It takes a good actor to play a terrible character. Funnily enough, Patty McCormack was such an incredible actor at such a young age that she won a role that would terrify audiences everywhere.

McCormack is best known for her role as Rhoda Penmark of The Bad Seed (1956). Though Rhoda is less than ten years old, she has a malicious streak that leaves a trail of bodies in her wake.

Though arguably her best-known role, an older McCormack admitted that for many years, she had little interest in speaking about The Bad Seed. Things changed when she learned what a positive reception the film had.

"There was a time when you just didn't talk about your old work because it smacked of being a has-been," McCormack said during an interview with the Abbeville Meridional. "But now I find colleagues are fascinated when they learn I was the kid in The Bad Seed.

Based on a play by Maxwell Anderson (which was based on a 1954 novel), McCormack originated the role of Rhoda during the production's Broadway run.

During that time on the stage, McCormack was able to perfect the character based on her audience's responses. By the time production began for the film adaptation of The Bad Seed, McCormack had never been more prepared.

"If I did something one night and the audience responded favorably, I would keep it in the next performance, provided the director approved," she said. "So the character evolved, and when it came time to film the movie, I was very comfortable with the character and my role."