Ingrid Pitt

 

 

 

Most movie enthusiasts will say that the highlight of Ingrid Pitts career was starring alongside screen legends Clint Eastwood and Richard Burton in 'Where Eagles Dare' (1968).

However, fast forward three years and 90% of the worlds male population would soon beg to differ when she appeared nude covered in blood in a bathing scene during the Hammer Horror film 'Countess Dracula' (1971).

It could also be argued that another highlight of her career was starring in the classic tale of Russian revolution 'Doctor Zhivago' (1965), although her name doesn't appear anywhere in the film credits meaning it was merely a blink and you miss moment. It is also possibly little known, but her early life was worthy of a film being made about it before she was even famous.

Ingrid was born with the birth name of Ingoushka Petrov to a curious mix of parentage in Warsaw, Poland on 21st November 1937. Her father was German and her mother, a Polish Jew. Given what was to become of the world less than two years later, it was perhaps inevitable that the family would end up being imprisoned for the remainder of the war.

Ingrid was fortunate enough to survive, and subsequently moved to Berlin where in the 1950's, she met an American Soldier and moved to California. Sadly, the marriage didn't last, meaning she had to return to Europe. It was while back in Germany that she made a small film which somehow managed to capture the attention of Hollywood.

Her debut in the movie business came in the previously mentioned 'Doctor Zhivago' and from there, her career blossomed until a gradual decline in decent offers by the mid-70's.

Returning to mainstream films and TV in the 1980's, Ingrid also found time to become a writer, releasing a novel called 'Cuckoo Run' which she took to James Bond producer Cubby Brocoli who was kind enough to call the books feminine lead, 'a female bond', but this wasn't enough to convince him to turn it into a film.

In her personal life, she married three times as well as having a passion for WWII aircraft while also achieving a Black Belt in Karate.

However, a few days before her 73rd birthday, she collapsed at her South London home and was transferred to a nearby hospital. Sadly, Ingrid wasn't to survive and died two days after her birthday on 23rd November 2010.

But to the hearts and minds of Hammer Horror fans the world over, Ingrid Pitts legend lives on.

Filmography:

Sound Of Horror (1964)
Chimes At Midnight (1965)
Doctor Zhivago (1965)
En Beso El En Puerto (1966)
A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum (1966)
The Omegans (1968)
Where Eagles Dare (1968)
The Vampire Lovers (1970)
Countess Dracula (1971)
The House That Dripped Blood (1971)
Nobody Ordered Love (1972)
The Wicker Man (1973)
Who Dares Wins (1982)
Octopussy (1983)
Wild Geese II (1985)
Underworld (1985)
Parker (1986)
Hannah's War (1988)
The Asylum (2000)
Green Fingers (2000)
Dominator (2003)
Minotaur (2006)
Beyond The Rave (2008)
Sea Of Dust (2008)

Television:

Dundee And The Culhane (1967)
Ironside (1967)
Jason King (1972)
The Adventurer (1973)
The Zoo Gang (1974)
Thriller (1975)
BBC 2 Playhouse (1981)
Artemis 81 (1981)
Smiley's People (1982)
The Comedy Of Errors (1983)
Doctor Who (1974-82) 5 Episodes
The House (1984)
Bulman (1987)

George Best

'I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars...the rest I just squandered'.

These words quoted to a journalist by former Manchester United and Northern Ireland football legend George Best in the 1980's. Best an insanely gifted, but shy young man was spotted by Chief United scout Bob Bishop in the early 1960's.

By the time he was 17, United manager Matt Busby was so confident in the lads ability that he threw him on as a sub at Old Trafford when the home side were playing against West Bromwich Albion in September 1963.

Although he was initially worried about George being battered by some of the Division One's bruisers due to Georges slight and skinny build, Best soon laid any fears to rest. He took no time in showing up some of the leagues more high profile and established players by putting the ball threw their legs and then on occasion going back and doing it again for good measure.

A measure of his talent can be seen clearly in the fact that Manchester United won their first league title for eight years in 1964/65 - Best's first full season. However, it wasn't until he single handedly took apart Benfica in a European Cup Quarter-Final away leg in March 1966, that Best truly began to capture the attention of the worlds press.

However, despite such a wonderful performance, United were to crash out in the Semi-Final against Partizan Belgrade. Off the pitch, he began to cash in on this notoriety by opening his own clothes boutique in Manchester and then later, a nightclub.

Following another League title triumph in May 1967, Matt Busby got the chance to have another tilt at winning the European Cup in 1967/68. Sure enough, with Best at his best, United went all the way to the final beating Benfica 4-1 in extra-time giving United their first ever European Cup win.

Although he was rightly awarded the European Player of the Year for 1968, United and George Best's fortunes on the pitch gradually started to decline from here on. Best started to lose some of his usual great composure against some of Division One's and Europe's wind-up merchants, culminating in occasional sending-offs.

It was also around this time that Best started to get into the headlines for his off-the-pitch habits, most notably his fondness for alcohol and women. In May 1969, Best's Manchester United manager and some-time father figure Matt Busby retired. This suddenly left George without anyone to steer him in the right direction.

During the period 1969 to 1971, it seemed that George was with a different girlfriend as often as Manchester United played games in a season. Of the more famous names he was seen with at this time, he could count actresses Susan George and Sinead Cusack as live-in lovers.

These women would also be the cause of George not bothering to turn up for training with United on many an occasion.

After three more fallow seasons without winning any silverware under three managers in as many years, he broke United fans hearts when he left the club in 1973. Between 1974 and 1984, Best played for a further 18 different clubs including the likes of Fulham, Hibernian, Stockport County and Los Angeles Aztecs.

It goes without saying that had he not touched the booze, Best's football career could have been lengthened as well as being possibly more trophy laden. With time and off-field activities catching up with him, George Best died of liver failure while in hospital in London in 2005. He was just 59.

Profile:

• Full Name: George Best
• Date of Birth: 22nd May 1946
• Place of Birth: Belfast, Northern Ireland
• Date of Death: 25th November 2005
• Place of Death: London
• Height: 5ft 9ins (1.75m)
• Playing Position: Winger/Attacking Midfielder

Valerie Leon

 

 

 

My first memory of the lovely Valerie Leon was of a tall, but prim and proper looking woman with her hair tied in a bun whilst wearing Dame Edna Everage glasses.

For those die hard fans of the 'Carry On' film series, you will immediately know I am referring to Valerie's role in 'Carry On Girls' (1973).

Of course, the dowdy appearance is all but a disguise as she later takes off her mac and glasses then unfurls her hair to reveal a hidden bikini clad goddess which was kept secret from her on-screen husband Bernard Bresslaw.

Aside from her scene stealing appearance in the above film, Valerie cropped up in just about every genre of British TV and Film legend you can imagine. Early in her career, she was the original Hai-Karate aftershave ad girl in 1969.

In 1973, she starred alongside one half of the 'Two Ronnie's' in the shape of little Ronnie Corbett in 'No Sex Please, Were British'. Future 'Return of The Saint' actor Ian Ogilvy was also lucky enough to get close to Valerie in this film.

Four years later, she had a very brief cameo in a scene with Roger Moore in the 'Spy Who Loved Me'(1977) playing a hotel desk clerk.

Other heights that Valerie hit include being one of the classic 'Hammer Horror' girls as well as being fortunate enough to be cast in one of the Peter Sellers Pink Panther series of films. Perhaps her greatest honour is to have been part of the ultimate British heist movie 'The Italian Job' (1969).

Like many of her fellow attractive peers during the era, she was often cast as the femme fatale in series such as 'The Saint', 'The Avengers', Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased)', Space 1999' and even more bizarrely, in an episode of 'The Goodies'.

Now 72, she is survived by the death of her husband in 1988 - the TV comedy producer Michael Mills with whom she had two children.

Filmography:

• Smashing Time (1967)
• Carry On Up The Khyber (1968)
• Zeta One (1969)
• This, That And The Other (1969)
• Carry On Camping (1969)
• The Italian Job (1969)
• Carry On Again Doctor (1969)
• All The Way Up (1970)
• Carry On Up The Jungle (1970)
• The Man Who Had Power Over Women (1970)
• The Rise And Rise Of Michael Rimmer (1970)
• Blood From The Mummy's Tomb (1971)
• Carry On Matron (1972)
• No Sex Please, We're British (1973)
• Carry On Girls (1973)
• Can You Keep It Up For A Week? (1974)
• The Ups And Downs Of A Handyman (1975)
• Queen Kong (1976)
• The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
• The Wild Geese (1978)
• Revenge Of The Pink Panther (1978)
• Strangers (1982) TV Series
• Never Say Never Again (1983)
• A Neutral Corner (2006)
• The Green Green Grass (2007) TV Series

John Lennon

R.I.P.

 

John Winston Lennon - Musician, Artist and Activist

 

(Oct 9th 1940- Dec 8th 1980)

 

 

 

Beatles For Sale

 

 

On December 4th 1964, The Beatles released their 4th studio album 'Beatles For Sale'.

During that year, the groups level of fame had taken on gargantuan proportions, not just in the UK, but now also throughout the rest of the world. Tours of Australia and the USA in particular dwarfed the type of adulation which had only been previously seen in the UK.

Because of their incessant touring, the Beatles had no real time in the studio to build on the sound harnessed on 'A Hard Days Night' which was released only five months earlier. This is not to say this album is weak, but 'Beatles For Sale' is often considered to be their weakest piece of work.

Any record which has 'I'm A Loser', 'Eight Days A Week' and 'I don't Want To Spoil The Party' would still give most bands a career even in this day and age. With the band constantly pushing for new sounds, they were never going to be fully satisfied and also felt they were cheating their fans.

Just like their first two albums 'Please Please Me' and 'With The Beatles', 'Beatles For Sale' would consist of eight new Lennon & McCartney originals as well as six cover versions previously released by their favourite artists of the era.

For their next long player, they would perk up again and even bring with it an accompanying film - in the form of 'Help!'.

Album: Beatles For Sale

Release Date: December 4th 1964.

Songs:

1. No Reply - Lennon/McCartney
2. I'm A Loser - Lennon/McCartney
3. Baby's In Black - Lennon/McCartney
4. Rock And Roll Music - Berry
5. I'll Follow The Sun - Lennon/McCartney
6. Mr Moonlight - Johnson
7. Kansas City / Hey,Hey,Hey,Hey - Leiber & Stoller/Penniman
8. Eight Days A Week - Lennon/McCartney
9. Words Of Love - Holly
10. Honey Don't - Perkins
11. Every Little Thing - Lennon/McCartney
12. I Don't Want To Spoil The Party - Lennon/McCartney
13. What You're Doing - Lennon/McCartney
14. Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby - Perkins

Rubber Soul

 

 

 

On December 3rd 1965, The Beatles introduced a new growing sound to the world. The resulting album - 'Rubber Soul' took just 6 weeks to record.     

Compared to their previous album 'Help!', the mood of 'Rubber Soul' was quieter, but the music contained a more complex musical style as well as an added maturity to their lyrics. Because of these qualities, the group suddenly found themselves with a new audience.

Of course, they still had the screaming teenyboppers wherever they went, but from now on, their albums started to attract the attention of those who saw albums as art rather than a mere collection of songs.

For me, the stand out tracks on this album are 'Norwegian Wood', 'You Wont See Me', 'Nowhere Man' and 'In My Life'.

I feel that John Lennon's songs dominate this album and represent his last real effort to boss the Beatles in terms of all round song writing and musical direction.

From here on, Paul McCartney would slowly take the reins with George Harrison also starting to exert some of his own influence on the group with a blossoming interest in Indian music and culture.

Album: Rubber Soul 

Release Date: December 3rd 1965

Songs:

1. Drive My Car - Lennon/McCartney

2. Norwegian Wood (This bird has flown) - Lennon/McCartney

3. You Won't See Me - Lennon/McCartney

4. Nowhere Man - Lennon/McCartney

5.Think For Yourself - Harrison

6. The Word - Lennon/McCartney

7. Michelle - Lennon/McCartney

8. What Goes On - Lennon/McCartney

9. Girl - Lennon/McCartney 

10. I'm Looking Through You - Lennon/McCartney

11. In My Life - Lennon/McCartney

12. Wait - Lennon/McCartney

13. If I Needed Someone - Harrison

14. Run For Your Life - Lennon/McCartney

 

Imogen Hassall

 

Today, not many people will have heard of Imogen Hassall, apart from those avid film and TV fans of such classics as 'Carry On Loving' (1970). But, back in the late 1960's and early 70's, Imogen was a regular on our screens starring in many of the era's most  popular spy series including the 'Persuaders' and the 'Saint' with the legendary Roger Moore.

Her early film credits saw her appear twice with the UK's much loved hero of mayhem Norman Wisdom in 'The Early Bird' (1965) and also in 'Press For Time' (1966) in an un-credited cameo.

In 1967, Imogen could be seen fighting alongside Diana Rigg and Patrick McNee in an espisode of TV's 'The Avengers as well as 'The Champions' (1968) then a few years later in 'Jason King' (1972).

Despite these notable roles in some of the industry's most prized series, Imogen was starting to become tired of only being famous for her natural good looks. She was also more than capable of injecting humour as well as glamour into any film or TV series she appeared in where others might not have been able to.

By the mid-seventies, work began to dry up. Even roles where she may have been cast as a pretty face became rare such as what was an otherwise poor film in 'White Cargo' (1973) with David Jason.

Not surprisingly, Imogen became increasingly depressed as a result. On November 16th 1980, Imogen was due to go on holiday with an actress friend - Susanna Leigh, but tragically, she was found dead in her apartment that same morning. Imogen had taken her own life by overdosing on tuinals. She was just 38 years old.

But to her many legions of fans, this classic British beauty will always be known as the lovely 'Jenny Grub'.

Filmography:

• The Early Bird (1965)
• Press For Time (1966) Un-credited cameo
• The Long Duel (1967)
• Mumsy, Nanny, Sonny And Girly (1969)
• When Dinosaurs Ruled The Earth (1970)
• Carry On Loving (1970)
• Incense For The Damned (1970)
• The Virgin And The Gypsy (1970)
• Toomorrow (1970)
• Take A Girl Like You (1970)
• El Condor (1970)
• Images (1972)
• White Cargo (1973)
• Licensed To Love And Kill (1979)

TV Appearances:

• The Sentimental Agent (1963) 1 episode
• The Saint (1964-68) 3 episodes
• No Hiding Place (1965) 1 episode
• Theatre 625 (1967) 1 episode
• The Avengers (1967) 1 episode
• Champion House (1967) 1 episode
• The Wednesday Play (1967) 1 episode
• Play Of The Month (1967) 1 episode
• The Troubleshooters (1967) 1 episode
• The Champions (1968) 1 episode
• Softly, Softly (1970) 1 episode
• The Persuaders! (1972) 1 episode
• Jason King (1972) 1 episode

Veronica Carlson

 

 

 

  

 

Veronica Carlson will be forever synonymous with the great Hammer Horror Film series during the late 1960's and early 1970's.

 

Her film credits with Hammer included her debut in 'Dracula Has Risen From The Grave' (1968) which was then quickly followed by 'Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed' (1969) and 'The Horror Of Frankenstein' (1970).

The buxom blonde beauty also popped up from time to time in the big TV series of the day such as the 'Saint' with Roger Moore, 'Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased)' and 'Department S'.

Still only a sprightly 71, Veronica is now semi-retired and lives in South Carolina with her husband and three children.

She now spends most of her time painting when she isn't attending film exhibitions and events.

 

Filmography:
 

• Smashing Time (1967)
• Hammerhead (1968)
• Dracula Has Risen From The Grave (1968)
• The Best House In London (1969)
• Crossplot (1969)
• Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed (1969)
• The Horror Of Frankenstein (1970)
• Pussycat, Pussycat, I Love You (1970)
• Old Dracula/Vampira (1974)
• The Ghoul (1975)

Welcome

 

 

Hello and welcome to 'UK Cult Heroes', the blog which gives you all the most up-to-date information on all your favourite British cult legends from the world of Sport, Music, TV and Film.

All the famous faces who appear on this blog will have experienced their heyday via British TV screens, cinema and radio during the 1960's and 70's.

With todays TV and Film industry now very PC in what it deems to be acceptable for viewers tastes, this blog is my way of keeping the memories, laughs and favourite moments alive.

Additionally, this blog is not just for those who were lucky enough to see these legends on our screens first time around, but also for those of later generations who have an avid interest in what British entertainment culture was like back in the day.

Enjoy the site!

Ryan Colley.