Virginia North
Encyclopedia
Virginia North was an English
-American
actress who appeared in small roles in five movies and one TV program between 1967 and 1971.
to a British mother and a U.S. Army father, North spent her early years in England, France
, Southeast Asia
and finally Washington
, following her father's military postings. By the mid-1960s she had returned to England, where she worked as a model, specializing in swim wear. In 1968 she joined the newly established London agency Models 1
, which has since gone on to become one of the major modelling agencies in Europe.
North began her brief movie career with small parts in the Bulldog Drummond
film Deadlier Than the Male
(1967) and the Yul Brynner
vehicle The Long Duel
(1967). She returned to film two years later as Robot Number Nine in Some Girls Do
(1969), the second in the Bulldog Drummond franchise, and as Olympe in two short scenes in the James Bond
film On Her Majesty's Secret Service
(1969), so forever labelling her—however marginally—a "Bond girl
".
The 1969 Department S
episode "The Mysterious Man in the Flying Machine" marked her only television appearance.
Her last and perhaps best-known role was as Vincent Price
's silent assistant, the delectably deadly Vulnavia, in the horror comedy The Abominable Dr. Phibes
(1971). Except for a brief moment as she struggles not to laugh during a campy dance scene with Price, North keeps an impassive face and dispassionate poise throughout, no matter how abominable or downright weird proceedings become. With this movie’s frequent change of stylish and sometimes bizarre costumes, her work as a model stands her in good stead.
In 1974 North married the wealthy industrialist Gordon White
. Later that year she gave birth to her only child, Lucas, who would later become a well-regarded polo player and one of the richest young men in the United Kingdom.
With her husband awarded a KBE
in 1979 for services to British industry, so becoming Sir Gordon White, Virginia White became Virginia, Lady White. She and White were divorced in 1991. She never remarried and died at her home in West Sussex, England, in June 2004 after a two-year battle with cancer. She was 59.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
-American
People of the United States
The people of the United States, also known as simply Americans or American people, are the inhabitants or citizens of the United States. The United States is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different ethnic and national backgrounds...
actress who appeared in small roles in five movies and one TV program between 1967 and 1971.
Life and career
Born Virginia Anne Northrop in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to a British mother and a U.S. Army father, North spent her early years in England, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
and finally Washington
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, following her father's military postings. By the mid-1960s she had returned to England, where she worked as a model, specializing in swim wear. In 1968 she joined the newly established London agency Models 1
Models 1 Agency
Models 1 is a modeling agency that was founded in 1968 with just three models on its books. Now in its fortieth year, the company has grown to become the largest and most successful agency in Europe and one of the top and most respected agencies in the world...
, which has since gone on to become one of the major modelling agencies in Europe.
North began her brief movie career with small parts in the Bulldog Drummond
Bulldog Drummond
Bulldog Drummond is a British fictional character, created by "Sapper", a pseudonym of Herman Cyril McNeile , and the hero of a series of novels published from 1920 to 1954.- Drummond :...
film Deadlier Than the Male
Deadlier Than the Male
Deadlier Than the Male is a 1967 British action film featuring the character of Bulldog Drummond. It is one of the many take-offs of James Bond produced during the 1960s but based on an established detective fiction hero...
(1967) and the Yul Brynner
Yul Brynner
Yul Brynner was a Russian-born actor of stage and film. He was best known for his portrayal of Mongkut, king of Siam, in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The King and I, for which he won an Academy Award for Best Actor for the film version; he also played the role more than 4,500 times on...
vehicle The Long Duel
The Long Duel
The Long Duel is a 1967 British adventure film directed by Ken Annakin and starring Yul Brynner, Trevor Howard, Charlotte Rampling and Harry Andrews...
(1967). She returned to film two years later as Robot Number Nine in Some Girls Do
Some Girls Do
Some Girls Do is a 1969 British comedy spy film directed by Ralph Thomas. It was the second of the revamped Bulldog Drummond films made following the success of the James Bond films of the 1960's.-Cast:...
(1969), the second in the Bulldog Drummond franchise, and as Olympe in two short scenes in the James Bond
James Bond (character)
Royal Navy Commander James Bond, CMG, RNVR is a fictional character created by journalist and novelist Ian Fleming in 1953. He is the main protagonist of the James Bond series of novels, films, comics and video games...
film On Her Majesty's Secret Service
On Her Majesty's Secret Service (film)
On Her Majesty's Secret Service is the sixth spy film in the James Bond series, based on the 1963 novel of the same name by Ian Fleming. Following the decision of Sean Connery to retire from the role after You Only Live Twice, Eon Productions selected an unknown actor and model, George Lazenby...
(1969), so forever labelling her—however marginally—a "Bond girl
Bond girl
A Bond girl is a character or actress portraying a love interest, of James Bond in a film, novel, or video game. They occasionally have names that are double entendres or puns, such as "Pussy Galore", "Plenty O'Toole", "Xenia Onatopp", or "Holly Goodhead"...
".
The 1969 Department S
Department S
Department S is a United Kingdom spy-fi adventure series produced by ITC Entertainment. The series consists of 28 episodes which originally aired in 1969–1970. It starred Peter Wyngarde as author Jason King , Joel Fabiani as Stewart Sullivan, and Rosemary Nicols as computer expert Annabelle Hurst...
episode "The Mysterious Man in the Flying Machine" marked her only television appearance.
Her last and perhaps best-known role was as Vincent Price
Vincent Price
Vincent Leonard Price, Jr. was an American actor, well known for his distinctive voice and serio-comic attitude in a series of horror films made in the latter part of his career.-Early life and career:Price was born in St...
's silent assistant, the delectably deadly Vulnavia, in the horror comedy The Abominable Dr. Phibes
The Abominable Dr. Phibes
The Abominable Dr. Phibes is a 1971 horror film starring Vincent Price. Its art deco sets, dark humor and performance by Price has made the film and its sequel Dr. Phibes Rises Again classics.-Plot:...
(1971). Except for a brief moment as she struggles not to laugh during a campy dance scene with Price, North keeps an impassive face and dispassionate poise throughout, no matter how abominable or downright weird proceedings become. With this movie’s frequent change of stylish and sometimes bizarre costumes, her work as a model stands her in good stead.
In 1974 North married the wealthy industrialist Gordon White
Gordon White, Baron White of Hull
Gordon Lindsay White, Baron White of Hull, KBE died in Los Angeles aged 72. He left most of his £70m fortune to his son Lucas...
. Later that year she gave birth to her only child, Lucas, who would later become a well-regarded polo player and one of the richest young men in the United Kingdom.
With her husband awarded a KBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1979 for services to British industry, so becoming Sir Gordon White, Virginia White became Virginia, Lady White. She and White were divorced in 1991. She never remarried and died at her home in West Sussex, England, in June 2004 after a two-year battle with cancer. She was 59.