EUNICE GAYSON

(17 March 1928 - 8 June 2018)

British actress Eunice Gayson, who has died aged 90, was born Eunice Sargaison in Purley, Surrey. She trained as an opera singer before her screen debut in Between Ourselves, a BBC TV movie in 1948, then appeared in the film My Brother Jonathan with Michael Denison and Dulcie Gray. Continuing on both the small and large screen, she appeared in the films It Happened in Soho, The Huggetts Abroad, Dance Hall, Down Among the Z Men, Miss Robin Hood, Street Corner, Dance Little Lady, Out of the Clouds, Zarak, Carry On Admiral and Hammer’s The Revenge of Frankenstein. She also appeared on stage in The Sound of Music and Into the Woods. In 1962 her career took a turn for the best when she became the first official Bond Girl in Dr No. “I admire your courage, Miss…” says 007 across the gaming table. She replies: “Trench, Sylvia Trench. I admire your luck, Mr…”. He replies: “Bond, James Bond,” thereby starting a new line in catchphrases. She had been up for the part of Moneypenny but it went to Lois Maxwell. After Eunice Gayson repeated the role of Trench in From Russia With Love, it was back to TV until she retired from the screen in 1972. She was married to writer and producer Leigh Vance and to the actor Brian Jackson, with whom she had a daughter, Kate, who in 1995 appeared as ‘casino girl’ in GoldenEye with Pierce Brosnan as Bond.

MICHAEL DARVELL