The tradition of late-night horror film showings on local television stations extends back to almost the dawn of television itself. Few of the “horror hostesses” achieved greater worldwide fame than Elvira®, Mistress of the Darkᵀᴹ, the buxom creation of actress Cassandra Peterson, originally known for her appearances on the Los Angeles-based station KHJ-TV. Elvira® became one of the most iconic faces in modern horror, known far and wide, with a Liberace-like persona that involved incorporating her gothic motif into virtually everything she touched—including automobiles and even motor scooters, as witnessed by her vehicles now included in the Boeckmann Collection.

In 1988, Elvira® finally received a feature film of her own, the appropriately titled Elvira: Mistress of the Dark. No crowd-pleasing Hollywood picture of the 20th Century would have been complete without a film car finished by Barris Kustom, and in this case that was the “Macabre Mobile,” a customized Ford Thunderbird in a fitting Gothic motif befitting Dracula’s castle. It is believed that the original film car was kept by Cassandra Peterson following filming and remains in her ownership.

In his typical fashion, George Barris also had his shop produce another copy of the “Macabre Mobile,” that offered here, for promotional purposes. Based upon a 1959 Thunderbird hardtop, skillfully and, given the subject matter, appropriately “decapitated,” it was decked out like the original, complete with a spider web-inspired custom grille, “bat-wing” nose emblem, eyeballs atop the front fenders, a chain-link steering wheel, leopard print upholstery, and menacing skulls virtually everywhere that they could be mounted! The hood ornament was reportedly inspired by Peterson’s own measurements. Afterward the car reportedly toured the country, promoting Mistress of the Dark at theaters and custom shows, reportedly occasionally with Peterson posing alongside. Eventually it became part of the Petersen Automotive Museum’s renowned collection, where it was displayed prior to being acquired by The Boeckmann Collection in 2013.

A wonderful piece of modern Hollywood pop culture, representing one of the great cult classic television stars of the past half-century, the “Macabre Mobile” is sure to be a conversation starter within its next owner’s collection—or the center of any Halloween party that it chooses to attend.