Ellen Sandweiss, a native of Michigan, rose to fame as one of the youthful cast members of the 1981 horror classic, The Evil Dead. Her association with the film's director, Sam Raimi, and star, Bruce Campbell, dates back to her high school days when she attended school with them.
Prior to her involvement in The Evil Dead, Sandweiss appeared in some of Raimi's early Super 8 films, including the 1978 short film, Within the Woods, which served as a proof of concept to attract investors for the feature-length version of The Evil Dead. Her early work with Raimi and Campbell laid the groundwork for her iconic role as Cheryl, the sister of Ash, in The Evil Dead.
The Evil Dead was shot on a shoestring budget in Morristown, Tennessee, and the production was notoriously grueling for all involved. After the film's completion, Sandweiss went on to finish her college education and left the film industry behind, while The Evil Dead amassed a tremendous cult following over the years.
Two decades after the film's initial release, Sandweiss and her fellow The Evil Dead cast members, Betsy Baker and Theresa Tilly, began making public appearances under the moniker "Ladies of the Evil Dead". This marked a resurgence in Sandweiss's involvement in the horror genre, and she soon returned to the scene with a role in the 2006 horror film, Satan's Playground, alongside fellow horror icon Felissa Rose, best known for her work in Sleepaway Camp.
