Sandra Cassel
| Sandra Cassel | |
|---|---|
 Cassel in Voices of Desire, 1972 | |
| Born |
Sandra Cassel June 15, 1952 Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. |
| Other names |
Lydia Cassell Liyda Cassell Sandra Cassell |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1970–1976 |
Sandra Cassel (born June 15, 1952) is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Mari Collingwood in Wes Craven's The Last House on the Left (1972). She subsequently starred in Voices of Desire (1972) and Massage Parlor Murders (1973) becoming one of the original scream queens. Cassel continued to act in exploitation films from the early to mid 1970s.
Early life
Sandra Cassel was born on June 15, 1952 in Providence, Rhode Island.[1]
Career
In the early 1970s, Cassel starred in a few exploitation films before being cast alongside Spalding Grey and Philip Baker Hall in the 1971 film Love-In 72.[2][3] She later starred in Wes Craven's brutal and controversial 1972 film The Last House on the Left,[4][5] about two teenage girls, Mari Collingwood (played by Cassel) and Phyllis Stone (played by Lucy Grantham) who are kidnapped and brutally raped by a gang of psychotic convicts who recently escaped from prison. The film was a critical and commercial success, earning more than $3 million at the American box office.[6] Her performance was generally praised.[7] Cassel was later cast in the horror films Voices of Desire (1972),[8] The Legend of Boggy Creek (1973)[9] and Massage Parlor Murders (1973), the latter being a grindhouse film that has recently been released on DVD and Blu-ray.[10] The same year, Cassel starred in Filthiest Show in Town (1973).
In 1974, Cassel had a cameo role in the horror film Legacy of Satan (1974).[11] The following year, Sandra starred in the comedy film Teenage Hitchhikers (1975), which was about a couple of young hitchhikers who embark on a cross country trip in search of freedom, excitement and independence. The film was met with generally positive reviews.[12] After appearing in this film, Sandra quit acting. The same year, Cassel worked on the script continuity for the exploitation film Video Vixens! (1975).[13] In 2000, David A. Szulkin interviewed Cassel for his novel, Wes Craven's The Last House On The Left, which tells the inside story of making the film.[14] Cassel has appeared in several critically acclaimed horror film documentaries through archive footage such as Going to Pieces: The Rise and Fall of the Slasher Film (2006) and Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy (2010).[15] As of 2016, Cassel is reported to be a drama teacher and television writer.[16]
Personal life
Cassel quit acting in the mid 1970s. Most of the actors that portrayed the villains in The Last House on the Left (1972) stayed in character on the set, and it reportedly caused Cassel to feel genuinely frightened throughout most of the shoot.[17]
Filmography
| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1970 | The Model Hunters | June | credited as Lydia Cassell |
| 1971 | Love-In 1972 | ||
| 1972 | The Last House on the Left | Mari Collingwood | credited as Sandra Cassell |
| Voices of Desire | Anna Reed | credited as Liyda Cassell | |
| 1973 | Filthiest Show in Town | Olga | credited as Sandra Cassel |
| Massage Parlor Murders | Gwen | ||
| The Legend of Boggy Creek[18] | Herself | ||
| 1974 | Legacy of Satan | Cult Extra | |
| 1975 | Teenage Hitchhikers | Bird | |
References
- ↑ "Sandra Cassel". TV.com. Retrieved April 11, 2016.
- ↑ Henenlotter, Frank. "Love-In 72". Something Weird Video. Retrieved April 12, 2016.
- ↑ Henenlotter, Frank. "Love-In 72". Something Weird Video. Retrieved April 12, 2016.
- ↑ "A History of Horror". eric.b.olsen.tripod.com. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
- ↑ "DVD trailers, reviews and ratings". rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
- ↑ "The Last House on the Left, Box Office Information". The Numbers. Retrieved January 21, 2012.
- ↑ Catalano, Mike. "Original Vs. Remake: The Last House on The Left". Arrow in the Head. Retrieved April 11, 2016.
- ↑ "Voices of Desire (1972)". The Bloody Pit of Horror. Retrieved 7 April 2016.
- ↑ "Sandra Cassel". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved April 11, 2016.
- ↑ Cotenas, Eric. "Massage Parlor Murders Blu-ray/DVD Combo". DVD Drive-in. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
- ↑ Werner, Jason. "Legacy of Satan / Blood - Double Feature Coming to Blu-ray From Code Red DVD". Body Count Rising. Retrieved April 23, 2016.
- ↑ "Sandra Cassel". TV.com. Retrieved April 11, 2016.
- ↑ "Video Vixens!". IMDb. Retrieved April 11, 2016.
- ↑ Szulkin, David. "Wes Craven's The Last House On The Left". Amazon.com. Retrieved April 11, 2016.
- ↑ "Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy Full Cast and Crew". IMDb. Retrieved April 11, 2016.
- ↑ "Lakewood: Class Instructors". Lakewood Center For The Arts. Retrieved April 11, 2016.
- ↑ "David Hess Interview". Slasherama. Retrieved April 11, 2016.
- ↑ "The Legend of Boggy Creek". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved April 11, 2016.