Carol Locatell was born on December 13, 1940 – a date that happens to have been a Friday the 13th. So it seems very fitting that when she embarked on an acting career, her role in the 1985 slasher Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (watch it HERE) would turn out to become the role she was best known for. Locatell delivered a hilarious performance in that film, making the foul-mouthed Ethel Hubbard someone fans have been having fun watching for nearly forty years now. Sadly, Locatell is no longer with us. She passed away recently at the age of 82. Ron Sloan, who played Ethel’s dimwitted son Junior in Friday the 13th: A New Beginning, broke the news of her passing on social media last night.
Sloan wrote,
Dearest friends, fans, and Horror family,
With great sadness, it breaks my heart to announce that my Friday the 13th Part 5 Mom, (Ethel Hubbard) Carol Locatell has passed away. She had battled cancer for many years. For the longest time, I thought she would kick cancer’s ass, cause she really was a tough lady.
I have shared more laughter with Carol than you could ever imagine. Her interaction with her fans truly warmed my heart. Asking every single fan the question “Do you want me to flip you off, or what line would you like as an autographed on your picture?” She would offer lines like “You big dildo, eat your f*cking slop!”, “Who the f*ck are you and what the f*ck do you want?”
We were not only great friends, we were family. Those of us who are fortunate enough to be Actors in horror films know the meaning of the Horror Family. This is truly a life experience for me and I am so proud to have Carol Locatell share her private life with her husband, Greg, with my wife Lisa. From laughter to tears, I was truly blessed to work with this wonderful, brilliant, actress / mom. Her sailor mouth will truly be missed at the next convention. Please say a prayer for her and her family. She truly did love her fans, and we truly had so much fun together meeting you. Please feel free to post your pictures and memories of Carol to celebrate her life.
Many blessings and FUCK CANCER!
Locatell, then credited as Carol Lawson, made her screen acting debut in an episode of The Flying Nun in 1967. Over the next fifty-four years, she racked up seventy-four more credits, including Friday the 13th: A New Beginning. Some of those other credits include Bonanza, The Streets of San Francisco, Barnaby Jones, Emergency!, Thunder County, M*A*S*H*, Police Woman, Paternity, Sharky’s Machine, Best Friends, the 1985 version of The Bad Seed, Growing Pains, Life Goes On, ER, The Daytrippers, 7th Heaven, Saved by the Bell: The New Class, Ally McBeal, Caroline in the City, The Practice, Touched by an Angel, NYPD Blue, Without a Trace, Numb3rs, The Family Stone, Grey’s Anatomy, Mad Men, Scandal, NCIS, Shameless, and 13 Fanboy, which featured several other Friday the 13th alums in its cast and was directed by her Friday the 13th: A New Beginning co-star Deborah Voorhees. She also had a role in the 1973 classic Coffy, where her character was roughed up by the legendary Pam Grier.
Friday the 13th is my favorite franchise and Coffy is one of my favorite films, so I’m one of the fans Locatell brought a lot of entertainment to over the years. I’m very sad to hear that she has passed away and wish I had gotten the chance to meet her. She did many convention appearances, but our paths never crossed. It’s great that so many other fans did have the chance to meet her and interact with her, and we’re going to continue enjoying her many film and TV performances for a long time to come.
Our sincere condolences go out to Carol Locatell’s family, friends, and fans.