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1-16 of 16
- Yvonne Thérèse Marie Camille Bedat de Monlaur was born in France, the daughter of a French poet and a Russian ballerina and pianist. As a youngster she was trained for ballet and in her late teens worked as a model for Elle fashion magazine. By the mid-1950's, she also began appearing in French and Italian films. Her good looks and some positive reviews paved the way to bigger roles towards the end of the decade. With this came increased publicity. In June 1959, she was featured on the cover of the weekly Milanese news publication Tempo. Another Italian paper heralded her as the year's 'most promising actress'.
There are two conflicting accounts as to how Yvonne first came to the attention of Hammer Studio's Head of Production Anthony Hinds: according to one, it was after watching her performance in Avventura a Capri (1959); another claimed that he saw an article of her in a French magazine. Either way, Hinds contacted her in Paris two days later and invited her to England where she was cast in a little-seen television drama, Women in Love (1958). A writer for the Daily Mail described this -- her first credited part in an English language production -- "as bubbly as a glass of champagne".
Yvonne's introduction to the horror genre came via Circus of Horrors (1960), made by Anglo-Amalgamated. She still had some difficulties with English but recalled receiving some benevolent mentoring from her co-star Anton Diffring (who, on screen, specialised in rather non-philanthropic types). Next came the role for which she is perhaps best remembered: that of French teacher Marianne Danielle, the heroine and potential 'tasty morsel' of The Brides of Dracula (1960). Filmed at Hammer's Bray Studio, director Terence Fisher did his best to provide suspense since the plot lacked any genuine semblance to originality. Indeed, Christopher Lee had refused to play the vampire for fear of being typecast and the role of Dracula descendant Baron Meinster fell instead to little-known David Peel, while Peter Cushing returned in the familiar guise of Van Helsing.
The Terror of the Tongs (1961) provided the finale of Yvonne's brief sojourn in Britain. First-billed Christopher Lee was particularly effective as Chung King, evil head of a Hong Kong-based Red Dragon crime gang. So much so, that he managed afterwards to secure the lucrative part of supervillain Fu Manchu in a series of four pictures made from 1965 to 1968. Yvonne was cast as a Eurasian girl (ironically named Lee), and had invisible adhesive strips mounted either side of her face to give her eyes an Asian appearance. Michael R. Pitts, in his book "Columbia Pictures, Horror, Science Fiction and Fantasy Films, 1928-1982", regards both Lee and Monlaur as the picture's highlights.
At the end of 1961, Yvonne returned to the continent and went on to appear for the rest of the decade in an assortment of Italian and French films of varying merit: some comedies, a swashbuckler, even a couple of the ever-popular crime potboilers, featuring Eddie Constantine as Lemmy Caution or Nick Carter. Her last outing was in a 1969 made-for-television homage to French music hall, doing a rendition of grand chanteuse Mistinguett's hit 'C'est vrais'. The following year she retired from the screen 'for personal reasons' and lived most of her remaining life in Paris, occasionally attending film festivals and conventions. - Producer
- Actor
J.C. Spink was born in 1973 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. He was a producer and actor, known for A History of Violence (2005), I Am Number Four (2011) and The Butterfly Effect (2004). He died on 18 April 2017 in West Hollywood, California, USA.- John Widelock was born on 16 March 1944 in Missouri, USA. He was an actor, known for The Silent Scream (1979) and The Christmas That Almost Wasn't (1983). He was married to Margaret Hawkins and Nadia. He died on 18 April 2017.
- Rebecca Swift was born on 10 January 1964 in Highbury, London, England, UK. She was an actress, known for Clayhanger (1976). She died on 18 April 2017.
- Music Department
- Actor
- Composer
Gordon Langford was born in May 1930 in Edgware, London, England, UK. He was an actor and composer, known for Lord of the Flies (1990), Egghead's Robot (1970) and Tribute (1980). He was married to Elaine Castle (née Taylor) and Elfriede Jander. He died on 18 April 2017 in Seaton, Devon, England, UK.- Clark Simmons was born on 15 July 1921 in Beaumont, Texas, USA. He died on 18 April 2017 in Brooklyn, New York, USA.
- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Joachim Mock was born on 28 November 1936 in Magdeburg, Germany. He was an actor and director, known for Rockys Messer (1967), Ninotschka und Peer (1962) and Wer dreimal lügt... (1970). He died on 18 April 2017 in Berlin, Germany.- Editorial Department
Zivojin Lalic was born in 1933 in Belgrade, Serbia, Yugoslavia. He is known for Dva drugara (1976), Muzikanti (1969) and Majstori (1972). He died on 18 April 2017 in Belgrade, Serbia.- Nancy Jo Berg was an actress, known for Jimmy, the Boy Wonder (1966). She was married to Hal Berg. She died on 18 April 2017 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA.
- Augustin Bubník was born on 21 November 1928 in Prague, Czechoslovakia. He died on 18 April 2017 in Prague, Czech Republic.
- Jean Miot was born on 30 July 1939 in Châteauroux, Indre, France. He died on 18 April 2017 in Saint-Denis-de-Jouhet, Indre, France.
- Soundtrack
Frank Dostal was born on 16 December 1945 in Flensburg, Germany. He was married to Mary McGlory. He died on 18 April 2017 in Germany.- Additional Crew
Jaak Panksepp was born on 5 June 1943 in Tartu, Estonian SSR, USSR. He is known for Nature (1982), Natural World (1983) and Bounce: How the Ball Taught the World to Play (2015). He was married to Anesa Miller, Sara Shilts and Janet Box. He died on 18 April 2017 in Bowling Green, Ohio, USA.- Sound Department
Maurice Rosenblum is known for Caltiki, the Immortal Monster (1959), Gangster Story (1959) and Frankenstein Meets the Spacemonster (1965). He died on 18 April 2017 in New York, USA.- Bill Anderson was born on 13 July 1936 in Hendersonville, North Carolina, USA. He died on 18 April 2017 in the USA.
- Actor
- Director
- Producer
Diego Rafecas was born on 3 May 1970 in Buenos Aires, Federal District, Argentina. He was an actor and director, known for Un Buda (2005), Paco (2009) and Rodney (2009). He died on 18 April 2017 in Buenos Aires, Federal District, Argentina.