Honor Blackman

HONOR BLACKMAN

Date of Birth: August 22, 1926

Bond Film: Goldfinger (1964)
Bond Girl Name: Pussy Galore

London, England native Honor Blackman was not raised in a wealthy family. Given the choice between a new bike and elocution lessons, Blackman chose the latter hoping the improvement of her accent may help her in the long run. While taking lessons, her teacher advised her father to enrol her in the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, which she attended part-time while working as an office clerk.

She soon began working on the stage and landed roles in low budget films. Work didn't change much until she was offered the part of Cathy Gale in the series The Avengers. Portraying a female character that was unusual for the time, clad in leather and capable of taking care of herself, the popular series lasted two years and made her a household name in Britain.

Her face was soon known by audiences across this side of the Atlantic when she landed the role of Pussy Galore in the third James Bond film, Goldfinger (1964). The producers of the film worried that no reputable actress would play a character with such an outrageous name and even considered changing it to Kitty Galore if it would get Blackman to agree to the play the part. But Blackman, who was used to playing controversial characters, thought the name was a wonderful joke. It was a good move on Blackman's part as she became one of the most famous of all Bond Girls, not only because of her name, but her character sleeps with the secret agent twice and lives to the credits.

Since her success in Goldfinger, Blackman has not found any other role to match its success. She has been busy on stage and screen, as well as writing children's books and has done a lot of charity work. In 2000 she received an honorary BAFTA for her work in The Avengers.

Married twice, but currently single, Blackman has two children from her second husband actor Maurice Kaufmann.

Filmography:

To the Devil... The Death of Hammer (2002) (V)
Jack Brown and the Curse of the Crown (2001)
Bridget Jones's Diary (2001)
The Best of So Graham Norton (2000) (V)
Avenging the Avengers (2000) (V)
To Walk with Lions (1999)
Tale of the Mummy (1998)
The Cat and the Canary (1979)
Age of Innocence (1977)
To the Devil a Daughter (1976)
The Three Musketeers (1973) (uncredited)
Fright (1971)
Something Big (1971)
The Last Grenade (1970)
The Virgin and the Gypsy (1970)
Twinky (1969)
The Last Roman (1968)
A Twist of Sand (1968)
Shalako (1968)
Life at the Top (1965)
Moment to Moment (1965)
The Secret of My Success (1965)
Goldfinger (1964)
Jason and the Argonauts (1963)
Serena (1962)
A Matter of Who (1961)
The Square Peg (1958)
A Night to Remember (1958)
Account Rendered (1957)
You Pay Your Money (1957)
Diplomatic Passport (1956)
Suspended Alibi (1956)
Breakaway (1955)
The Glass Cage (1955)
Delavine Affair (1954)
Rainbow Jacket, The (1954)
Green Grow the Rushes (1951)
Manchas de sangre en la luna (1951)
So Long at the Fair (1950)
A Boy, a Girl and a Bike (1949)
Diamond City (1949)
Quartet (1949)
Conspirator (1949)
Daughter of Darkness (1948)
Homecoming (1948) (uncredited)
Fame Is the Spur (1946)