Carole Lesley (27 May 1935 – 28 February 1974) was a British actress who had a short but significant career as a "blonde bombshell".[1]
Carole Lesley | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 27 May 1935 Chelmsford, Essex, England |
| Died | 28 February 1974 (aged 38) New Barnet, London, England |
She was born Maureen Rippingale in Chelmsford, Essex, but ran away from home at the age of 16, "aiming to become a star".[2]
She starred in several films in the late 1950s and early 1960s,[1] including the 1957 film Woman in a Dressing Gown, which won the 1958 Golden Globe Award for Best English-Language Foreign Film.[3] She also appeared in No Trees in the Street, These Dangerous Years, Doctor in Love, Operation Bullshine and What a Whopper, and played Helen of Troy in a television play.[4][5]
However, Associated decided to end her contract, which devastated her and she disappeared from the public eye. She subsequently lived in a semi-detached house overlooking New Barnet station in north London, but by 1973 was described as "a deeply depressed, once beautiful woman, still haunted by a glamorous past".[5]
She was found dead by her husband Michael Dalling in their New Barnet home on 28 February 1974.[6] At her inquest it was determined that she had died of a drug overdose and that she had "killed herself".[7]
Filmography
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1947 | The Silver Darlings | Una (child) | |
| 1949 | Trottie True | Clare (child) | |
| 1954 | The Embezzler | Tea Shop Waitress | |
| 1956 | Yakity Yak | TV series | |
| 1957 | The Good Companions | Film Star | |
| 1957 | Woman in a Dressing Gown | Hilda | |
| 1957 | These Dangerous Years | Dinah Brown | |
| 1959 | No Trees in the Street | Lova | |
| 1959 | Operation Bullshine | Pvt. Marge White | |
| 1960 | Doctor in Love | Kitten Strudwick | |
| 1960 | ITV Play of the Week | Helen of Troy | Episode: "Tiger at the Gates" |
| 1961 | Three on a Spree | Susan | |
| 1961 | What a Whopper | Charlotte 'Charlie' Pinner | |
| 1962 | The Pot Carriers | Wendy |
References
edit- ^ a b "Carole Lesley". Archived from the original on 2 February 2017.
- ^ "Who'd be a movie star? They are little more than pampered, tethered goats". The Guardian. 20 January 2012.
- ^ "Woman in a Dressing Gown".
- ^ "Carole Lesley - Movies and Filmography - AllMovie".
- ^ a b "Carole Lesley and the Illusion of Glamour". 9 July 2012.
- ^ "'Doctor in Love' actress found dead". Birmingham Daily Post. No. 35970. 2 March 1974. p. 44. Retrieved 23 April 2020 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Tragedy of ex-film girl". Daily Mirror. No. 21826. 22 March 1974. p. 13. Retrieved 23 April 2020 – via British Newspaper Archive.