Lori Williams

Lori Williams is an American actress, born on March 23, 1946, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Her brief but memorable career peaked with her role as Billie in the 1965 Russ Meyer cult film Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!. In that film, she played the more fun-loving member of a trio of go-go dancers, opposite Tura Satana and Haji. Her character met a grisly end at the hands of the group's vicious leader, a scene that has become part of cult film lore. That same year, she appeared in A Swingin' Summer, a beach musical shot at Lake Arrowhead, where she was billed as "Dancer" and shared the screen with Raquel Welch in her film debut. In 1967, she had a small role in It's a Bikini World, billed simply as "Girl," with only a few lines of dialogue. The black-and-white Pussycat was initially shunted to exploitation grindhouses, but its reputation grew after director John Waters declared it his favorite film in 1978, helping secure its place in cult cinema history. By that time, Williams had largely left acting behind, though she made fleeting, uncredited appearances in the 1969-70 season of Love, American Style. She continued acting through the 1970s and into the early 1980s, but her roles grew smaller. Facing ageism, she moved into casting at Universal Studios and later worked in Los Angeles real estate. In the early 2000s, she expressed interest in returning to acting, but no further credits are documented. In March 2005, she reunited with her Pussycat co-stars in the documentary Go, Pussycat, Go!, reminiscing about the making of the cult classic. A final uncertain credit lists her in a 1981 filmed production of The Marvelous Land of Oz, though her appearance is unconfirmed. Williams is remembered as a distinctive presence in 1960s exploitation cinema, one of the few actresses from that world who is still celebrated by fans and historians alike. She was born with blonde hair and blue eyes, stood 5'4", and was known for her dancer's physique. Her affair with Elvis Presley, though brief, has become part of her legend. In 1964, while working as an extra in two of his films, Kissin' Cousins and Roustabout, they became a couple. She recalled their courtship as "very sweet" and called Presley "the perfect gentleman." That period also connected her to the dance troupe of David Winters, who cast her as a dancer in several Elvis vehicles and AIP beach party musicals. Though her on-screen career was short, her impact on cult film has endured for decades.