Sabrina (actress)
Encyclopedia
Norma Ann Sykes better known as Sabrina, was a 1950s English glamour model
who progressed to a minor movie career. Her main claim to fame was her hourglass figure of prodigious breasts coupled with a tiny 17" waist. Sabrina had a natural waist-hip ratio of 0.47, from the waist measurement of 17" and her hips at 36" when she first started modelling, although she deliberately filled out in later years when advised by several model agencies. During the late 1950s and early 1960s, Sabrina was called: "The British Jayne Mansfield
".
Born in Stockport
, Cheshire
, she moved to London in 1952 as a sixteen-year-old, and did some nude modelling, the evidence of which she later tried to destroy. In 1955, she was chosen to play a dumb blonde
sidekick in Arthur Askey
's new ITV
series, Before Your Very Eyes, and this soon made her a household name. The Goon Show
scripts are littered with references to her bosom such as "by the measurements of Sabrina!" and "by the sweaters of Sabrina!" British aircrews of the 1950s Royal Air Force
dubbed some versions of the Hawker Hunter
fighter plane, "Sabrinas" due to two large humps on the underside of the aircraft.
In the late 1950s the British truck manufacturer ERF
produced a semi-forward control HGV with a short protruding bonnet – those vehicles were also nicknamed "Sabrinas" because they had "a little more in front."
She made her motion-picture debut in Stock Car, in 1955. She then appeared in a small role in the 1956 film, Ramsbottom Rides Again
. In her third movie role, Blue Murder at St Trinian's
(1957) she had a non-speaking role in which, despite sharing equal billing with the star Alastair Sim
on posters and appearing in many publicity stills in school uniform, she was required only to sit up in bed wearing a nightdress, reading a book whilst the action took place around her.
Her penultimate movie role was in the horror movie The Ice House
(1969), as a replacement for Jayne Mansfield
who had died in a car crash two years before. Her last film was a year later in the western, The Phantom Gunslinger
(1970) where she starred alongside the late Troy Donahue
.
In 1967, she married Dr Harold Melsheimer, a Hollywood plastic surgeon though they divorced ten years later. She currently lives in Hollywood.
Glamour photography
Glamour photography is a genre of photography whereby the subjects, usually female, are portrayed in a romantic or sexually alluring way. The subjects may be fully clothed or seminude, but glamour photography stops short of deliberately arousing the viewer and being pornographic photography.Glamour...
who progressed to a minor movie career. Her main claim to fame was her hourglass figure of prodigious breasts coupled with a tiny 17" waist. Sabrina had a natural waist-hip ratio of 0.47, from the waist measurement of 17" and her hips at 36" when she first started modelling, although she deliberately filled out in later years when advised by several model agencies. During the late 1950s and early 1960s, Sabrina was called: "The British Jayne Mansfield
Jayne Mansfield
Jayne Mansfield was an American actress working both in Hollywood and on the Broadway theatre...
".
Born in Stockport
Stockport
Stockport is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on elevated ground southeast of Manchester city centre, at the point where the rivers Goyt and Tame join and create the River Mersey. Stockport is the largest settlement in the metropolitan borough of the same name...
, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, she moved to London in 1952 as a sixteen-year-old, and did some nude modelling, the evidence of which she later tried to destroy. In 1955, she was chosen to play a dumb blonde
Dumb blonde
The blonde stereotype, the stereotypical perception of blond-haired women, has two aspects. On one hand, over the history, blonde hair in women has been considered attractive and desirable...
sidekick in Arthur Askey
Arthur Askey
Arthur Bowden Askey CBE was a prominent English comedian.- Life and career :Askey was born at 29 Moses Street, Liverpool, the eldest child and only son of Samuel Askey , secretary of the firm Sugar Products of Liverpool, and his wife, Betsy Bowden , of Knutsford, Cheshire...
's new ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
series, Before Your Very Eyes, and this soon made her a household name. The Goon Show
The Goon Show
The Goon Show was a British radio comedy programme, originally produced and broadcast by the BBC Home Service from 1951 to 1960, with occasional repeats on the BBC Light Programme...
scripts are littered with references to her bosom such as "by the measurements of Sabrina!" and "by the sweaters of Sabrina!" British aircrews of the 1950s Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
dubbed some versions of the Hawker Hunter
Hawker Hunter
The Hawker Hunter is a subsonic British jet aircraft developed in the 1950s. The single-seat Hunter entered service as a manoeuvrable fighter aircraft, and later operated in fighter-bomber and reconnaissance roles in numerous conflicts. Two-seat variants remained in use for training and secondary...
fighter plane, "Sabrinas" due to two large humps on the underside of the aircraft.
In the late 1950s the British truck manufacturer ERF
ERF (lorry manufacturer)
ERF was a British truck manufacturer. Established in 1933 by Dennis Foden, its factory in Sandbach, Cheshire was closed in 2002, and finished as a marque by owner MAN AG in 2007.-History:...
produced a semi-forward control HGV with a short protruding bonnet – those vehicles were also nicknamed "Sabrinas" because they had "a little more in front."
She made her motion-picture debut in Stock Car, in 1955. She then appeared in a small role in the 1956 film, Ramsbottom Rides Again
Ramsbottom Rides Again
Ramsbottom Rides Again is a 1955 British western comedy film starring Arthur Askey as the title hero Bill Ramsbottom, with Sid James, pop singer Frankie Vaughan and Campbell Singer in supporting roles....
. In her third movie role, Blue Murder at St Trinian's
Blue Murder at St Trinian's
Blue Murder at St Trinian's is British comedy film set in the fictional St Trinian's School. Directed by Frank Launder and written by him and Sidney Gilliat, it was the second of the series of five films and stars Terry-Thomas, George Cole, Joyce Grenfell, Lionel Jeffries and Richard...
(1957) she had a non-speaking role in which, despite sharing equal billing with the star Alastair Sim
Alastair Sim
Alastair George Bell Sim, CBE was a Scottish character actor who appeared in a string of classic British films. He is best remembered in the role of Ebenezer Scrooge in the 1951 film Scrooge, and for his portrayal of Miss Fritton, the headmistress in two St. Trinian's films...
on posters and appearing in many publicity stills in school uniform, she was required only to sit up in bed wearing a nightdress, reading a book whilst the action took place around her.
Her penultimate movie role was in the horror movie The Ice House
The Ice House (film)
The Ice House is a 1969 American horror-thriller film directed by Stuart E. McGowan...
(1969), as a replacement for Jayne Mansfield
Jayne Mansfield
Jayne Mansfield was an American actress working both in Hollywood and on the Broadway theatre...
who had died in a car crash two years before. Her last film was a year later in the western, The Phantom Gunslinger
The Phantom Gunslinger
The Phantom Gunslinger is a Mexican-American western film. The film stars Troy Donahue, Sabrina, Elizabeth Campbell, Emilio Fernández, Germán Robles, and Pedro Armendáriz, Jr.....
(1970) where she starred alongside the late Troy Donahue
Troy Donahue
Troy Donahue was an American actor, who was active between the late 1950s and late 1990s.-Life and career:...
.
In 1967, she married Dr Harold Melsheimer, a Hollywood plastic surgeon though they divorced ten years later. She currently lives in Hollywood.
Acting credits
- Stock Car (1955)
- Before Your Very Eyes (1955–5810 episodes)
- Ramsbottom Rides AgainRamsbottom Rides AgainRamsbottom Rides Again is a 1955 British western comedy film starring Arthur Askey as the title hero Bill Ramsbottom, with Sid James, pop singer Frankie Vaughan and Campbell Singer in supporting roles....
(1956) - Blue Murder at St Trinian'sBlue Murder at St Trinian'sBlue Murder at St Trinian's is British comedy film set in the fictional St Trinian's School. Directed by Frank Launder and written by him and Sidney Gilliat, it was the second of the series of five films and stars Terry-Thomas, George Cole, Joyce Grenfell, Lionel Jeffries and Richard...
(1957) - House of the Black Death (1965)
- Tarzan (19671 episode)
- The Ice HouseThe Ice House (film)The Ice House is a 1969 American horror-thriller film directed by Stuart E. McGowan...
(1969) - The Phantom GunslingerThe Phantom GunslingerThe Phantom Gunslinger is a Mexican-American western film. The film stars Troy Donahue, Sabrina, Elizabeth Campbell, Emilio Fernández, Germán Robles, and Pedro Armendáriz, Jr.....
(1970)
External links
- Sabrina Stuff The Complete Sabrina (Norma Sykes) Encyclopaedia
- 1959 award of D.Litt. (Hon) by the University of Leeds