Scene from Shivers (1975)

First Appearances:

• Shivers (1975) as Annabelle

Most Important Roles:

• Shivers (1975) as Annabelle

Career Highlights:

• Shivers (1975)

Cathy Graham is an actress best recognized for her pivotal role in David Cronenberg’s 1975 cult horror classic, Shivers (also known as They Came from Within). In the film, Graham portrays Annabelle, a 19-year-old resident of the Starliner apartment complex who becomes the focal point of a terrifying biological outbreak. As the subject of a scientist’s experiment with genetically engineered parasites, her character serves as the initial carrier of an infection that transforms the building’s inhabitants into mindless, sex-crazed shells of their former selves. Although her performance in this landmark of Canadian body horror remains a significant part of the genre’s history, it stands as her most prominent contribution to the film industry.

First Appearances:

• I Drink Your Blood (1971) as Carrie (uncredited)

Most Important Roles:

• Trinity (2021) as Michael's Mother
• Antiques (2023) as Carlotta
• Wolf Hollow (2023) as Marla Taylor
• Basement Jack (2010) as Mrs. Riley
• Mondo Sacramento 2 (2013) as Dorothea Puente
• The Omicron Killer (2024) as Captain Louise Callahan
• Splatter Disco (2007) as Alma
• I Drink Your Blood (1971) as Carrie (uncredited)
• Shivers (1975) as Nurse Forsythe

Career Highlights:

• Trinity (2021)
• Antiques (2023)
• Wolf Hollow (2023)
• Basement Jack (2010)
• Mondo Sacramento 2 (2013)
• The Omicron Killer (2024)
• Splatter Disco (2007)
• I Drink Your Blood (1971)
• Shivers (1975)

Awards:

• Won Best Actress - Best Actress (2016)
• Won Macabreite Award - Best Actress Feature (2016)
• Nominated for 1 Festival Prize - Best Actress (2023)
• Nominated for 1 Crimmy - Best Actress (2015)
• Nominated for 1 FilmQuest Cthulhu - Best Actress - Short (2015)
• Won FANtastic Award - Best Actress in a Feature Film (2023)
• Nominated for 1 FANtastic Award - Best Ensemble Cast (2023)
• Won FANtastic Award - Best Actress in a Short Film (2020)
• Nominated for 1 FANtastic Award - Best Supporting Actress in a Feature Film (2018)
• Nominated for 1 FANtastic Award - Best Actress in a Short Film (2017)
• Won Festival Award - Best Actress (2016)
• Won Festival Award - Best Performance (2023)
• Won April Monthly Edition - Best Acting Duo (2023)
• Won Milwaukee Twisted Dreams Festival Award - Best Lead Performance - Feature Film (2023)
• Nominated for 1 Milwaukee Twisted Dreams Festival Award - Best Ensemble - Feature (2023)
• Nominated for 1 Jury Prize - Best Feature Film (2025)
• Won Festival Award - Best Actress (2023)

Born on October 15, 1947, in East St. Louis, Illinois, Lynn Lowry is an American actress and screenwriter celebrated as a "scream queen" and cult icon of independent horror cinema. Her ethereal presence and expressive performance style became defining features of the genre's shift toward more psychological and visceral storytelling in the 1970s.

Lowry’s early career was marked by collaboration with some of the most influential directors in horror. She gained attention in 1971’s I Drink Your Blood, followed by a standout role in George A. Romero’s The Crazies (1973), where her portrayal of the fragile Kathy earned her lasting recognition. Perhaps her most famous role came in David Cronenberg’s body-horror breakthrough Shivers (1975). As Nurse Forsythe, she delivered a chillingly memorable performance that remains central to the film’s legacy. In 2025, she participated in events celebrating the 50th anniversary of Shivers, which included high-profile screenings such as those at the Tribeca Festival.

After taking a hiatus in the 1980s, Lowry returned to the screen and has remained remarkably prolific in contemporary independent cinema. As of 2026, she continues to work steadily, recently appearing in the psychological thriller Fang (2022) and the upcoming project My Blade is Your Salvation, where she was cast in the complex role of Margaret. Beyond her film work, she is a frequent guest at international genre conventions and has explored a musical career, performing folk songs and show tunes with her own band.

Alternate Names: Sue Helen Petrie, Sue Petrie

Physical Characteristics: N/A

First Appearances:

• Loving and Laughing (1971) as Belinda Harrison (as Sue Helen Petrie)

Most Important Roles:

• Shivers (1975) as Janine Tudor
• The American Nightmare (2000) as Self
• Rip-Off (1971) as Susan
• The Far Shore (1976) as Kate
• Sunday in the Country (1974) as Jennifer Logan
• A Sweeter Song (1976) as Annie
• Loving and Laughing (1971) as Belinda Harrison (as Sue Helen Petrie)
• Point of No Return (1976) as Diana
• Tom Sawyer (1976) as Mary Sawyer
• Lions for Breakfast (1975) as Jenny

Career Highlights:

• Shivers (1975)
• The American Nightmare (2000)
• Rip-Off (1971)
• The Far Shore (1976)
• Sunday in the Country (1974)
• A Sweeter Song (1976)
• Loving and Laughing (1971)
• Point of No Return (1976)
• Tom Sawyer (1976)
• Lions for Breakfast (1975)

Susan Petrie (1952–2015) was a versatile Canadian actress who became a prominent figure in the Canadian film industry during the 1970s. She gained international cult recognition for her role as Janine Tudor in David Cronenberg’s 1975 body-horror classic Shivers (also known as They Came From Within), where she delivered a memorable performance alongside Barbara Steele.

Born in Nova Scotia, Petrie began her career as a teenager, quickly making a name for herself in television. She starred in her own CBC series, Toby, and appeared in the 1973 television adaptation of Tom Sawyer. Her film career was equally active during this era; she appeared in a variety of productions including the comedy Loving and Laughing (1971), the coming-of-age film Rip-Off (1971), and the thriller Sunday in the Country (1974).

Beyond live-action roles, Petrie’s work extended to the Canadian stage and voice acting, most notably contributing to the 1981 cult animated feature Heavy Metal. Often credited as Sue Helen Petrie, she was known for her emotional range—a trait emphasized by director David Cronenberg, who famously used onions on set to help her achieve the intense, tearful performance required for her role in Shivers. Susan Petrie passed away on April 16, 2015, at the age of 63, leaving behind a legacy as a key talent in the "Canuxploitation" era of cinema.