Kathleen Hughes

Kathleen Hughes, a Golden Age actress and 1950s "scream queen" best known for her shriek and startled face in the promotional material for "It Came from Outer Space," died May 19, 2025, at the age of 96.?

Hughes was in dozens of movies in the 1940s, '50s, '60s, and '70s, as well as television series like "Alfred Hitchcock Presents," "Perry Mason," and "77 Sunset Strip." She is also known to some viewers as the wife of Henry Blake in "M*A*S*H," appearing via home movie in one episode of the iconic show. But her best known role was almost nothing more than a quick modeling shoot. She was asked to pose for photos to help promote the 1953 science fiction horror movie, "It Came from Outer Space." She did so, raising her hands and screaming, and an iconic photo was born. Hughes insisted she be given a part in the movie, too, and after much prodding, she was finally given the role of Jane. Though her work spanned decades, with her final two roles coming in 1998 and 2018, respectively, the photo and its accompanying scream became her best known and most enduring work, influencing the aesthetic of many horror movies to come.

"I will always remember her fondly. She was a very kind & generous person," friend Harrison Held said on Facebook. "She was like a 2nd mother to me. Her & her beloved husband Stanley Rubin were excellent role models for me. Progressive, with it & very loving … Such wonderful & classy people. My condolences to the Rubin Family."

By Eric San Juan

(Image: Ivan Nagy / TV Guide / courtesy Everett Collection)