Eunice Elizabeth Sargaison (17 March 1928 – 8 June 2018), known professionally as Eunice Gayson, was an English actress best known for playing Sylvia Trench, James Bond's love interest in the first two Bond films (Dr. No and From Russia with Love) and is thus considered to have been the first "Bond girl".
Early life Gayson and her twin sister Patricia were born in 1928 in Croydon to John and Maria Sargaison (née Gammon). Her father was a civil servant. The family lived in Streatham, London and moved to Purley, Surrey and later Glasgow, before settling in Edinburgh. There she attended the Edinburgh Academy and studied operatic singing.
Career
Gayson played a major role in the Hammer horror film The Revenge of Frankenstein and appeared on television in series such as The Saint (which starred a future James Bond, Roger Moore) and The Avengers. She played the Baroness Elsa Schraeder in the 1962 London stage production of The Sound of Music, during which time she also filmed scenes for the first two Bond films, Dr. No (1962) and From Russia with Love (1963). She remained a regular in London theatre, appearing in, among other productions, the comedy The Grass Is Greener (1971). In the early 1990s, Gayson appeared in Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods in the role of the grandmother.
Bond films In the first two James Bond films, Dr. No and From Russia with Love, Gayson played James Bond's love interest in London, Sylvia Trench. In early scenes, Bond attempts to set up a liaison with her but gets called away on a mission before anything serious can develop. This was intended to be a running motif in multiple films, but the character was dropped after the second film. The character is responsible for Bond's iconic introductory catchphrase, "Bond, James Bond"; when Trench introduces herself to Bond as "Trench, Sylvia Trench" during a game of chemin de fer in Dr. No, Bond replies in kind, mimicking Trench's own cadence, after she inquires of him "Mister..?"
Gayson had initially been cast in Dr. No as Miss Moneypenny, M's secretary, while the actress who played Moneypenny, Lois Maxwell, had been cast as Sylvia Trench. However, Maxwell found the Trench character too immodest, and their roles were switched. Gayson is therefore considered the first "Bond girl."
Personal life Gayson married the writer Leigh Vance in 1953, a marriage that was featured on the American daytime television series Bride and Groom. They divorced in 1959, and in 1968 she married the film and stage actor Brian Jackson. She and Jackson had a daughter before divorcing after ten years of marriage. Their daughter Kate later appeared in the casino scene in the 1995 Bond film GoldenEye. Gayson died on 8 June 2018, aged 90.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes1948 My Brother Jonathan A Young Girl It Happened in Soho Julie 1949 The Huggetts Abroad Peggy Uncredited Melody in the Dark Pat Evans 1950 Dance Hall Mona 1951 To Have and to Hold Peggy Harding 1952 Down Among the Z Men Officer's Wife Uncredited Miss Robin Hood Pam 1953 Street Corner Janet Uncredited1954 Dance Little Lady Adele One Just Man 1955 Out of the Clouds Penny Henson 1956 The Last Man to Hang Elizabeth Anders Zarak Cathy Ingram 1957 Carry On Admiral Jane Godfrey Light Fingers Rose Levenham 1958 The Revenge of Frankenstein Margaret Hello London Herself Documentary1962 Dr. No Sylvia Trench 1963 From Russia with Love
Television Year Title Role Notes 1948 Between Ourselves Television film Halesapoppin! Television film Lady Luck Faith Television film 1949 Pink String and Sealing Wax Emily Strachan Television film The Director Katie Television film Dick Whittington Alice Television film 1950 Here Come the Boys 1 Episode Treasures in Heaven Carol Benson Television film Mother of Men Jennie Television film 1953 Guess My Story Self – Panelist 1954 The Vise Julia Benton Episode: "Death Pays No Dividends" 1959 Juke Box Jury Self – Panelist 1 episode 1960 What's My Line? Self – Guest Panelist Episode: "George Jessel (2)" 1964 Danger Man Louise Bancroft Episode: "A Man to Be Trusted" 1964–1965 The Saint Nora PrescottChristine Graner Episode: "The Invisible Millionaire"Episode: "The Saint Bids Diamonds" 1966 The Avengers Lucille Banks Episode: "Quick-Quick slow Death" 1967 Before the Fringe 2 episodes The Dick Emery Show 1 episode Further Adventures of Lucky Jim Episode: "Jim Cleans Up" The Reluctant Romeo Gina Darletti Episode: "What's in a Name" 1968 The World of Beachcomber 1970 Albert and Victoria Madame Aix Episode: "The Gothic Church"Episode: "Lovers' Quarrel" Turkey Time Louis Stoatt Television film 1972 The Adventurer Countess Marie Episode: "Thrust and Counter-Thrust" 2012 This Morning Self 1 episode 2013 The Playboy Morning Show Self 1 episode
References
External links
Eunice Gayson at the British Film Institute