Cassandra Peterson Claimed Mistreatment by NBA Wilt Chamberlain before Finding Love with a Woman

Cassandra Peterson is still relevant even though she is 70-years-old. Recently, she stirred up reactions after making sexual assault claims against late NBA star Wilt Chamberlain in her memoir.

American Actress, Writer, and Singer Cassandra Peterson has been in show business for at least four decades. She was born in 1981 in Manhattan, Kansas, and is mostly known by her onscreen alter ego "Elvira, Mistress of The Dark."

While the original show ended in 1985, the actress has practically lived off the character since. Peterson has turned it into a profitable cultural phenomenon, making it hard to separate her public persona from her actual self.

Before her breakthrough, Peterson tried many things. Her pursuits included appearing in a James Bond film, dancing topless in the exploitation movie "The Working Girls" in 1974, and even guest-starring in an episode of "Happy Days."

PETERSON'S STRUGGLES AS A CHILD

Raised in Colorado, the acclaimed singer may appear to have it all together. However, she experienced various traumatic occurrences as a child. When the actress was 18 months old, she suffered third-degree burns.

Peterson sustained severe injuries after she accidentally tipped a pot of boiling water on her body. Although the singer recovered, she still has scars from the burns.

Growing up as a teenager, Peterson was exposed to a wild lifestyle. She was already a party girl at 14-years-old, experimenting with drugs and alcohol at nightclubs.

Peterson officially came out as a lesbian in her book.

RISE TO STARDOM

However, the writer always wanted a better life for herself, and despite her experiences, she always dreamed of being a star. She would sing on tables at eateries and capture the hearts of those around her.

When Peterson was 17, she officially started her career and became the youngest showgirl in Las Vegas's history when featured in "Vive Les Girls."

Her performance had been so remarkable that even the late King of Pop Elvis Presley took a liking to her. He gave her some advice that jump-started her career, causing her to pursue dancing, singing, and acting.

She starred in several movies and traveled across the country, dancing in hotels and clubs. Before Elvira came along, Peterson traveled to Europe, where she was lucky enough to be cast in a small role in the 1972 film "Roma."

She was also a member of an Italian Rock band during her stay, which toured Europe and eventually brought her back to Los Angeles. Upon her return to the US, she joined the improvisational comedy troupe "The Groundings."

The 1970s can be called Peterson's formative years because, with all the accumulated experience of that time, she was ready to seize the opportunity to host her show.

In 1981, the singer's break finally came when she landed a hosting job for the show "Elvira's Movie Macabre." Peterson knew how to capitalize on the iconic status of Elvira, way beyond the TV show that saw her come to life.

She took the character to an entirely different level in the 1988 film "Elvira, Mistress Of the Dark." With her comedy and mix of horror and dirty jokes, the movie secured a cult following for Elvira that continues to date.

Currently, the Hollywood star is living her best life. Last month, she released her memoir, "Yours Cruelly, Elvira: Memoirs of The Mistress Of The Dark." In the book, Peterson talks about her relationships and makes shocking revelations.

WHO WAS WILT CHAMBERLAIN?

One of the revelations in the book included a non-exciting encounter with the late icon, Wilt Chamberlain. Before his death, Chamberlain achieved a lot of success as an American professional basketball player.

With so many records to show for his outstanding performances, even in death, he remains an inspiration to several young basketball players.

His records include being the only NBA player to score 4,000 points in a season, the NBA single-game records for the most points, the most consecutive field goals, and the most rebounds.

CHAMBERLAIN'S NUMEROUS ROMANCE PARTNERS

Even though Chamberlain made a name for himself through his professional career, he was also famous for his philandering ways. He once shocked the world when he revealed he had been intimate with 20 000 women.

The late icon defended his statement during his chat with Conan O'Brien on the "Late Night Show." He noted that there was nothing wrong with a short romance, as long as the people participating in it were happy.

Chamberlain passed away on October 12, 1999. Reports that made the rounds revealed that the NBA Hall of Famer had a history of heart problems and possibly died from a heart attack.

To date, many consider the former NBA star to be a lovely person, irrespective of his romance choices. However, Peterson appears to have a different perception of the star.

PETERSON'S SHOCKING REVELATION

In her memoir, she claimed to have been sexually harassed by Chamberlain. Peterson also revealed that she wondered if the alleged 20 000 women involved with Chamberlain were forced or if their relations were consensual.

Although the actor's claims are serious, the allegations are yet to be proven. For now, she is more interested in her relationship with her longtime partner.

PETERSON IS A LESBIAN

In her book, Peterson officially came out as a lesbian. She revealed that she had been romantically involved with her girlfriend and personal trainer, Teresa Wierson, for 19 years.

The singer and Wierson met in 2002 at a Hollywood Gold's gym, when the former was still married to her ex-husband, Mark Wierson.

Despite initially mistaking Wierson for a man, the pair's relationship slowly grew from friendship into romance. Above all, Peterson is happy to get the huge secret off her chest.

During a recent appearance on "The Tamron Hall Show," the star said revealing her sexuality was scary and exciting, but she was relieved.

Since Peterson came out, her fans have shown her nothing but support. They are genuinely happy for their favorite and remain optimistic that her relationship will last for a lifetime.