Introduction
Eunice Gayson (born 17 March 1931) is an English 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 to be cast as Miss Moneypenny, but that part went to Lois Maxwell instead. She is the first official Bond girl.
Early life
Gayson was born in Croydon, South London.
Career
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. Gayson's voice in Dr. No and From Russia with Love was overdubbed by voice actress Nikki van der Zyl, as were the voices of nearly all the actresses appearing in the first two Bond films, 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 together with James Bond (Sean Connery), 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.
Personal life
Decades later, Gayson's daughter appeared in a casino scene in the 1995 Bond film GoldenEye.
Film and television appearances
- My Brother Jonathan (1948)
- Melody in the Dark (1948)
- Dance Hall (1950)
- To Have and to Hold (1951)
- Miss Robin Hood (1952)
- Down Among the Z Men (1952)
- Street Corner (1953)
- One Just Man (1954)
- Dance, Little Lady (1954)
- Out of the Clouds (1955)
- Count of Twelve (1955)
- Zarak (1956)
- The Last Man to Hang? (1956)
- Carry on Admiral (1957)
- Light Fingers (1958)
- The Revenge of Frankenstein (UK, 1958) as Margaret
- Hello London (UK, 1958)
- Dr. No (UK, 1962) as Sylvia Trench
- From Russia with Love (UK, 1963) as Sylvia Trench
- Danger Man - "Man To Be Trusted" (UK television episode, 1964) as Louise Bancroft
- The Saint - "The Invisible Millionaire" (UK television episode, 13 February 1964) as Nora Prescott
- The Saint - "The Saint Bids Diamonds" (UK television episode, 12 August 1965) as Christine Graner
- The Avengers - "The Quick-Quick Slow Death" (UK television episode, 5 February 1966)
- Before the Fringe (TV Series, 1967)
- The Adventurer "Thrust and Counter Thrust" (television episode, 1972) as Countess Marie
- MasterChef (UK, television episode, 2013)