In the long-running James Bond franchise, there's a series tradition of the Bond girl, a femme fatale-type character who is often the love interest. There have been more Bond girls than there have been James Bonds and it all began in Dr. No with actress Eunice Gayson. Unfortunately, it's being reported that Gayson has passed away at the age of 90.
The news was reported by the official Eunice Gayson Twitter account, which wrote, "We are very sad to learn that our dear Eunice passed away on June 8th. An amazing lady who left a lasting impression on everyone she met. She will be very much missed." No cause of death has been given. James Bond franchise producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, paid tribute to Gayson in a separate comment posted on the official James Bond Twitter account. The duo shared their condolences and wrote, "Our sincere thoughts are with her family."
Eunice Gayson is known best for her role as Sylvia Trench in the first James Bond film, 1962's Dr. No. She is the first Bond girl to grace the screen, starting a tradition that would last all the way to the most current Bond film, Spectre. Gayson also holds some distinction in the franchise. She is the first character to receive Bond's iconic catchphrase, "Bond, James Bond." Technically, Sylvia Trench first introduces herself this way at a casino, and Bond copies her, meaning she's really the one who created the catchphrase.
Speaking about the scene in 2012, Gayson said that actor Sean Connery was incredibly nervous while filming and would use permutations like permutations like Sean Bond, James Connery instead. The director, Terence Young, urged Gayson to take Connery out for a drink to calm his nerves and afterwards, he was able to deliver the line.
She also holds the honor of being the only Bond girl to appear in two James Bond movies. She would again appear in From Russia with Love. Like other Bond girls in the 60s and 70s, however, Gayson's voice was never heard in the movies. Her lines were rerecorded by the voiceover artist Nikki van der Zyl.
Check out the famous scene from Dr. No, wherein Bond and Slyvia meet and Bond's catchphrase is first spoken, in the video clip below.
Prior to Dr. No, Gayson appeared in played in other screen roles ranging from movies to TV series to TV movies. One such role was starring in Hammer Horror's 1958 movie The Revenge of Frankenstein. Following the conclusion of her Bond role, Gayson was in TV shows such as The Avengers and The Saint.
We here at CinemaBlend wish our deepest condolences to Eunice Gayson's family, friends, and loved ones.
