The Wild World of Ted V. Mikels

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Who is Ted V. Mikels?

American filmmaker Ted V. Mikels holds a unique position as one of the most unconventional directors of exploitation cinema. Famous for his eccentric home life (he once lived with a harem in a castle with secret passageways) and promotional gimmicks (he was known for having nurses and ambulances on hand to assist "scared-to-death" moviegoers), Mikels is now considered a pioneering master of low-budget movie making.

Examples of Mikels' influence can be seen everywhere: from music (punk band The Misfits wrote a tribute song called "The Astro-Zombies"), to Mikels' film The Doll Squad being the template for the television series Charlie's Angels, to inspiring the look of the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill.

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Cast (listed alphabetically)

Additional bios coming soon

  • J.P. Edwards - as himself

  • Donna Hamblin - as herself

  • Amanda Hamblin a/k/a Amanda Jade - as herself

  • Ted V. Mikels - as himself

  • Sean Morelli - as himself

  • Tura Satana - as herself

    Tura Satana

    Tura started exotic dancing when she was only 13 years old. She integrated acrobatics, humor, and sensual beauty to her dancing art form. She is most famous for playing Varla in Russ Meyer's Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! as well as Ted Mikels' movies The Astro-Zombies and The Doll Squad. . . . read more

  • Shanti a/k/a Wendy O. Altamura - as herself

  • Cory Udler - as himself

  • John Waters - narrator

    John Waters

    From Baltimore, Maryland, Waters is a prolific film director, author, photographer and sometime actor. He is best known for his films, the content of which have sometimes shocked and always entertained an international audience. In 1972 he created what would become the most notorious film . . . read more

  • Francine York - as herself

    Francine York

    Francine York was born in a small mining town in northern Minnesota called Aurora, and was a model and dancer before becoming an actress. Francine's credits include Curse of the Swamp Creature (now a cult film), and Tickle Me with Elvis Presley. Roles include Queen Niolani . . . read more

  • Lila Zaborin - as herself

Additional cast in "Cut In Camera" DVD extra

  • Jessica Chisum - as Pamela

  • Masuimi Max - as Dr. Max

    Masuimi Max

    Masuimi Max was born in Jacksonville, Arkansas. Her father was in the Air Force, and her early years were spent traveling all over the world, with her teenage years in Las Vegas, NV. She now works as a full-time model . . . read more

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