Valerie Therese Leon (born 12 November 1943) is an English actress and model who has had roles in many film and television productions, including six of the Carry On film series and two James Bond films, The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) and Never Say Never Again (1983) alongside Roger Moore and Sean Connery, respectively. She also had roles in high-profile films such as The Italian Job (1969), The Wild Geese (1978), and Revenge of the Pink Panther (1978), as well as a starring role in the Hammer horror film Blood from the Mummy's Tomb (1971).
In the 1970s, Leon appeared in the Hai Karate television adverts, which gained her substantial publicity. She also became known globally as a sex symbol due to her glamorous looks and attractive figure, and was often referred to as the "English Raquel Welch".
Early life Leon was born in Hampstead, London, in 1943, to Henry and Daphne Leon (née Ehrmann), being the eldest of four children. Her father was a director of a textile company, and her mother, who trained at RADA, ended her acting career to become a full-time mother.
After attending the Channing School for Girls, Leon attended the College for Distributive Trades, before then moving to Paris to become an au pair girl. She did a spell of modelling before returning to England.
Career Leon's career began as a trainee fashion buyer at Harrods. In April 1965, she went to an audition which led to her becoming a chorus girl in a touring production of The Belle of New York. When the tour in Britain was cancelled after some weeks, she contacted Central Casting and started to work as an extra in movies; her first film was That Riviera Touch (1966) starring Morecambe and Wise, for which she was hired as a girl in bikini. Around the same time, she appeared with Barbra Streisand in Funny Girl at the Prince of Wales Theatre in London's West End.
Leon appeared in six films of the Carry On series: Carry On Up The Khyber (1968), Carry On Camping (1969), Carry On Again Doctor (1969), Carry On Up the Jungle (1970), Carry On Matron (1972) and Carry On Girls (1973), and appeared in two James Bond films, The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) as a Hotel Receptionist, and as Lady in Bahamas in Never Say Never Again (1983). Her other film appearances include Revenge of the Pink Panther, The Wild Geese (both 1978), The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer (1970, as the secretary Tanya), a hotel receptionist in The Italian Job (1969), and a callgirl in No Sex Please, We're British (1973). The Hammer horror film Blood from the Mummy's Tomb (1971) gave Leon a dual starring role, as a reincarnated Egyptian queen. She was cast in this at the insistence of James Carreras, the head of Hammer. Filmink wrote "the studio's decision never to star Valerie Leon in anything again when she so patently had abundant star quality only makes sense when you recall Hammer failed to properly re-use all its female horror stars".
Leon's TV credits include The Saint, Randall and Hopkirk, Up Pompeii!, The Avengers, Space: 1999, The Persuaders, Last of the Summer Wine, and the 1968 version of Johnny Speight's provocative comedy-drama If There Weren't Any Blacks You'd Have To Invent Them, as a nurse.
From 1969 to 1976, Leon played the woman driven wild by a man wearing Hai Karate aftershave in a highly successful series of British commercials for the product. Leon parodied her role in The Goodies 1976 episode "It Might as Well Be String" (S06 E05) by attacking Tim Brooke-Taylor.
In the 1970s and 1980s, Leon appeared in several UK national tours of plays.
Starting in 2010, Leon has appeared on stage throughout the UK in her one-woman show, Up Front with Valerie Leon, an on-going series of performances.
Personal life Leon was married to the television producer Michael Mills from 1974 until his death in 1988. The couple had two children: a son, Leon, born in 1975; and a daughter, Merope, born in 1977.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes1966 That Riviera Touch Girl in Bikini uncredited The Sandwich Man Girl in Crowd 1967 Mister Ten Per Cent Girl at Theatre Party Smashing Time Tove's Secretary 1968 Carry On Up the Khyber Hospitality Girl 1969 Carry On Camping Miss Dobbin The Italian Job Royal Lancaster Hotel Receptionist Carry On Again Doctor Deirdre Zeta One Atropos 1970 Carry On Up the Jungle Leda This, That and the Other Bath Girl The Man Who Had Power Over Women Glenda The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer Tanya All the Way Up Miss Hardwick 1971 Blood from the Mummy's Tomb Margaret Fuchs / Queen Tera 1972 Carry On Matron Jane Darling 1973 No Sex Please, We're British Susan Carry On Girls Paula Perkins 1974 Can You Keep It Up for a Week? Miss Hampton 1975 The Ups and Downs of a Handyman Redhead 1976 Queen Kong Queen of the Nabongas 1977 The Spy Who Loved Me Hotel Receptionist 1978 The Wild Geese Girl Dealer Revenge of the Pink Panther Tanya 1983 Never Say Never Again Lady in Bahamas 2006 Gas Hooker / Dentist Receptionist A Neutral Corner Flo 2015 Golden Years Gilda Parker 2016 Pitfire of Hell Margaret 2018 For the Love of Ella Tara 2020 Jeepers Creepers Fantasy Lover voice
Television Year Title Role Notes1967 The Saint Therese Episode: "To Kill a Saint" The Baron Film Actress Episode: "Countdown"1968 If There Weren't Any Blacks You'd Have to Invent Them Senior Nurse TV film The Avengers Betty Episode: "Whoever Shot Poor George Oblique Stroke XR40?"1969 Galton and Simpson Comedy Girl Episode: "Friends in High Places" Hark at Barker Lady on Beach Episode: "Rustless and the Solar System" Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) Kay Episode: "That's How Murder Snowballs"1970 Up Pompeii! Daili Episode: "The Senator and the Asp" The Des O'Connor Show Various 3 episodes1971 Misleading Cases Rowena Stuke Episode: "The Sitting Bird" The Persuaders! Space Queen Episode: "The Long Goodbye"1972 The Organization Prudence Episode: "Mr Pulman and Mr Pershore" Scoop Miss Barton Episode: "The Stitch Service" My Wife Next Door Laura Episode: "Dream Girl" Carry On Christmas Serving Wench TV film1973 The Tarbuck Follies Various The Train Now Standing Brenda Episode: "A Night to Remember" Nobody Is Norman Wisdom Sylvia Episode: #1.6 Bowler Miss Ibbotson Episode: "Bowler's Analysis" Doctor in Charge Miss Wedderburn Episode: "In Place of Strife"1974 Special Branch Juanita Wayne Episode: "Sounds Sinister" The Jimmy Tarbuck Show Various 1975 Space: 1999 Thule Girl Episode: "Death's Other Dominion"1976 The Goodies The Seductress Episode: "It Might as Well Be String"1977 Mike Yarwood in Persons Rose Episode: #1.4 The Morecambe & Wise Show Various Episode: "1977 Christmas Show"1978 Whodunnit? Virginia Episode: "A Dead Cert" The Kenny Everett Video Cassette Manicurist Episode: "#1.1" Happy Ever After Fiona Episode: "The More We Are Together" Rings on Their Fingers Cathie Episode: "Lead Me to the Altar"1979 Morecambe and Wise at the BBC Various Episode: "28 February 1979" The Dawson Watch Episode: "The Family"1980, 1984 Kelly Monteith 2 episodes1982 Strangers Jeanette Episode: "A Swift and Evil Rozzer"1983 Let There Be Love Yolanda Episode: "Spilling the Beans"1991 Roy's Raiders Lola Courtney Episode: #1.42006 Last of the Summer Wine DW Cheetham Episode: "Who's That Merry Man with Billy, Then?"2007 The Green Green Grass Katia's Mother Episode: "Lust in Translation"
See also Michael Mills Raquel Welch
References
Bibliography
External links
Audio interview at BBC Wiltshire