It’s Week 2 of Inktober 2025 and this week’s “Scream Queen” is Marilyn Burns.
Armed with a drama degree from the University of Texas, Marilyn Burns made her film debut as a tour guide in Robert Altman’s 1970 offbeat comedy Brewster McCloud. She was later cast in a leading role in the Sidney Lumet-directed drama Lovin’ Molly. Marilyn received the script and was fitted for costumes, until the studio decided to cast newcomer Susan Sarandon instead. Marilyn remained on the set and served as stand-in for stars Sarandon and Blythe Danner.
in 1974, independent filmmaker Tobe Hooper cast Marilyn as the resilient “Sally Hardesty” in the notorious horror film The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. On the set of the low-budget film, Marilyn was poked, prodded, dragged, thrown, chased, bound and pummeled (with rubber prop implements), but remained strong and eager to continue in the role. The film was a commercial success and Marilyn’s performance received wide praise from film critics. Her character of “Sally Hardesty” is regarded as one of the first examples of the “last girl” trope so prevalent in the horror genre. Marilyn reprised her role in 1995’s Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre and played a different character in a 3D entry in the franchise in 2013.
Marilyn cemented her place among the big screen “scream queens” with appearances in nearly a dozen horror films. On television, she played Manson Family disciple Linda Kasabian in the 1976 mini-series Helter Skelter.
In 2014, Marilyn was found dead in her home in Houston. She was 65.