Entertainment

James Bond and Avengers Star Honor Blackman Dead At 94

Published by

Michael Maloney

5 years ago

Honor Blackman, who played one of the most memorable ‘Bond’ girls — Pussy Galore — in the James Bond flick, Goldfinger, has died. The actress was 94 and she passed away from natural causes.

Honor Blackman Passed Away

TMZ was the first to report the news. Blackman died peacefully in her home in Lewes, Sussex (England) of natural causes and surrounded by loved ones.

In a statement, her family said: “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.”

While she appeared in many, many productions, Blackman is probably most famous for bringing Pussy Galore to life in the aforementioned Goldfinger, which starred Sean Connery as James Bond. Pussy was in cahoots with the film’s villain, but she succumbed to Bond’s charms (naturally).

While she’s been described as a “Bond Girl,” Blackman reportedly once said that she abhorred that phrase. “I hate that term,” the actress said according to her IMDB page. “They can call other people Bond girls, but I don’t like it, for the simple reason that that character would have been a good character in any film, not just a Bond film. I consider Bond girls to be those ladies who took one look at Bond and fell on their backs. Whereas Pussy Galore was quite a character.”

The actress was previously on the small screen in the TV series The Avengers, which starred Patrick Macnee as John Steed. Blackman created the role of Cathy Gale, which she played from 1962-64. She joined the espionage series and was eventually replaced by Diana Rigg (Game of Thrones), who would also follow her with a Bond role in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.

Blackman amassed over 100 credits throughout her career including roles on Probation Office, The Four Just Men, Never the Twain, Doctor Who, and Coronation Street. Entertainment Hub sends sincere condolences to Blackman’s family and loved ones at this difficult time.