Horror History: Happy Birthday, BEETLEJUICE’s Catherine O’Hara!

On this day in horror history, Catherine O’Hara was born in 1954.

Best known around here for her role in Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice, she also provided the voice of Sally (and Shock) in Henry Selick’s The Nightmare Before Christmas.

She also provided the voices of Susan Frankenstein, Gym Teacher, and Weird Girl in Burton’s animated remake of Frankenweenie. Mrs. Walters in Monster House. And Grandma Frump in the recent animated The Addams Family movie. Other genre contributions include episodes of Tales from the Crypt and The Outer Limits.

She is perhaps best known for Christopher Guest’s mockumentaries. These include Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, A Mighty Wind, and For Your Consideration.

RELATED: Tim Burton, Winona Ryder, and Catherine O’Hara Reflect on Beetlejuice, Tease Beetlejuice 2

Her non-horror work includes Home Alone and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, The Paper, Wyatt Earp, Dick Tracy, Orange County, Surviving Christmas, Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, and Where the Wild Things Are.

Not to mention TV shows such as SCTV, Six Feet Under, and Schitt’s Creek.

Beetlejuice begins after O’Hara and her family (Jeffrey Jones, Winona Ryder) buy the home of recently deceased couple Barbara (Geena Davis) and Adam Maitland (Alec Baldwin). The couple died in a car accident, and find themselves stuck haunting and unable to leave the house. The Maitlands then attempt to scare away the unbearable new family without success. But their efforts attract a spirit named Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton), whose “help” quickly becomes dangerous.

The film sports an 85% over on Rotten Tomatoes. The Critics Consensus reads: Brilliantly bizarre and overflowing with ideas, Beetlejuice offers some of Michael Keaton’s most deliciously manic work – and creepy, funny fun for the whole family

What’s your favorite Catherine O’Hara movie?

Make sure to let us know in the comments below or on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram! You can also hit me up over on Twitter @MikeSpregg325.

Share: 
Tags:

Categorized:

Sign up for The Harbinger a Dread Central Newsletter