Janet Leigh, born Jeanette Helen Morrison on July 6, 1927, in Merced, California, rose from humble working-class roots in Stockton to become one of Hollywood’s most iconic actresses, forever immortalized as the original scream queen for her legendary performance in Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho. Discovered at the age of 18 by actress Norma Shearer, Leigh’s natural beauty and talent earned her a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, launching a career that would span five decades and earn her a Golden Globe Award, a Laurel Award, and an Academy Award nomination. Her early years at MGM saw her star in a diverse array of films, including the drama The Romance of Rosy Ridge (1947), the crime thriller Act of Violence (1948), the beloved adaptation of Little Women (1949), the baseball comedy Angels in the Outfield (1951), the swashbuckling romance Scaramouche (1952), and the Western classic The Naked Spur (1953) alongside James Stewart.

After leaving MGM in 1954, Leigh signed with Universal and Columbia Pictures, appearing in adventure films like Safari (1956) and starring in Orson Welles’s acclaimed film noir Touch of Evil (1958). However, it was her role as Marion Crane in Hitchcock’s Psycho (1960) that cemented her legacy. Her performance, which earned her the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress and an Academy Award nomination, remains one of cinema’s most unforgettable, particularly the harrowing shower scene that became a cultural touchstone. That same year, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Outside of acting, she co-founded Curtleigh Productions with her second husband, actor Tony Curtis, whom she married in 1951. The couple became one of Hollywood’s most glamorous pairs before divorcing in 1962, after which she married stockbroker Robert Brandt.

Leigh continued to deliver memorable performances in the political thriller The Manchurian Candidate (1962), the musical Bye Bye Birdie (1963), and the thriller Harper (1966) before scaling back her career. She made her Broadway debut in Murder Among Friends (1975) and appeared in horror films such as Night of the Lepus (1972) and Boardwalk (1979). In a touching full-circle moment, she later starred alongside her daughter, Jamie Lee Curtis, in the horror films The Fog (1980) and Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998), passing the scream queen torch. Beyond the screen, Leigh was an accomplished author, writing four books between 1984 and 2002, including two novels. On October 3, 2004, she passed away at the age of 77 from vasculitis, leaving behind a legacy as a pioneering actress whose work continues to terrify and inspire.