Honor Blackman’s family have confirmed today that the James Bond star has died at the age of 94.
Her family has confirmed she died of “natural causes” and not from the current coronavirus pandemic, which has caused deaths around the globe.
Paying tribute, her family called her an “adored mother and grandmother” who was “an extraordinary combination of beauty, brains and physical prowess”.
Honor had a lengthy and successful career in the film industry, with her name appearing in many film credits.
The British rose is most known for her roles as Bond girl Pussy Galore in James Bond Goldfinger in 1964, and for playing Cathy Gale in The Avengers from 1962 to 1964.
To celebrate her work, Daily Star Online has taken a look back at Honor’s greatest ever roles.
Cathy Gale in The Avengers (1962–1964)
She played Cathy Gale in The Avengers (Image: Corbis via Getty Images)
Honor’s first big break was starring in The Avengers from 1962 to 1964 as Cathy Gale.
She was the first regular female partner of John Steed following the departure of Steed’s original male co-star, Dr David Keel (played by Ian Hendry).
Honor made her first appearance as Cathy at the start of the series’ second season in 1962.
She left the series after its third season in order to co-star in the James Bond film Goldfinger.
Her character was an anthropologist who married a farmer in Africa and there learned to hunt, fight and take care of herself.
When her husband was killed, Cathy returned to London to earn a Ph.D. in anthropology.
She was the curator of a museum when she first encountered John Steed and agreed to work alongside him up until season three.
Bond girl Pussy Galore in Goldfinger (1964)
She played Bond girl Pussy Galore in Goldfinger (Image: ullstein bild via Getty Images)
Her second big break, and arguably the role she is most known for is for playing Bond girl Pussy Galore in the James Bond film Goldfinger in 1964.
The stunner played the fictional character who is the leader of Pussy Galore’s Flying Circus, a group of women aviators connected with Goldfinger’s “Operation Grand Slam”.
She and Bond fight as he attempts to stop her, but the pair end up having a romantic relationship as Bond corners Galore in a barn and forcibly holds her down and kisses her.
She initially tries to fight the spy off, but she gives in and returns his kiss passionately, and they have sex.
She then secretly turns against Goldfinger; she alerts the CIA to her employer’s scheme, and they help her replace the deadly nerve gas that Goldfinger is planning to have her aviators spray over Fort Knox with a different, harmless substance.
We won’t spoil the plot further in case you wish to watch to mark Honor’s death.
Julia Daggett in Shalako (1968)
Honor played Julia Daggett in Shalako (Image: Alamy Stock Photo)
Honor’s next big film was playing Julia Daggett in Shalako in 1968.
The film, which also starred James Bond actor Sean Connery, cantered around New Mexico in 1880 as frontier adventurer Bosky Fulton (Stephen Boyd) and his men lead a hunting party of European aristocrats and their servants, along with a retired American politician and his wife, into Apache territory.
Honor’s character comes in as she leaves her husband and falls in love with the main character, Bosky.
But unfortunately for Lady Julia, it’s not a happy ending…
Hera in Jason and the Argonauts (1963)
She played Hera in Jason and the Argonauts
In 1963, Honor starred as Hera in the film Jason and the Argonauts, which follows the story of Pelias.
Pelias usurps the throne of Thessaly, killing King Aristo, but knows that a prophecy states that one of Aristo’s children will avenge him.
The god Hermes, disguised as Pelias’s soothsayer, watches as the infant Jason, Aristo’s son, is spirited away by one of Aristo’s soldiers.
Pelias slays one of Aristo’s daughters after she seeks sanctuary in the temple of the goddess Hera.
Because the murder has profaned her temple, Hera becomes Jason’s protector.
She warns Pelias to beware “of a man wearing one sandal”.
Laura West in The Upper Hand (1990–1996)
Honor starred as Laura West in The Upper Hand
Another iconic film Honor starred in, was as Laura West in the TV sitcom The Upper Hand from 1990 until 1996.
Continuing from former series, it follows the story of an affluent single woman Caroline Wheatley who is raising her son with the help of her mother Laura West.
Caroline hires a housekeeper only to have a man called Charlie Burrows apply for the job.
Honor stars as the glamorous and young-at-heart mother who lives in an annex of her daughter’s house.
Something of a man-eater, she dates a string of different men throughout the course of the series.
It is Laura who initially hires Charlie, mainly because of his looks, but when she spots the chemistry between him and Caroline she does everything she can to encourage a relationship between them.
Although Laura frequently makes cracks at Caroline’s expense, she genuinely loves her daughter and can be very protective of her.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
