Do you know your scream queen from your petrified princess? The '60s had plenty of horror stars who defined the genre, across Hitchcock classics and Hammer horror favourites. But how many of these famous actresses can you name on sight? Read on to test your knowledge of the genre and the women who made it.
© Getty ImagesShe's still one of the defining scream queens on the history books today
Who starred in 1960's defining horror?
The horror genre would be nothing without Alfred Hitchcock's terrifying contributions. And there's one feature that stands out above the rest – the tale of a Phoenix secretary on the run.
It was Psycho's Janet Leigh who started off the decade with a star role as the office worker who steals $40,000 and mistakenly stops off at the Bates Motel.
© Getty ImagesThe 'Queen of Scream' had a starring role in a 1960's hit
Who won the title of 'Queen of Scream'?
Some actresses become iconic as '60s scream queens but only one can take the title of 'Queen of Scream'. This actress' striking looks and expressive eyes easily won her the crown.
Barbara Steele starred in 1960's competitor to Psycho, Black Sunday. The actress starred as both a witch and her own descendant, proving her skills on the screen.
© NBCUniversal via Getty ImagesShe was a star in the '50s but the '60s made her a scream queen
This actress' on-screen fiance was terrified of being buried alive
This actress had some extensive screen time during the '60s with starring roles in The Masque of the Red Death (1964), The Premature Burial (1962) and The Raven (1963).
Hazel Court won hearts through the '50s with The Man Who Could Cheat Death and Devil Girl from Mars but it was the '60s that solidified her as a scream queen.
© Getty ImagesThis actress co-starred with Christopher Lee in Hammer classic 'Dracula: Prince of Darkness'
She wasn't just a scream queen; she encountered a Prince of Darkness
Hammer horror was a trademark of the genre, and Christopher Lee was one of its most beloved regulars. His 1966 hit Dracula: Prince of Darkness also starred a tourist who comes under his spell.
Barbara Shelley's Helen visits a spooky castle in the Carpathian Mountains and is soon captured by Count Dracula, becoming one of Hammer's most famous vampires.
© Getty ImagesThis actress was set to be Hitchcock's go-to star but had to pull out of 'Vertigo'
An Alfred Hitchcock favourite, she also starred in 'Psycho' and its sequel
It's another Psycho star on our trivia list, but this one also appeared in the 1983 sequel Psycho II. She's the hero of the original's second half, seeking out her sister's killer.
Vera Miles' Lila Crane made her mark on Alfred Hitchcock's filmography with castings in The Wrong Man and Psycho, as well as an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents. She was meant to star in Vertigo but had to withdraw because she was pregnant.
