Big Gay Horror Fan will never forget the humiliation of not hitting one tennis ball in-bounds when he played against that seven armed green monster in high school.

As Cissy Barnes in the giallo plot inspired episode of “Menace, Anyone?” (Season 2, Episode 20) on Murder, She Wrote (focusing on the adventures of mystery writing/accidental detective Jessica Fletcher), genre icon Kelli Maroney (Chopping Mall, Night of the Comet, Servants of Twilight, Gila!) definitely comes out winning, though. Putting her soap opera training (Ryan’s Hope, One Life to Live) to good use here, Maroney plays the manipulative, flirtatious Barnes for all she is worth. A star tennis player, Barnes is always threatening to walk out on her benefactors while dressing outrageous and engaging in sharp banter with her rivals – whom include beloved fellow horror notables like Linda Hamilton (Children of the Corn, King Kong Lives, Terminator) and Betsy Russell (the Saw series, Cheerleader Camp, Camp Fear, Avenging Angel).

A bit more intricately plotted than Jessica Fletcher’s adventures as the series wore on, this prime episode has a very Italian feel (a twisted subplot involving insanity, forced suicide, mixed identity and a missing sister whom may or may not exist) and some moments of Hitchcock inspired suspense (a trespassing detective’s murder features some almost Psycho-like camera work).

This episode is also a cinema lovers delight with television stalwart Dennis Cole (Zombie Death House, Irwin Allen’s Cave-In), golden age idol Van Johnson (Sergio Martino’s Scorpion With Two Tails, Killer Crocodile), 80’s teen sensation Doug McKeon (On Golden Pond, Mischief) and Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) all making appearances, as well. Even Kerrie Sherman (who played the vicious Patti in Greydon Clark’s Satan’s Cheerleaders) shows up as a secretary whom believes she is from Mars! Delicious!

Perhaps, most fun here, though, is watching Maroney enjoying devilishly interacting with Johnson in her opening scene. The two worked together previously on Ryan’s Hope and are obviously have a ball in their comical strategizing.

Maroney who will be appearing April 5- 7th, 2013 at the amazing Cinema Wasteland in Ohio (www.cinemawasteland.com) can always be reached at www.kellimaroney.com.

Meanwhile, Big Gay Horror Fan is always worshipping the treasured vixens of terror at https://www.facebook.com/BigGayHorrorFan!

Be sure to check back often as BGHF, frequently, explores the fright stars that populated Murder, She Wrote with “Horror, She Wrote”!

Until the next time – SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan!