Kathleen Hughes dead: Horror movie legend dies after It Came From Outer Space fame

Kathleen Hughes, star of It Came from Outer Space, has sadly died at the age of 96. She was a horror movie icon, famed for creating one of the most unforgettable stills of all time - a snap where the blonde beauty stands with her arms raised and mouth agape in fear. Her death has been confirmed by her friend John Jigen Griffin-Atil.

Born in 1928, Kathleen starred in films like Mr Belvedere Goes to College and For Men Only in the 40s and 50s, but continued to act well into the 1990s. Her last project came in the 2018 short film Swamp Women Kissing Booth, in which she played Matilda. Now tributes are flooding in for the star on social media from devastated fans.

One fan tweeted: "Remembering the great It Came from Outer Space scream queen Kathleen Hughes - a charming lady I was fortunate to see speak on several occasions."

Another penned: "RIP to lovely Kathleen Hughes who has passed away at the age of 96." While a third echoed: "RIP to Kathleen Hughes, 96. She posed for a still to promote It Came from Outer Space after the film was all wrapped, and it became one of the most famous in Hollywood history."

Speaking about the famous photo, Kathleen said in 2019: "The one where I have my hands up in the air and I'm screaming? I had just finished working on that film. I went to the still gallery and as I walked in, the cameraman who was taking stills said to me, 'Put your hands up in the air and scream.' And I did. It was an instant success. They loved it and the film just lives forever with that photo."

Kathleen sadly lost her husband Stanley Rubin in 2014. They had been married since 1954 and welcomed four children together. Rubin was an acclaimed screenwriter and producer, responsible for movies like Diamond Frontier.

She is survived by her daughter Angie and sons Michael and John, but sadly her son Chris Lewis predeceased her in 2021.