🔱 The Strange Legacy of Anton LaVey: Music, Mystery, and the Church of Satan 🔥
Anton LaVey, founder of the Church of Satan
Anton LaVey was born, Howard Stanton LaVey on April 11th, 1930. He is credited to be the founder of Church of Satan and LaVeyan Satanism. Other significant reasons for his popularity are writer of the Satanic Bible, musician, and famous occultist. Most of his teachings are claimed to be based on the human nature, individualism, and materialism. Anton died on October 29th, 1997. At that time he was the High Priest of Church of Satan.
🧒 Early Years
The short biography of his can start on his birth in Chicago. His father’s family had roots in France, the father worked as liquor distributor. Anton LaVey’s mother was from Ukraine. This mix of cultures made Anton more susceptible to ask question and to experience many cultures and traditional norms. It was California where he spent his most early years. He was interested and trained at home and school in music, the musical development lead him to try almost all of musical instruments. However keyboards, pipes and calliope were instruments of choice most of time.
🕯️ Start as Satanist
Anton LaVey dropped out during the high school, and spent many years as part of the circus and carnivals. He started working as cage boy with big cats, but his interest in music led him to join the musicians, here his first job was to play calliope. In these years he saw the two faces of people, seemingly very poised and church going, and on the shows they did every act opposite to the religious teachings.
🎶 Musical Career
The music led him to start experiencing the bars, lounge, and nightclub, scene. He worked in various burlesque houses and it was during this time it is said that he met Marilyn Monroe. Some of these claims of this affair are rejected by the many to shake away Monroe connections to Satanism. Anton LaVey worked as the San Francisco Police Depart photographer for next three years. During this time he saw the crime scenes first hand and also the investigative procedures, including the psychic investigators.
Carol Lansing met him in 1950, and after just a year the got married. From this marriage he had one daughter, Karla LaVey. The divorce happened in 1960, and after this LaVey fell in love with Dian Hearty. This affair lasted for many years, they however did not marry. From this relationship the daughter Zeena Galatea LaVey was born. This relationship ended in the court on polygamy charges.
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🌟 Fame & Stardom
Anton LaVey get quite famous and enjoyed celebrity status during the 60s. He was always the person to be on the forefront of the psychic and paranormal research and music. His performances always were packed, his famous guests include, Michael Horner, Chester Arthur, Forrest Ackerman, Cecil Nixon, and Cairn Plessin. LaVey get quite famous for his Friday night lectures on the occult. These were occult lectures were named as magic circle lectures. These speeches later became foundation to his new religion. In 1966 he shaved his head and declared the start of the Church of Satan.
🏛️ Beginning of Church of Satan
Anton LaVey's Satanic Bible Buy It Now on Amazon Click Pic!
The church of Satan turned into an alternative religious faith. The first wedding happened of John Raymond and Judith Case in 1967. This led to more similar practices of burial and baptism. He was now named as the Black Pope. They started to have events like Satanic Mass also.
The 70s saw Church of Satan to include the teachings of Ayn Rand, Friedrich Nietzsche, H. Mencken, Jack London, and Aleister Crowley. The new ideas formed the Church of Satan into new levels. Might is right, and similar theories led to the completion of Satanic Bible. The next book came in 1989, as complete witch and the next was The Satanic Rituals. All of these books are now considered to be basis for Satanic Religion.
📈 Success of Church of Satan
The Church of Satan get television coverage like none before, Joe Pyne, Phil Donahue, and Johnny Carson all took the band wagon. The popular magazines, like Times, Newsweek, Look, McCall’s, and Men’s Magazine all reported the practices in awe and show it as some full length documentaries like 60 Minutes and 20/20 also gave it much publicity in 1980s. LaVey’s third relationship was with Blanche Barton. She gave birth to his only son, Satan Xerxes in 1993. After the death of LaVey she took over as the head of Church of Satan. Later she left the position of head to Peter H. Gilmore.
🕷️ Anton LaVey and His Sinister Screen Presence
While Anton LaVey is best known as the founder of the Church of Satan, his influence wasn’t limited to dark sermons and occult philosophy—he left eerie fingerprints on film, television, and music that still linger today. Though he rarely appeared on-screen in traditional acting roles, LaVey was no stranger to the entertainment industry. Before establishing his infamous church, he worked as a musician, carny, and even a crime scene photographer—an odd mix of showbiz grit and gothic flair that would serve him well.
In the world of film, Anton LaVey consulted behind the scenes, particularly on movies that dealt with Satanism, the occult, or ritual magic. Most notably, he served as a technical advisor on the 1975 cult film The Devil’s Rain.
He also appeared as himself in several low-budget documentaries and exploitation films during the 1970s, often surrounded by dim red lights, ritual objects, and his beloved pet lion. LaVey didn’t need a script—his life was already theatrical enough.
Television producers occasionally brought him on for talk shows, news features, or sensational specials that capitalized on the public’s fear and fascination. From grainy late-night interviews to tabloid exposés, Anton LaVey became a favorite “villain” for networks looking to shock viewers. Whether he was showing off his black house in San Francisco or performing staged rituals, he knew how to play to the camera without ever really acting.
In music, LaVey’s influence is even more pronounced. His book The Satanic Bible was a staple among shock-rockers and metalheads. Bands like Marilyn Manson, Slayer, and Danzig borrowed heavily from his imagery. His own album, The Satanic Mass (1968), featured recorded rituals and organ music that sounds like it was pulled straight from the soundtrack of a horror film. It’s unsettling, theatrical, and entirely in line with his philosophy of indulgence and style over subtlety.
Anton LaVey may never have become a movie star, but he didn’t need to. He became a symbol—one that still pops up in horror culture, Halloween specials, and every spooky corner of pop entertainment. His life was a performance, and his legacy still haunts the screen.
🔗The Devil’s Rain
One of LaVey’s most notable Hollywood connections came through the 1975 cult horror film The Devil’s Rain, a surreal and storm-soaked story of Satanic worship and supernatural revenge. Anton LaVey served as the film’s technical advisor, lending his knowledge of ritual and symbolism to enhance the authenticity of the production.
He also appeared briefly in the film, adding to its eerie credibility. The cast was a strange mix of rising stars and Hollywood veterans, including William Shatner, Ernest Borgnine, Tom Skerritt, Ida Lupino, and a then-unknown John Travolta in his first feature film role. It’s the kind of oddball horror gem that blends B-movie weirdness with serious occult overtones. The Devil’s Rain remains a fascinating piece of horror history—and a strange legacy piece for Anton LaVey himself.
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⚰️ Tragic Death
Anton LaVey passed away on October 29th 1997 in San Francisco. His death is coincided with Halloween morning. He was cremated, and secret invite only funeral was held for his last riots in accordance to the Satanic Church. The ashes were divided among the different hires equally. The legacy of Anton LaVey is still carried to date with many of followers of this new faith. His book Stannic Bible, Complete witch, Satanic Rituals, and Devil’s note book are still being published in large number.
ML Lamp is the owner of Kilroy Was Here. After his 20 years of working in Las Vegas in the entertainment promotions field, Mr. Lamp retired in 2002 from his job to pursue his passion for collectibles. Now as a guest speaker and author he’s living the dream, and sharing his warmth with You.