Brenda/Friday the 13th

Brenda is a supporting character featured in the 1980 slasher film Friday the 13th where she was played by actress Laurie Bartram. She was one of eight people to be murdered by the psychopathic Pamela Voorhees.

Biography
Brenda was one of seven camp counselors hired by Steve Christy to oversee renovation and repairs at Camp Crystal Lake in 1979. Brenda earned the attention of fellow counselor Ned Rubinstein who enjoyed playing pranks on her. One such prank involved nearly hitting her with an arrow while she was setting up the archery range. On the group's first day at the camp site, they spent their break time swimming in Crystal Lake. Ned faked a drowning episode and Brenda dove into the water to save him. She dragged him back to shore and began administering mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, at which point, Ned began kissing her.

Brenda was also present when her co-worker Alice Hardy spotted a snake inside one of the cabins. Alice screamed and Brenda and the others came running into the cabin. The group began tripping over one another as they tried to ferret the snake out of hiding, but it was a counselor named Bill who finally got the drop on the creature, cutting it in half with a machete.

That evening, a terrible thunderstorm kept Brenda, Alice and Bill inside the main cabin. To entertain themselves, Brenda came up with the idea of playing "Strip Monopoly". The three consumed alcohol, smoked some marijuana and played until Brenda was left wearing nothing but her underwear. Remembering that she left the windows open in her cabin, Brenda called it a night and went out into the rain back to her room. She closed the windows, brushed her teeth and prepared for bed. Before falling asleep however, she heard a noise from outside that sounded like the plaintive cry of a little boy. Brenda went back out into the rain and followed the voice to the archery range. The floodlights suddenly came on, temporarily blinding her. As she tried to determine who had turned on the lights, Brenda was attacked and murdered by the psychotic Pamela Voorhees. After killing her, Pamela took Brenda's body and threw it through the window of the main cabin where Alice had been cleaning up. When Pamela later introduced herself to Alice, she feigned surprise and horror at seeing Brenda's body on the floor.

Notes & Trivia

 * The character of Brenda was created by director Sean S. Cunningham and writers Victor Miller and Ron Kurz.


 * Brenda is the seventh canonical murder victim in the Friday the 13th film series and the seventh victim of Pamela Voorhees. She is the fourth female victim in the series and the fifth member of the 1979-era staff of Camp Crystal Lake (including Annie Phillips who was killed prior to arriving at the camp).


 * Brenda's death took place off-screen. Making Friday the 13th: The Legend of Camp Blood implies that Brenda was stabbed to death with an arrow before being thrown through the window. In one scene from the film, Alice finds a bloody axe in Brenda's bed. However, while the axe was used to kill Marcie, it is unclear if the same weapon was used to kill Brenda.


 * Special effects artist and stunt man Tom Savini doubled as Brenda in the scene where she is thrown through the window.


 * Actress Laurie Bartram was 21-years-old when she filmed the role of Brenda for Fridya the 13th.


 * Actress Laurie Bartram retired from acting following her role in Friday the 13th. This was second film role and her second work in the horror genre.


 * Laurie Bartram passed away from pancreatic cancer at the age of 49.