Vampira, Elvira and the Epic Battle Between Two L.A. Horror Queens

A bitter lawsuit, black wigs and major money (for one): The town wasn't big enough for two strivers cut from the same goth

CLAWS OUT Clockwise from top left: Maila Nurmi as Vampira with the Misfits at Vinyl Fetish in 1982 L.A.; Nurmi as Vampira in her 1950s heyday; Cassandra Peterson as Elvira in her 1980s heyday; Nurmi’s lobby card for her role in Plan 9 From Outer Space. (Photo illustrations by Dawn Camner; image credits below)

Joe Pompeo writes about Hollywood history eve…