If a filmmaker ever needed a tough, rugged outlaw biker babe for a film in the 1960's and 1970's, they had to look no further than Regina Carrol. Along with a fistful of other biker beauties of the time, Carrol appeared in a number of flicks during the biker film heyday. Carrol also starred in a few B-horror films as well, including BLOOD OF GHASTLY HORROR (1967), BRAIN OF BLOOD (1971) and DRACULA VS. FRANKENSTEIN (1971) all with her director husband, Al Adamson.
Born Regina Gelfan in Boston, Massachusetts on 2 May 1943, Regina began auditioning for plays beginning at age five. After her mother died of cancer, Carrol danced in Las Vegas and Europe. She also hosted her own television talk show and wrote a column for a Las Vega newspaper.
Miss Carrol's film debut (ironically as a dancer) was in THE BEAT GENERATION (1959) with Mamie Van Doren (and with a script by Richard Matheson!). She never really got out of being pigeonholed in B-movies, but she always seemed to make the most of her parts.
Regina Carrol's obituary from The New York Times 12 November 1992:
Regina Carrol, an actress who starred in many cult horror movies, died on Nov. 4 in St. George, Utah. She was 49 years old and had homes in St. George and in Palm Springs, Calif.
She died of cancer, said her husband, Al Adamson, a film director.
Miss Carrol, whose name was originally Regina Gelfan, was born in Boston. Her film credits included "Two Rode Together" with James Stewart, "The Slender Thread" with Sidney Poitier and "Viva Las Vegas" with Elvis Presley. She met her husband in 1969, when he was casting "Satan's Sadists," in which she starred, and appeared in many of his later films, including "The Female Bunch." Her last screen appearance was in "Carnival Magic" in 1982.
Miss Carrol also appeared on television in the "Dinah Shore Show," "Route 66" and "Ozzie and Harriet."
In addition to her husband, she is survived by her father, Barney Gelfan, and a brother, Carl Gelfan, both of Los Angeles.
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| Regina Carrol and husband, director Al Adamson. |
Scenes from ANGEL'S WILD WOMEN (1972):
Scenes from DRACULA vs. FRANKENSTEIN (1971):
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