 Self-styled 'Queen of Horror' Ingrid Pitt actually appeared in only four
genre titles, although her performances in Countess Dracula (d. Roy Ward Baker,
1970) and The Vampire Lovers (d. Peter Sasdy, 1970) were certainly memorable.
They were made at a time when Hammer was infusing its horror productions with a
good dose of sex, and Pitt was well equipped to provide the necessary spice.
Born Ingoushka Petrov in Poland in 1937, Pitt was interned with her mother in
a Nazi concentration camp due to their Jewish origins. The dramatic tale of her
escape, living rough with partisans and, later, getting out of East Berlin, has
been well told and she herself suggested a link between the horrors of her
childhood and her affinity to the horror genre on screen.
Her escape from Communist Germany was aided by a US marine, Roland Pitt, whom
she married. On her divorce, she and her daughter settled in Spain, where she
began working in film, taking small parts in several Spanish titles. Her first
major role was in American science-fiction film The Omegans (1967), about a
river with mysterious powers. Pitt plays an unfaithful wife who bathes in the
river and, in a curious reversal of her later role in Countess Dracula, begins
to age due to contact with the water.
A small but important part as a German double agent in Where Eagles Dare (US/UK, d. Brian G. Hutton,
1968) brought her to England and to the attention of
British producers. She then made three horror films in quick succession, the two
Hammer vampire titles and the portmanteau movie The House that Dripped Blood (d.
Peter Duffell, 1970) for Hammer's rival Amicus. All three were
released between late 1970 and early 1971, and Pitt appeared to be taking
British screens by storm. However, she couldn't sustain her rapid ascent, and
most of her subsequent credits in the 70s were in television productions, the
exception being a small but impressive appearance as the librarian on Summerisle
in The Wicker Man (d. Robin Hardy, 1973).
Television credits ranged from Doctor Who (BBC, 1963-87) stories alongside
both Jon Pertwee and Peter Davison, a part in Smiley's People (BBC, 1982) and a
role in a BBC adaptation of The Comedy of Errors (tx. 24/12/1983). She returned
to the big screen in 1982 in the SAS drama Who Dares Wins (d. Ian Sharp),
followed three years later by Wild Geese II (d. Peter Hunt, 1985) and a small
part in Hanna's War (US, 1988).
From then on, Pitt appeared mostly as 'herself', in documentaries on subjects
ranging from Richard Burton to vampirology or in films made by enthusiasts of
her earlier work in which her presence was a nod to her horror credentials. She
also took up writing, contributing a regular column to genre magazine Shivers
and publishing several books, and was a frequent guest at horror conventions,
building a large fan base. She was on her way to a special birthday dinner
organised by her fans in November 2010 when she suffered a collapse; she died
a few days later.
Although perhaps not a particularly versatile actor, Pitt left behind some
accomplished performances across different media and genres. Her skill at
maintaining her profile through writing and personal appearances, along with her
enthusiasm and gregariousness, made her an ideal ambassador for the horror
genre.
Josephine Botting
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FILM & TV CREDITS
