Honor Blackman, the British actress best known for her roles in the ’60s TV series “The Avengers” and as Pussy Galore in the James Bond film “Goldfinger,” has died at the age of 94.
Blackman died of natural causes and surrounded by loved one at her home in Lewes, Sussex, her family said in a statement to The Guardian. They added that she “will be greatly missed by her two children Barnaby and Lottie, and grandchildren Daisy, Oscar, Olive and Toby.”
The family added: “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.”
Blackman’s decades-long career included film, television and theater work. Her roles as Cathy Gale in “The Avengers” series, which ran from 1962-1964, and Pussy Galore in the 1964 “Goldfinger” film earned her particular notoriety, along with her roles as Hera in 1963’s “Jason and the Argonauts” and Laura West in “The Upper Hand,” which ran from 1990-1996 on ITV.
She also added singer to her resume in the ’60s, recording and releasing music through the early 2000s.
Blackman was born in 1925 in east London and went on to attend the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 1940. She was married and divorced twice, adopting two children with her second husband.