THAT FEMALE TOUCH : WOMEN IN GOTHIC: EUNICE GAYSON : BRUCE G HALLENBECK

When the Baron returned in The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958), he had another woman to contend with. This time, her name was Margaret Conrad, and she was portrayed by London-born Eunice Gayson, a veteran of television who had also worked for Hammer in To Have and to Hold (1951) and who had appeared in Val Guest's comedy Carry on Admiral (1957), which despite its title, was not a part of Peter Rogers' Carry on series, which would not commence until the following year`

THE REVENGE OF FRANKENSTEIN TRAILER

The character of Margaret Conrad was a nurse to the mysterious 'Dr Stein' (Guess who?) in his hospital for 'the poor and needy.' Gayson, of course, would achieve even more everlasting fame in 1962's Dr No when she provided a tuxedoed Sean Connery one of the most famous cues in screen history: 'I admire your luck, Mr…?' she inquiresat a card table. Connery's reply, for the first time, is: 'Bond…James Bond.' She became one of the few actresses to appear in two Bond movies, returning for the following year's From Russia With Love in the same role.

In this case, the Baron's new creation is a far more human and sympathetic one, beautifully played by the expressive Michael Gwynn. As Margaret, Gayson has even less to do than Court had in Curse, but she does serve to advance the narrative when she inadvertently releases the 'creature' from his bonds. She also serves as 'Beauty' to Gwynn's 'Beast,' as the creature Karl finds himself in love with her from afar.

DEADLY SYMPATHY FOR KARL

EUNICE GAYSON AND MICHAEL GWYNN 

The self-confessed romantic Terence Fisher is afforded every opportunity by Jimmy Sangster's screenplay to play up the unrequited love element for all it's worth, and he makes the most of it The Revenge of Frankenstein - is one part horror, one part black comedy, one part love story - is high water mark of Hammer's Frankenstein series.

Written by Bruce G Hallenbeck

Artwork and Design: Marcus Brooks Jamie Sumerville

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ACTOR GEORGE COLE DIES 1925 - 2015

I am very sad to hear today that the wonderfully gifted actor and perfect gentleman, George Cole has died. George Edward Cole OBE had career that spanned more than 70 years in show business. George lived a very full life that started when he was given up for adoption at just ten days old, as a youth he worked himself up from working as a butcher boy aged 10....to finally becoming one of one of our most loved actors... on the cinema screen and popular TV.

At 15 he was cast in the film Cottage to Let (1941) where he starred opposite Scottish actor Alastair Sim. Sim liked Cole, and agreed with his family to take in Cole and his adoptive mother to their home. Acting as his mentor, Sim helped Cole lose his Cockney accent and he stayed with the Sim family until he was 27. Cole later attributed his career success to Sim, with whom he appeared in a total of 11 films. Cole really became familiar to audiences in British comedy films in the 1950s, when appeared with Sim in Scrooge (as the young Scrooge) in 1951.

George Cole as the loveable rogue 'Flash Harry' and Alistair Sim as Headmistress in  The Belles of St Trinian's (1954)

But for many he will be remembered "Flash Harry" in the St Trinian's films (two of which also star Sim) and as the crooked used-car dealer Arthur Daley in the Thames Television series Minder, in which he played from 1979 until the show's conclusion in 1994.

We remember George here today also for his role as Roger Morton with Peter Cushing in Hammer films, 'The Vampire Lovers', starring also Ingrid Pitt. I have always thought it was an odd piece of casting, but was glad to see him there, none the less. God Bless, George. Sleep Well.

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