Ursula Andress

URSULA ANDRESS

Date of Birth: March 19, 1936

Bond Girl Name: Honey Rider
Bond Film: Dr. No (1962)

This blonde beauty from Berne, Switzerland, captured the world with her stunning body and good looks playing the first-ever Bond Girl in the early 60s. Born to a diplomat, Andress grew up in a large family with four sisters and a brother. While she was vacationing in Rome, she was spotted by an Italian director who gave her a number of roles in European films.

By 1963, however, she wowed the world as she emerged from the sea in her white bikini in the first Bond film, Dr. No. Though her lines were dubbed, the role of Honey Ryder was destined to immortalize her and the skimpy costume became the fashion. Sales of white bikinis skyrocketed the year the film was released.

With the success of Dr. No, she caught the eye of both Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley, who hired her for their films Four For Texas and Fun In Acapulco (1963). Later in the 60s, she starred in What's New Pussycat (1965) as the irresistible pussycat, Rita, opposite Peter O'Toole, Peter Sellers, and Woody Allen.

She continued to make movies and appear on TV well into the '90s, but the only notable roles for American audiences were in The Fifth Musketeer (1979), and Clash of the Titans (1981) playing the goddess Aphrodite. On television she worked on the 1986 miniseries Peter the Great and landed a regular role on Falcon Crest playing Madam Malec for a year.

Andress dated a lot of Hollywood's leading men including co-star Sean Connery, plus Marlon Brando and James Dean. She settled down and married actor John Derek in 1957 and the two kept their vows for almost ten years. Divorced in 1966, they remained friends until Derek's death in 1998. On the set of Clash of the Titans, she met Harry Hamlin (who played Perseus in the film). The two lived together from 1978 to 1982 and produced a son, Dimitri Alexandre.

Filmography:

Cremaster 5 (1997)
Alles gelogen (1996)
Klassäzämekunft (1988)
Liberté, égalité, choucroute (1985)
Krasnye kolokola, film pervyj - Meksika v ogne (1982)
Clash of the Titans (1981)
The Fifth Musketeer (1979)
Letti selvaggi (1979)
Doppio delitto (1978)
The Mountain of the Cannibal God (1978)
L'Affittacamere (1976)
L'Infermiera (1976)
Safari Express (1976)
Spogliamoci così senza pudor (1976)
Africa Express (1975)
The Loves and Times of Scaramouche (1975)
Due cuori una cappella (1975)
L'Ultima chance (1975)
Colpo in canna (1974)
Red Sun (1971)
Perfect Friday (1970)
The Southern Star (1969)
Anyone Can Play (1967)
Casino Royale (1967)
The Blue Max (1966)
Once Before I Die (1965)
The 10th Victim (1965)
Chinese Adventures in China (1965)
What's New, Pussycat (1965)
She (1965)
Nightmare in the Sun (1965)
4 for Texas (1963)
Fun in Acapulco (1963)
Dr. No (1962)
La Catena dell'odio (1955)
Un Americano a Roma (1954)
Le Avventure di Giacomo Casanova (1954)