Barbara Shelley
Encyclopedia
Barbara Shelley is an English
film and television actress.
She is now retired, but was at her busiest in the late 1950s (Blood of the Vampire
) and 1960s when she became Hammer Horror's number one female star, with The Gorgon
(1964), Dracula, Prince of Darkness
(1966), Rasputin, the Mad Monk
(1966), and
Quatermass and the Pit
(1967) among her credits. Although she is known as a scream queen
, in fact her most famous scream (in the aforementioned Dracula film) was dubbed by co-star Suzan Farmer
.
She also appeared in Village of the Damned
(1960) and in the 1984 Doctor Who
serial Planet of Fire
.
In 2010, writer and actor Mark Gatiss
interviewed Shelley about her career at Hammer Films for his BBC documentary series A History of Horror
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
film and television actress.
She is now retired, but was at her busiest in the late 1950s (Blood of the Vampire
Blood of the Vampire
-Plot:A young couple are terrorized by Dr. Callistratus who was executed but has returned to life with a heart transplant...
) and 1960s when she became Hammer Horror's number one female star, with The Gorgon
The Gorgon
The Gorgon is a 1964 British horror film directed by Terence Fisher for Hammer.It stars Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Barbara Shelley and Richard Pasco. The film was photographed by Michael Reed, and designed by Bernard Robinson. For the score James Bernard combined a soprano with a little-known...
(1964), Dracula, Prince of Darkness
Dracula: Prince of Darkness
Dracula: Prince of Darkness is a 1966 British horror film directed by Terence Fisher for Hammer Studios. The film was photographed in Techniscope by Michael Reed, designed by Bernard Robinson and scored by James Bernard.-Plot:...
(1966), Rasputin, the Mad Monk
Rasputin, the Mad Monk
Rasputin, the Mad Monk is a 1966 Hammer film directed by Don Sharp.It stars Christopher Lee as Grigori Rasputin, the Russian peasant-mystic notable for gaining great influence with the Tsars prior to the Russian Revolution. It also stars Barbara Shelley, Francis Matthews, Suzan Farmer, Richard...
(1966), and
Quatermass and the Pit
Quatermass and the Pit (film)
Quatermass and the Pit is a 1967 British science fiction horror film. Made by Hammer Film Productions it is a sequel to the earlier Hammer films The Quatermass Xperiment and Quatermass 2. Like its predecessors it is based on a BBC Television serial – Quatermass and the Pit – written by Nigel Kneale...
(1967) among her credits. Although she is known as a scream queen
Scream queen
A scream queen is an actress who has become associated with horror films, either through an appearance in a notable entry in the genre as a frequent victim or through constant appearances as the female protagonist...
, in fact her most famous scream (in the aforementioned Dracula film) was dubbed by co-star Suzan Farmer
Suzan Farmer
Suzan Farmer is an English actress, mainly on television.She first appeared in an episode of the Patrick McGoohan series Danger Man entitled No Marks for Servility and went on to feature in many other ITC series in the 1960s and 70s including UFO, The Saint, Man in a Suitcase and The Persuaders!...
.
She also appeared in Village of the Damned
Village of the Damned (1960 film)
Village of the Damned is a 1960 British science fiction film by German director Wolf Rilla. The film is a fairly faithful adaptation of the novel The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham. The lead role of Professor Gordon Zellaby was played by George Sanders. This film was #92 on Bravo's 100 Scariest...
(1960) and in the 1984 Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
serial Planet of Fire
Planet of Fire
Planet of Fire is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four twice-weekly parts from 23 February to 2 March 1984...
.
In 2010, writer and actor Mark Gatiss
Mark Gatiss
Mark Gatiss is an English actor, screenwriter and novelist. He is best known as a member of the comedy team The League of Gentlemen, and has both written for and acted in the TV series Doctor Who and Sherlock....
interviewed Shelley about her career at Hammer Films for his BBC documentary series A History of Horror
A History of Horror
A History of Horror is a 2010 three-part documentary series made for the BBC by British writer and actor Mark Gatiss...
.
Selected filmography
- The Camp on Blood IslandThe Camp on Blood IslandThe Camp on Blood Island is a 1958 British World War II film, directed by Val Guest for Hammer Film Productions and starring Carl Möhner, André Morrel, Edward Underdown and Walter Fitzgerald....
(1958) - BobbikinsBobbikinsBobbikins is a 1959 British film directed by Robert Day. It stars Shirley Jones and Max Bygraves.-Cast:* Shirley Jones as Betty Barnaby* Max Bygraves as Ben Barnaby* Billie Whitelaw as Lydia Simmons* Barbara Shelley as Valerie* Colin Gordon as Dr...
(1959) - Shadow of the CatShadow of the CatShadow of the Cat is a 1961 British horror film directed by John Gilling for Hammer Film Productions. It stars André Morell and Barbara Shelley...
(1961) - Postman's KnockPostman's Knock (film)Postman's Knock is a 1962 British comedy film directed by Robert Lynn and starring Spike Milligan, Barbara Shelley, John Wood and Warren Mitchell. A country postman is transferred to London, where he manages to foil a major robbery.-Cast:...
(1962) - Blind CornerBlind CornerBlind Corner is a 1963 British thriller film, directed by Lance Comfort and starring William Sylvester and Barbara Shelley. It also features popular singer of the time Ronnie Carroll playing himself...
(1963) - Quatermass and the Pit (1967); US title "Five Million Years to Earth" (1968)
External links
- Barbara Shelley The Barbara Shelley Official Website
- Barbara Shelley at HorrorStars