Laurie first appeared in the 1978 film "Halloween", where she was revealed to be a smart, attractive, but introverted 17-year-old girl. Laurie lived in Haddonfield, Illinois, and attended Haddonfield High School. Her father was a local realtor in Haddonfield. Her two best friends, Annie and Lynda, were both the opposite of Laurie, being more interested in experimenting with alcohol, drugs and sex than in their school work. Laurie had a babysitting assignment on October 31, 1978, where she was babysitting young Tommy Doyle. Annie was babysitting Lindsey Wallace, who lived right across the street from Tommy.

Unbeknownst to any of them, they were all being stalked by the psychopathic Michael Myers, a former resident of Haddonfield who had murdered his older sister when he was only six years old. Myers had been confined to a mental hospital after the original murder, but he escaped suddenly on the evening of October 30, 1978, returning to Haddonfield for more crimes. Michael murdered Annie and Lynda, as well as Lynda's boyfriend, Bob, then lured Laurie into a trap where she discovered the bodies. Laurie, however, had an advantage over her friends in that she was able to fend off the maniac and fight back. She managed to stab Myers in the neck with a knitting needle, in the eye with a wire hanger, and finally in the chest with a knife, none of which managed to stop him. After Myers attempted to strangle Laurie, she was rescued when Michael was shot by his own psychiatrist, Dr. Sam Loomis. Afterwards, Michael's body vanished.