty Baby, both in 1978, and appeared on television in the 1991 television series.
Career overview
Barbara Steele is an English actress and producer born on December 29, 1937, in Birkenhead, Cheshire, England. Known for starring in Italian gothic horror films of the 1960s, she has been referred to as the Queen of All Scream Queens and Britain's first lady of horror. Among her notable genre credits, she played the dual role of Asa and Katia Vajda in Mario Bava's landmark film Black Sunday in 1960. She subsequently starred in The Pit and the Pendulum in 1961, The Horrible Dr. Hichcock in 1962, and both The Long Hair of Death and Castle of Blood in 1964.
In addition to her defining work in horror cinema, Steele appeared in supporting roles across various acclaimed productions. Her film work includes Federico Fellini's 8 and a half in 1963, David Cronenberg's Shivers in 1975, and Joe Dante's Piranha and Louis Malle's Pretty Baby, both released in 1978. Her career also extended to television, where she appeared in a 1991 television series.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full filmography
- Theatre of Horrors: The Sordid Story of Paris' Grand Guignol (2025) as (Voice)
- Ulalume - A Ballad (2023) as Narrator: opening credits (voice)
- Fellinopolis (2021) as Self - Actress (archive footage)
- Master of Dark Shadows (2019) as Self
- Boia, maschere e segreti: l’horror italiano degli anni sessanta (2019) as Self
- Castlevania (2017) as Miranda (voice)
- Minutes Past Midnight (2016) as The Apparition of the Mill (segment 'The Mill At Calder's End')
- The Phantom (2016) as The Widow
- Lost River (2015) as Belladonna
- The Mill at Calder's End (2015) as The Apparition of the Mill
- Lost Soul: The Doomed Journey of Richard Stanley's Island of Dr. Moreau (2014) as Self (archive footage)
- The Shutterbug Man (2014) as Narrator
- Behind the Swinging Blade (2014) as Self
- Parasite Memories: The Making of 'Shivers' (2014) as Self
- House of Wax: Unlike Anything You've Seen Before! (2013) as Self
- The Butterfly Room (2012) as Ann
- A History of Horror (2010) as Self
- Celebrity Ghost Stories (2009) as Self
- Barbara Steele in Conversation (2009) as Self
- The Boneyard Collection (2008) as Vanessa Peabody (segment "Her Morbid Desires")
- Mario Bava Speaks (2006) as Self
- Mario Bava: Operazione paura (2004) as Self
- Italian Kings Of B (2003) as Self
- The American Nightmare (2000) as Self
- The Capitol Conspiracy (1998) as Agent Oakley
- Hollywood Rated 'R' (1997) as Self
- Vampire Cult Queens from Hell (1996) as Barbara
- Deep Above (1994) as Mrs. Wagner
- Dracula in the Movies (1992) as (archive footage)
- Dark Shadows (1991) as Dr. Julia Hoffman / Countess Natalie du Pres
- Dark Shadows (1991) as Dr. Julia Hoffman
- Dark Shadows (1991) as Countess Natalie du Pres
- Fear in the Dark (1991) as Self
- War and Remembrance (1988) as Elsa MacMahon
- War and Remembrance (1988) Producer
- The Winds of War (1983) as Mrs. Stoller
- The Winds of War (1983) Associate Producer
- Be Pretty and Shut Up! (1981) as Self
- Silent Scream (1979) as Victoria Engels
- Pretty Baby (1978) as Josephine
- Piranha (1978) as Dr. Mengers
- The Key Is in the Door (1978) as Cathy
- The Space-Watch Murders (1978)
- Shivers (1975) as Betts
- Caged Heat (1974) as Supt. McQueen
- Night Gallery (1970) as The Widow Craighill
- Ciao, Federico! (1970) as Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
- Stop the World... I Want to Get Off! (1970) as Danielle
- Honeymoon with a Stranger (1969) as Carla
- Curse of the Crimson Altar (1968) as Lavinia Morley
- Barbara and Her Furs (1967) as Self
- For Love and Gold (1966) as Teodora
- The She Beast (1966) as Veronica
- Young Törless (1966) as Bozena
- An Angel for Satan (1966) as Harriet Montebruno / Belinda
- Dim Dam Dom (1965) as Self
- Nightmare Castle (1965) as Muriel Arrowsmith / Jenny Arrowsmith
- Once Upon a Tractor (1965) as Lady Clerk
- Terror-Creatures from the Grave (1965) as Cleo Hauff
- Money (1965)
- White Voices (1964) as Guilia
- The Long Hair of Death (1964) as Helen Karnstein / Mary Karnstein
- The Maniacs (1964) as Barbara (segment "l'hobby") / Brugnoli's Wife (segment "la cambiale")
- Castle of Blood (1964) as Elisabeth Blackwood
- The Monocle's Sour Laugh (1964) as Valérie Gasparelli
- Easy Love (1964) as Contessa Bardi-Stucchi (segment "Divorzio italo-americano")
- Three for a Robbery (1964) as Barbara Sims
- Les baisers (1964) as Thelma (Episode 3: 'Baiser du soir')
- 8½ (1963) as Gloria Morin
- The Ghost (1963) as Margaret Hichcock
- A Sentimental Attempt (1963) as Silvia
- The Hours of Love (1963) as Leila
- The Horrible Dr. Hichcock (1962) as Cynthia Hichcock
- The Iron Captain (1962) as Floriana
- The Pit and the Pendulum (1961) as Elizabeth Barnard Medina
- Black Sunday (1960) as Princess Asa Vajda / Katia Vajda
- Your Money or Your Wife (1960) as Juliet Frost
- Adventures in Paradise (1959) as Dolores
- Sapphire (1959) as Student
- The 39 Steps (1959) as Extra
- Upstairs and Downstairs (1959) as Mary
- The Heart of a Man (1959) as Girl
- Look at Life: Saving Face (1959) as Self
- Houseboat (1958) as Minor Role (uncredited)
- Bachelor of Hearts (1958) as Fiona
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955) as Phyllis
- Mary Woronov: Cult Queen as Self