Edith Massey: Photos, Videos, Songs and Quotes

As a young girl Edith Massey (May 28, 1918 - October 24, 1984) dreamed of becoming a star in Hollywood, but she didn't achieve fame until late in life. By the late 1960s, Edith was in her late forties and working as a bartender and thrift shop owner in Baltimore, when the young filmmaker John Waters befriended her, and beguiled with her unique charm, cast her in his lesbian serial killer film Multiple Maniacs. Her captivating performance as a barmaid in that film dazzled audiences and catapulted her to instant fame.

Edith went on to star in four more films by John Waters, including Pink Flamingos (1972), Female Trouble (1974), Desperate Living (1977), and Polyester (1981). Her most famous performance was playing the child-like, egg-obsessed Edie the Egg Lady in Pink Flamingos. While Edie the Egg Lady certainly showcases her scene-stealing acting talents, my favorite Edith Massey role is Queen Carlotta, the evil Queen of Mortville in Desperate Living.

In addition to being one of John Waters' regular players, Edith also sang for the punk band Edie and the Eggs, modeled for a line of greeting cards, and acted in several other projects, including John Cougar Mellencamp's music video for his song "This Time". In that, she played Mellencamp's love interest and dance-partner. Edith was cast in the science fiction film Mutants in Paradise, but died of cancer and complications from diabetes before filming commenced. She was cremated her ashes were interred in the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles.