Camilla Carr, a Texas native and cult horror actress best known for her work in Keep My Grave Open and Designing Women, has died. She was 83.
According to her son, Caley O’Dwyer—a writer, poet, and painter—Carr passed away Wednesday in El Paso, Texas, due to complications from Alzheimer’s disease and a dislocated hip. The Hollywood Reporter first reported the news.
Early Life and Background
Camilla Carr was born in Chillicothe, Texas, around 1942, though sources differ on her exact birthdate. She grew up in rural America and later pursued a career in acting. In addition to film and television work, she earned recognition in theater and also wrote screenplays and novels, including Escape from Terror: The Teresa Stamper Story and Nobody Lives Forever.
Carr married Oscar-winning screenwriter Edward Anhalt in 1968. The couple divorced in 1976. She later raised their son, Caley.
Horror Film Career and Cult Status
Carr achieved cult fame in the 1970s through her collaborations with low-budget exploitation filmmaker S.F. Brownrigg, a producer-director known for creating chilling films with minimal budgets.
She portrayed:
- a violent mental patient who murders a nurse in Don’t Look in the Basement (1973),
- a devious hillbilly daughter, Sarah Pickett, in Poor White Trash Part II: Scum of the Earth (1974), and
- a woman suffering from a murderous split personality in Keep My Grave Open (1977).
These performances cemented her legacy as a standout figure in cult horror cinema.
Television, Theater, and Later Work
Carr appeared in the 1976 science-fiction film Logan’s Run, directed by Michael Anderson. She also made television appearances on One Day at a Time and Another World.
In a memorable 1987 episode of CBS’s Designing Women titled “They’re Killing All the Right People,” written by series creator Linda Bloodworth-Thomason, Carr played a Sugarbaker client whose controversial views left a lasting impression on audiences.
She later portrayed housekeeper Nellie Maxwell in three episodes of Falcon Crest in 1988. On stage, she performed in several productions for the Los Angeles Theatre Center, including Tennessee Williams’ The Night of the Iguana, where she played Maxine in 1991.
Writing and Return to Film
In addition to her acting career, Carr wrote telefilms and published the humorous novel Topsy Turvy Dingo Dog in 1989. The book followed Mary Jane Shady, a B-movie actress who returns to her hometown of Uncertain, Texas, for her 20th high school reunion.
After years away from acting, Carr returned to the screen in 2015 to star in Don’t Look in the Basement 2, directed by Anthony Brownrigg, the son of S.F. Brownrigg.
Legacy
Through her fearless performances in exploitation horror, thoughtful work in theater, and creative writing, Camilla Carr left behind a diverse and enduring artistic legacy that continues to resonate with cult film fans and classic television audiences alike.
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