Deathiversary: Janet Leigh (October 3, 2004)

The OG Scream Queen. Leigh died in October 2004 at age 77, following a year-long battle with vasculitis - an inflammation of the blood vessels.

In 1960, Leigh was cast in her most well-known role as murder victim Marion Crane in Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho (1960). Leigh was reportedly so traumatized by filming her character's shower murder scene that she went to great lengths to avoid showers for the rest of her life. Leigh received a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Leigh's role in Psycho became career-defining, and she later commented: "I've been in a great many films, but I suppose if an actor can be remembered for one role then they're very fortunate. And in that sense I'm fortunate." Her character's death early in the film has been noted as historically relevant by film scholars as it violated narrative conventions of the time, while her murder scene itself is considered among both critics and film scholars to be one of the most iconic scenes in film history.