Marjorie Cameron, a striking individual with fiery red hair and piercing blue eyes, was born on April 23, 1922, in Belle Plain, Iowa, and spent her formative years in Wisconsin. Her parents, Hill Lislie Cameroun and Carrie V. (Ridenour) Cameroun, instilled in her a strong sense of curiosity and adventure.
During World War II, Marjorie served in the Navy, where she held the esteemed position of aide to the Joint Chiefs of Staff and photographer. After the war, she relocated to Los Angeles, where she was introduced to the Agape Lodge of the Ordo Templi Orientis (OTO) by a friend. It was within this mystical community that she met her future husband, John W. (Jack) Parsons, a pioneering genius in rocketry, author, and occult enthusiast closely associated with the enigmatic Aleister Crowley.
Parsons, who considered Marjorie an "elemental," joined forces with her and L. Ron Hubbard in 1946 to undertake the infamous "Babylon Working," a complex and ambitious magical endeavor aimed at creating a magical child. The couple married on October 19, 1946, in San Juan Capistrano, California, and their social circle included many prominent science fiction writers.
Tragedy struck when Jack Parsons perished in a mysterious explosion in Pasadena in 1952. Marjorie later remarried Sharif Kimmel, and her fascination with flying saucers began after witnessing one in 1953. She pursued her passion for art, becoming an integral part of the Los Angeles art world and exhibiting her works at renowned museums.
Marjorie's artistic talents extended to film, as she appeared as the Scarlet Woman and Kali in Kenneth Anger's Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome (1954). In 1957, she won an obscenity trial when one of her drawings sparked a raid on an art gallery. Her friendships with Dennis Hopper and Dean Stockwell led to her role as the Water Witch in _Night Tide_ (1963).
Marjorie Cameron passed away in 1995 at the age of 73, leaving behind a legacy as a true original – a woman of mystery, artistry, and unbridled creativity.
