Melissa Stribling
Encyclopedia
Melissa Stribling was a Scottish
film and television actress.
, Scotland
, her career began with the film Wide Boy (1952), Stribling is known for playing the role of Mina in the horror film Dracula
(1958) starring Christopher Lee
in the title role. In the 1960s and 1970s, she guest-starred in the TV series Benny Hill
(1963), ITV Play of the Week, The Avengers
, The Persuaders!
, The Dick Emery Show, and The New Avengers. Her last appearance was in the film Paris by Night
(1988) with Charlotte Rampling
.
In the film Horror of Dracula, her character was the victim of a vampire that did an erotic performance. Dracula and Stribling's character showing sexual pleasure in this way was a first in British cinema. Terence Fisher
remembers her asking him how to play the scene. Terence replied, saying that she should imagine that she had one whale of a sexual night and that it should be shown on her face. The author Mark Clark detailed the first encounter between Dracula and Melissa's character in his book Smirk, sneer, and scream: great acting in horror cinema which he described as an implied erotic scene. Jonathan Rigby complimented her performance in his book English gothic: a century of horror cinema, saying that she is a terrific female lead throughout the film. Terence Fisher said that he told her that she produces a satisfied little facial expression
that speaks volumes.
She was married to Basil Dearden
and her son is James Deardon, who were both film directors.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
film and television actress.
Career
Born in GourockGourock
Gourock is a town falling within the Inverclyde council area and formerly forming a burgh of the historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. It has in the past functioned as a seaside resort on the Firth of Clyde...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, her career began with the film Wide Boy (1952), Stribling is known for playing the role of Mina in the horror film Dracula
Dracula (1958 film)
Dracula, also known as Horror of Dracula in the United States, is a 1958 British horror film. It is the first in the series of Hammer Horror films inspired by the Bram Stoker novel Dracula. It was directed by Terence Fisher, and stars Peter Cushing, Michael Gough, Carol Marsh, Melissa Stribling and...
(1958) starring Christopher Lee
Christopher Lee
Sir Christopher Frank Carandini Lee, CBE, CStJ is an English actor and musician. Lee initially portrayed villains and became famous for his role as Count Dracula in a string of Hammer Horror films...
in the title role. In the 1960s and 1970s, she guest-starred in the TV series Benny Hill
The Benny Hill Show
The Benny Hill Show is a British comedy television show starring Benny Hill.There were various incarnations of the show between 1951 and 1991, and it aired in over 140 countries. The show is generally sketch-based with heavy use of slapstick, mime, parody and double-entendre...
(1963), ITV Play of the Week, 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...
, The Persuaders!
The Persuaders!
The Persuaders! is a 1971 action/adventure series, produced by ITC Entertainment for initial broadcast on ITV and ABC. It has been called "the last major entry in the cycle of adventure series that had begun eleven years earlier with Danger Man in 1960", as well as "the most ambitious and most...
, The Dick Emery Show, and The New Avengers. Her last appearance was in the film Paris by Night
Paris by Night (film)
Paris by Night is a 1988 British thriller film written and directed by David Hare and starring Charlotte Rampling, Michael Gambon and Iain Glen. A British politician spends some time in Paris, but gets caught up in a murder....
(1988) with Charlotte Rampling
Charlotte Rampling
Charlotte Rampling, OBE is an English actress. Her career spans four decades in English-language as well as French and Italian cinema.- Early life :...
.
In the film Horror of Dracula, her character was the victim of a vampire that did an erotic performance. Dracula and Stribling's character showing sexual pleasure in this way was a first in British cinema. Terence Fisher
Terence Fisher
Terence Fisher was a film director who worked for Hammer Films. He was born in Maida Vale, a district of London, England.Fisher was one of the most prominent horror directors of the second half of the 20th century...
remembers her asking him how to play the scene. Terence replied, saying that she should imagine that she had one whale of a sexual night and that it should be shown on her face. The author Mark Clark detailed the first encounter between Dracula and Melissa's character in his book Smirk, sneer, and scream: great acting in horror cinema which he described as an implied erotic scene. Jonathan Rigby complimented her performance in his book English gothic: a century of horror cinema, saying that she is a terrific female lead throughout the film. Terence Fisher said that he told her that she produces a satisfied little facial expression
Facial expression
A facial expression one or more motions or positions of the muscles in the skin. These movements convey the emotional state of the individual to observers. Facial expressions are a form of nonverbal communication. They are a primary means of conveying social information among humans, but also occur...
that speaks volumes.
She was married to Basil Dearden
Basil Dearden
Basil Dearden was an English film director.-Life and career:Dearden was born at Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex. He graduated from theatre direction to film, working as an assistant to Basil Dean...
and her son is James Deardon, who were both film directors.
Filmography
- 1952 Wide BoyWide Boy (film)Wide Boy is a 1952 British crime film directed by Ken Hughes and starring Sydney Tafler, Susan Shaw and Ronald Howard.-Cast:* Sydney Tafler - Benny* Susan Shaw - Molly* Ronald Howard - Inspector Carson* Melissa Stribling - Caroline...
- 1952 Crow HollowCrow HollowCrow Hollow is a 1952 British drama film directed by Michael McCarthy and starring Donald Houston, Natasha Parry and Patricia Owens. It is based on the 1950 novel Crow Hollow by Dorothy Eden.-Cast:* Donald Houston - Doctor Robert Amour...
- 1953 Decameron NightsDecameron NightsDecameron Nights is a 1953 anthology film based on three tales from The Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio, specifically the ninth and tenth tales of the second day and the ninth tale of the third...
- 1953 Noose for a LadyNoose for a LadyNoose for a Lady is a 1953 British crime film directed by Wolf Rilla and starring Dennis Price, Rona Anderson and Ronald Howard. An amateur detective races against time to clear the name of his cousin, who is accused of murdering her husband. It is based on the novel Whispering Woman by Gerald...
- 1954 Thought to Kill
- 1955 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...
- 1956 Destination Death
- 1958 The SafecrackerThe SafecrackerThe Safecracker is a 1958 British crime film directed by Ray Milland and starring Ray Milland, Barry Jones and Victor Maddern.-Cast:* Ray Milland as Colley Dawson* Barry Jones as Bennett Carfield* Jeanette Sterke as Irene* Victor Maddern as Morris...
- 1958 Horror of Dracula
- 1958 Murder Reported
- 1960 The League of GentlemenThe League of Gentlemen (film)The League of Gentlemen is a 1960 British crime film directed by Basil Dearden and starring Jack Hawkins, Nigel Patrick and Richard Attenborough. It was based on the 1958 novel by John Boland and adapted by Bryan Forbes, who also starred in the film...
- 1961 The Secret PartnerThe Secret PartnerThe Secret Partner is a 1961 British thriller film directed by Basil Dearden and starring Stewart Granger, Haya Harareet and Bernard Lee.An executive officer with a record becomes a suspect when money goes missing from the shipping company vault.-Cast:...
- 1966 Road to St. Tropez
- 1968 Only When I LarfOnly When I Larf (film)Only When I Larf is a 1968 British comedy film directed by Basil Dearden and starring Richard Attenborough, David Hemmings and Alexandra Stewart...
- 1971 Crucible of TerrorCrucible of TerrorCrucible of Terror is a 1971 British horror film directed by Ted Hooker and starring Mike Raven, Mary Maude and James Bolam. Its plot involves a mad sculptor killing women to use as models for his statues.-Synopsis:...
- 1974 FeelingsFeelings (film)Feelings is a 1974 British drama film directed by Gerry O'Hara and starring Kate O'Mara, Paul Freeman and Edward Judd. A couple who are unable to conceive a baby, attempt artificial insemination.-Cast:* Kate O'Mara ... Barbara Martin...
- 1974 Confessions of a Window CleanerConfessions of a Window CleanerConfessions of a Window Cleaner is a 1974 British sex comedy film, directed by Val Guest.Like the other films in the Confessions series; Confessions of a Pop Performer, Confessions of a Driving Instructor and Confessions from a Holiday Camp, it concerns the erotic adventures of Timothy Lea, based...
- 1980 Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson
- 1988 Paris by NightParis by Night (film)Paris by Night is a 1988 British thriller film written and directed by David Hare and starring Charlotte Rampling, Michael Gambon and Iain Glen. A British politician spends some time in Paris, but gets caught up in a murder....