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Margo Epper(1936-2014)

  • Actress
  • Stunts
  • Additional Crew
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Born in 1935, Margo Epper, a stocky actress, made her career as a Hollywood body double and was used frequently, in various films. In 1959, the 24-year-old Epper was hired by the master of suspense Alfred Hitchcock to be a body double in his new thriller "Psycho." In the film, Epper posed as the supposedly still-alive Mrs. Norma Bates. Epper was seen whenever Mrs. Bates is seen in her bedroom window, and during the famous shower scene, in which the leading lady Marion Crane (played by actress Janet Leigh) was murdered. In the shower scene, however, Epper was not used in the entire scene, but only for a brief moment. Margo played Mrs. Bates as she is seen creeping into the bathroom, unknown to Marion, and rips open the shower curtain. During the rest of the shower scene, an actress named Anne Dore was used as "Mother". After "Psycho" was released, Margo made a guest appearance as The Boston Strong Girl's Mother Wrestler in the 23rd episode of the 6th season of "The Beverly Hillbillies" in the episode entitled 'The Great Tag-Team Match'. The last piece of film work Epper ever did was playing the role of a whore, in the 1972 Paul Newman film "The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean."
BornOctober 14, 1936
DiedJanuary 19, 2014(77)
BornOctober 14, 1936
DiedJanuary 19, 2014(77)
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Add photos, demo reels

Known for

Paul Newman in The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean (1972)
The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean
6.8
  • Whore
  • 1972
Buddy Ebsen, Max Baer Jr., Donna Douglas, and Irene Ryan in The Beverly Hillbillies (1962)
The Beverly Hillbillies
7.3
TV Series
  • The Boston Strong Girl's Mother

Credits

IMDbPro

Actress



  • Paul Newman in The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean (1972)
    The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean
    6.8
    • Whore
    • 1972
  • Walter Matthau and Barbra Streisand in Hello, Dolly! (1969)
    Hello, Dolly!
    7.1
    • Float Girl (uncredited)
    • 1969
  • Buddy Ebsen, Max Baer Jr., Donna Douglas, and Irene Ryan in The Beverly Hillbillies (1962)
    The Beverly Hillbillies
    7.3
    TV Series
    • The Boston Strong Girl's Mother
    • 1968

Stunts



  • Mame (1974)
    Mame
    5.9
    • stunts (uncredited)
    • 1974

Additional Crew



  • Anthony Perkins, John Gavin, Janet Leigh, and Heather Dawn May in Psycho (1960)
    Psycho
    8.5
    • body double: Mother in shower sequence (uncredited)
    • 1960

Personal details

  • Born
    • October 14, 1936
    • Los Angeles, California, USA
  • Died
    • January 19, 2014
    • Los Angeles, California, USA
  • Children
    • Johnny Hock
  • Parents
    • John Epper
  • Relatives
      John Epper(Sibling)

Did you know

  • Trivia
    She doubled for Anthony Perkins in the legendary shower scene for Alfred Hitchcock's classic Psycho (1960). She is only onscreen for a few seconds in silhouette playing the knife-wielding "Mother". The scene, a montage of skillfully edited split second images, is arguably the most famous, discussed and analyzed scene in cinema history.
  • Trademark
    As a Hollywood body double

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