GAYSON, EUNICE

Contributed by: The James Bond Movie Encyclopedia by Steven Jay Rubin

(March 17, 1928–June 8, 2018): British actress who portrayed Bond’s fetching girlfriend Sylvia Trench in Dr. No and From Russia with Love. According to Gayson, her role was going to recur throughout the series, but when director Terence Young left the franchise during preproduction on Goldfinger, her part was eliminated.[1] It was to Sylvia that Bond (Sean Connery) uttered his first line of dialogue, “. I admire your courage, Miss . . ?”

A native of Purley, Surrey, England, Gayson made her feature film debut in director Harold French’s romantic drama My Brother Jonathan (1948). Prior to Dr. No, she had costarred in Zarak (1956), an adventure film starring Victor Mature that was produced by Albert R. Broccoli, directed by Terence Young, and written by Richard Maibaum—all future Bond filmmakers. Gayson retired from acting after her appearance as Countess Marie in the television series The Adventurer (1972), which costarred Bond veteran Catherine Schell (On Her Majesty’s Secret Service).


[1] Eunice Gayson, interview by Steven Jay Rubin, London, June 1977.

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