Honor Blackman, the actress known for her iconic role as Bond girl Pussy Galore in Goldfinger and Cathy Gale on The Avengers, has passed away. Blackman died of natural causes at her Sussex home where she was surrounded by family. Blackman was 94.
Honor Blackman’s family revealed the news of her death to The Guardian in a formal statement that hailed her as a mother and grandmother as well as a major creative talent:
As well as being a much-adored mother and grandmother, Honor was an actor of hugely prolific creative talent; with an extraordinary combination of beauty, brains and physical prowess, along with her unique voice and a dedicated work ethic, she achieved an unparalleled iconic status in the world of film and entertainment and with absolute commitment to her craft and total professionalism in all her endeavours she contributed to some of the great films and theatre productions of our times.
Honor Blackman’s first major film role would come in the 1949 spy thriller Conspirator in which she starred opposite Elizabeth Taylor. From there, Blackman would go on to have roles in other crime thrillers like You Pay Your Money and Suspended Alibi along with a host of TV roles. In the early ‘60s, she rose to even greater prominence by playing the conniving goddess Hera in Jason and the Argonauts.
Blackman’s presence in the TV realm would expand after taking on the role of Cathy Gale on the British series The Avengers, for which she studied judo. Gale was a widowed anthropologist who became the partner to lead character John Steed. While initially intended to be one of several characters rotating in out and out of the role of Steed’s partner, Cathy Gale became a hit with audiences and became his sole partner. With this, Gale became John Steed’s first regular female partner.
Honor Blackman would ultimately leave The Avengers at the height of the show’s popularity to star as the judo-using Pussy Galore in Goldfinger. Her decision would prove to be a wise one, as Goldfinger proved to be a box office hit and is still regarded as a high point for the 007 franchise. At the age of 38, Honor Blackman became one of the oldest actresses to play a Bond girl and, in the years following the film’s release, Pussy Galore has become one of the most recognizable Bond characters.
Outside of her work as an actress, Honor Blackman has also been noted for her work as a social activist, having campaigned for various causes in the UK.
Honor Blackman is survived by her children Barnaby and Lottie as well as her grandchildren Daisy, Toby, Oscar and Olive. Plans for a funeral or memorial service have not been announced at this time.
CinemaBlend extends its thoughts and sympathies to the family and loved ones of Honor Blackman during this time.
