Eunice Gayson
Encyclopedia
Eunice Gayson is a British
actress best known for playing Sylvia Trench
, James Bond
's girlfriend in the first two Bond films (Dr. No
and From Russia with Love
). Originally, Gayson was going to be cast as Miss Moneypenny
, but the part went to Lois Maxwell
instead.
For a number of years she played the part of Frau Schrader (The Baroness) in the London production of 'The Sound Of Music' at the Palace Theatre, singing two songs which were cut from the film version.
Gayson was originally to have been a regular in the Bond film series, but her character was dropped. Like nearly all of the actresses who appeared in the first two Bond films, Gayson's voice in Dr. No and From Russia with Love was overdubbed by voice actress Nikki van der Zyl
, though Gayson's real voice can still be heard in original trailers for Dr. No.
As the first female to be seen in Dr. No, she is officially the very first actress to play a Bond girl
.
Gayson also played a major role in the Hammer horror film The Revenge of Frankenstein
and was seen on TV in series such as The Saint
and The Avengers
.
Decades later, Gayson's daughter appeared in a casino scene in the 1995 Bond film GoldenEye
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
actress best known for playing Sylvia Trench
Sylvia Trench
Sylvia Trench is a fictional character in two James Bond films, portrayed by Eunice Gayson. In the first of Sean Connery's outings as British secret agent 007, Dr. No, he meets Trench from across a Baccarat table at the London club Le Cercle...
, James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
's girlfriend in the first two Bond films (Dr. No
Dr. No (film)
Dr. No is a 1962 spy film, starring Sean Connery; it is the first James Bond film. Based on the 1958 Ian Fleming novel of the same name, it was adapted by Richard Maibaum, Johanna Harwood, and Berkely Mather and was directed by Terence Young. The film was produced by Harry Saltzman and Albert R...
and From Russia with Love
From Russia with Love (film)
From Russia with Love is the second in the James Bond spy film series, and the second to star Sean Connery as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. Released in 1963, the film was produced by Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman, and directed by Terence Young. It is based on the 1957 novel of the...
). Originally, Gayson was going to be cast as Miss Moneypenny
Miss Moneypenny
Jane Moneypenny, better known as Miss Moneypenny, is a fictional character in the James Bond novels and films. She is secretary to M, who is Bond's boss and head of the British Secret Service...
, but the part went to Lois Maxwell
Lois Maxwell
Lois Maxwell was a Canadian actress.Maxwell began her film career in the late 1940s, and won a Golden Globe Award for the New Actress of the Year for her performance in That Hagen Girl...
instead.
For a number of years she played the part of Frau Schrader (The Baroness) in the London production of 'The Sound Of Music' at the Palace Theatre, singing two songs which were cut from the film version.
Gayson was originally to have been a regular in the Bond film series, but her character was dropped. Like nearly all of the actresses who appeared in the first two Bond films, Gayson's voice in Dr. No and From Russia with Love was overdubbed by voice actress Nikki van der Zyl
Nikki van der Zyl
Nikki van der Zyl is a German voice-actress most famous for providing the voice of Ursula Andress in the movie Dr. No She also revoiced all the other female voices in that same movie, except that of Miss Moneypenny and that of a Chinese girl...
, though Gayson's real voice can still be heard in original trailers for Dr. No.
As the first female to be seen in Dr. No, she is officially the very first actress to play a Bond girl
Bond girl
A Bond girl is a character or actress portraying a love interest, of James Bond in a film, novel, or video game. They occasionally have names that are double entendres or puns, such as "Pussy Galore", "Plenty O'Toole", "Xenia Onatopp", or "Holly Goodhead"...
.
Gayson also played a major role in the Hammer horror film The Revenge of Frankenstein
The Revenge of Frankenstein
The Revenge of Frankenstein is a 1958 British horror film made by Hammer Film Productions. Directed by Terence Fisher, the film stars Peter Cushing, Francis Matthews, Michael Gwynn and Eunice Gayson....
and was seen on TV in series such as The Saint
The Saint (TV series)
The Saint was an ITC mystery spy thriller television series that aired in the UK on ITV between 1962 and 1969. It centred on the Leslie Charteris literary character, Simon Templar, a Robin Hood-like adventurer with a penchant for disguise. The character may be nicknamed The Saint because the...
and The Avengers
The Avengers (TV series)
The Avengers is a spy-fi British television series set in the 1960s Britain. The Avengers initially focused on Dr. David Keel and his assistant John Steed . Hendry left after the first series and Steed became the main character, partnered with a succession of assistants...
.
Decades later, Gayson's daughter appeared in a casino scene in the 1995 Bond film GoldenEye
GoldenEye
GoldenEye is the seventeenth spy film in the James Bond series, and the first to star Pierce Brosnan as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. The film was directed by Martin Campbell and is the first film in the series not to take story elements from the works of novelist Ian Fleming...
.
Film and TV appearances
- My Brother JonathanMy Brother JonathanMy Brother Jonathan is a 1948 British drama film directed by Harold French. It starred Michael Denison, Dulcie Gray, and James Robertson Justice....
(1948) - Melody in the Dark (1948)
- Dance HallDance Hall (film)Dance Hall is a 1950 British film directed by Charles Crichton. Appealing mainly to a female audience, the film was an unusual departure for the studio, known at the time primarily for its classic comedies starring Alec Guinness.-Plot:...
(1950) - To Have And To HoldTo Have and to Hold-Screen adaptations:The book has been twice adapted to the screen. The first silent film in 1916 was made by Jesse L. Lasky’s Famous Players company. It was directed by George Melford and starred Wallace Reid and Mae Murray. In 1922, Lasky did a remake, this time starring Bert Lytell and Betty...
(1950) - Miss Robin HoodMiss Robin HoodMiss Robin Hood is a 1952 British film directed by John Guillermin. It falls neatly within the genre of post-war British fantasy, and there are strong correlations with a number of films within this genre such as e.g...
(1952) - Down Among the Z MenDown Among the Z MenDown Among the Z Men is a B/W 1952 British comedy film starring The Goons; Spike Milligan, Peter Sellers, Michael Bentine and Harry Secombe.-Plot:...
(1952) - Street CornerStreet Corner (1953 film)Street Corner is a 1953 British drama film. It was written by Muriel and Sydney Box and directed by Muriel. It was marketed as Both Sides of the Law in the United States. While not quite a documentary, the film depicts the daily routine of women in the police force from three different angles...
(1953) - One Just Man (1954)
- Dance, Little LadyDance, Little LadyDance, Little Lady is a 1954 British film directed by Val Guest, and starring Terence Morgan, Mai Zetterling, Guy Rolfe and Mandy Miller.-Cast:* Terence Morgan as Mark Gordon* Mai Zetterling as Nina Gordon* Guy Rolfe as Dr. John Ransome...
(1954) - Out of the CloudsOut of the CloudsOut of the Clouds is a 1955 British drama film directed by Basil Dearden, and starring Anthony Steel, Sid James and James Robertson Justice. An Ealing Studios film, it follows the lives of the passengers and crew on a day at an airport that was filmed in Heathrow Airport.-Description:The film was...
(1955) - Count of Twelve (1955)
- ZarakZarakZarak is a 1956 British Warwick Films CinemaScope action film based on the 1949 book The Story of Zarak Khan by A.J. Bevan. It was directed by Terence Young with assistance from John Gilling and Yakima Canutt...
(1956) - The Last Man to Hang?The Last Man to Hang?The Last Man to Hang? is a 1956 crime film directed by Terence Fisher. It stars Tom Conway and Elizabeth Sellars.-Cast:*Tom Conway as Sir Rodrick Strood*Elizabeth Sellars as Daphne Strood*Eunice Gayson as Elizabeth*Freda Jackson as Mrs. Tucker...
(1956) - Carry On AdmiralCarry on AdmiralCarry on Admiral is a 1957 British comedy film directed by Val Guest and featuring David Tomlinson, Ronald Shiner and Joan Sims. It was not part of the Carry On series, which it predates, though it is similar in tone and style to the earliest films in the series...
(1957) - Light Fingers (1958)
- The Revenge of FrankensteinThe Revenge of FrankensteinThe Revenge of Frankenstein is a 1958 British horror film made by Hammer Film Productions. Directed by Terence Fisher, the film stars Peter Cushing, Francis Matthews, Michael Gwynn and Eunice Gayson....
(UK, 1958) Hammer - Hello London (UK, 1958)
- Dr. NoDr. No (film)Dr. No is a 1962 spy film, starring Sean Connery; it is the first James Bond film. Based on the 1958 Ian Fleming novel of the same name, it was adapted by Richard Maibaum, Johanna Harwood, and Berkely Mather and was directed by Terence Young. The film was produced by Harry Saltzman and Albert R...
(UK, 1962) - From Russia with LoveFrom Russia with Love (film)From Russia with Love is the second in the James Bond spy film series, and the second to star Sean Connery as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. Released in 1963, the film was produced by Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman, and directed by Terence Young. It is based on the 1957 novel of the...
(UK, 1963) - Danger ManDanger ManDanger Man is a British television series that was broadcast between 1960 and 1962, and again between 1964 and 1968. The series featured Patrick McGoohan as secret agent John Drake. Ralph Smart created the program and wrote many of the scripts...
- "Man To Be Trusted" (UK TV Episode, 1964) - The SaintThe Saint (TV series)The Saint was an ITC mystery spy thriller television series that aired in the UK on ITV between 1962 and 1969. It centred on the Leslie Charteris literary character, Simon Templar, a Robin Hood-like adventurer with a penchant for disguise. The character may be nicknamed The Saint because the...
"The Invisible Millionaire" (UK TV Episode, 13 February 1964) - The SaintThe Saint (TV series)The Saint was an ITC mystery spy thriller television series that aired in the UK on ITV between 1962 and 1969. It centred on the Leslie Charteris literary character, Simon Templar, a Robin Hood-like adventurer with a penchant for disguise. The character may be nicknamed The Saint because the...
- "The Saint Bids Diamonds" (UK TV Episode, 12 August 1965) - The AvengersThe Avengers (TV series)The Avengers is a spy-fi British television series set in the 1960s Britain. The Avengers initially focused on Dr. David Keel and his assistant John Steed . Hendry left after the first series and Steed became the main character, partnered with a succession of assistants...
- "The Quick-Quick Slow Death" (UK TV Episode, 5 February 1966) - Before the Fringe (TV Series, 1967)
- The AdventurerThe AdventurerThe Adventurer is a novel by Finnish author Mika Waltari, published in 1948. It is a fictional tale of young Finnish man, Mikael Karvajalka , set in 16th century medieval Europe...
"Thrust and Counter Thrust" (TV Episode, 1972)