Glamour Ghoul

The Passions and Pain of the Real Vampira, Maila Nurmi

By: Sandra Niemi

Narrated by: Beth Stewart

Maila Nurmi, the beautiful and sheltered daughter of Finnish immigrants, stepped off the bus in 1941 Los Angeles intent on finding fame and fortune. She found men eager to take advantage of her innocence and beauty but was determined to find success and love. Her inspired design and portrayal of a vampire won a costume contest that lead to a small role on the Red Skelton show which grew into a persona that brought her the notoriety she desired yet trapped her in a character she could never truly escape.

This is Malia’s story. Her diaries, notes, and ephemera and family stories bring new insights to her relationships with Orson Welles, James Dean, and Marlon Brando. Sandra Niemi—Malia’s niece—fills in the nuances of her life prior to fame and her struggles after the limelight faded and she found a new community within the burgeoning Los Angeles punk scene who embraced her as their own.

©2021 Sandra Niemi (P)2025 David N. Wilson

A great book about a goth/horror icon!

(4.85 Stars)

This book was really enjoyable to read. You can tell the author wrote it from a place of love.

It was well written and well researched, a fascinating look into an even more fascinating life.

The content is, at times, tragic... even depressing and/or disturbing, but the soul of Maila Nurmi shines through it all. She was a true icon. A rare original and innovator. Not afraid to be herself. Always wanting to be at the center of attention, but requiring it to be on her own terms. And never letting her star be diminished, regardless of her circumstances. Unfortunately she lived in near poverty most of her life, but she always had people who cared deeply for her... and she enriched the lives of so many others.

You should like this book if you enjoy biographies, Hollywood history, goth, strong female protagonists, and overcoming adversity.

The audiobook is very good, but you miss out on the photos so it is best to follow along with the book.

Worth the read!

This book was very well written and worth the read for every Maila Nurmi fan. Every chapter I was captivated by Mailas life. I only vaguely knew of the Vampira character, but knew nothing of the actress herself. Maila Nurmi led an incredible life, full of many hardships in Hollywood, but she kept pursuing and pushing forward. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Mila Nurmi was such an intriguing person

If you Love Mila Nurmi, This book gives a lot of amazing stories about every pert of her life. This book is filled with adventure, whimsy, danger and excitement. You get to see and hear about so many interesting things. I live in LA and I’m a dribbler so I can see a lot of the places she stayed in person even if they are now different. I highly recommend this book. I’m going to go visit her grave now. I know exactly where she is. ❤️

The Ghastliest Lady I Never Knew & Her Followers

An old Hollywood gossip tale atmospheric and pop cultured with kooky slice of life and larger personality. I'm not certain I take it all as fact but it's an interesting time capsule with references to celebrities of yore. Her emblem of female sexual rebellion in an fascinatingly rogue of social norms Vampiri is a Hollywood insider on the outside. The 'how to' behind the scenes bits are curious in general (like her making her own nails). I love horror movies but have heard of Vampiri except for casual references so hold no nostalgia (apparently no footage of her original horror show exists today). She provides a curious reference point for perspective of emerging 1940s+ Hollywood and later elements of punk insurgance. When I looked up more about Vampiri it feels like this book is thin on some areas (like more depth of connection with James Deam; but that might be less factual). It is a shame that Vampiri seemed to prove an early template for so many ghastly female roles she never got credit for and her story comes across as a fun irreverent tragedy. The narrator does well with a simple female voice that is relatable and feels like it infused the personality under the makeup well.

Loving Tribute by Manila’s Niece

Sandra Niemi’s tremendous admiration for her aunt Maila is evident in every word of this lovingly-wrought biography. Maila’s life is epic and fantastical, a roller coaster ride through old Hollywood (and many other elsewheres) that’s thrilling and nauseating by turns. I reveled in every minute. Beth Stewart does a thoughtful job of bringing Maila’s unique intonation to the reading of her quotations, and keeps the pace up throughout. A fascinating, holy-shit-I-can’t-believe-what-I’m-hearing read, with a wonderful surprise at the end. Thank you Maila for living, and thank you Sandra for putting this together and sharing it with the world.