British actress Eunice Gayson, the interpreter of Sylvia Trench and girlfriend of James Bond in the first two parts of the cult saga, died on June 8 at the age of 90.
While history has mostly retained the character played by Ursula Andress, emerging from the water in a white bikini, Eunice Gayson has the distinction of having been the very first James Bond Girl in the history of the franchise, but also the only one to appear in two films for the same role. It is also his character who is at the origin of the cult replica of Agent 007. During their first meeting around a Blackjack table, Sean Connery said, "I admire your bravery, Madam…?", to which she replied "Trench, Sylvia Trench" before asking her name. The spy then repeats this same formula and declares: "Bond, James Bond".
"Bond, James Bond"
The British actress even said that this cult scene was particularly difficult to shoot."I'd known Sean for years and I'd never seen him as nervous as that day. He was supposed to say "Bond, James Bond", but it was always other names that came out, like "Sean Bond, James Connery": "Cut, cut, cut!" she told the BBC in 2012. On the advice of director Terence Young, the actress would then have taken the interpreter of the spy 007 for a drink to relax. Eunice Gayson concludes the anecdote as follows: "He came back on set and said 'Bond, James Bond'. It was so wonderful. The day started at that moment – he was really relaxed."
The very first James Bond Girl
From Ursula Andress to Sophie Marceau, Eva Green, Halle Berry and Léa Seydoux, James Bond Girls always occupy a prominent place in films and in the life of cinema's most famous spy. Seductive, Machiavellian and determined, they have all, in one way or another, managed to charm 007. Eunice Gayson is one of them and is therefore the first to have cracked him in James Bond 007 against Dr. No in 1962 and in Good kisses from Russia the following year. The British actress died on Friday, June 8, 2018 at the age of 90, Michael G announced. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, the co-producers of the saga, on the official Twitter account of the franchise.
"We are so sad to hear that Eunice Gayson, our very first 'Bond Girl' who played Sylvia Trench in Doctor No and Good Kisses from Russia, has passed away," they said. Before concluding: "Our sincere thoughts to his family".
Comment from Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli: “We are so sad to learn that Eunice Gayson, our very first 'Bond girl' who played Sylvia Trench in DR. NO and FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE has passed away. Our sincere thoughts are with her family.” pic.twitter.com/W0UOcDEuZq
— James Bond (@007) June 9, 2018
Approached for the role of Miss Moneypenny, the secretary of M, the boss of James Bond, Eunice Gayson had finally obtained the role of Sylvia Trench, the femme fatale and regular girlfriend of the spy. She was to play him for six films, the adventures of the two lovers having to be narrowly cut by Bond missions that would occur at an inopportune time. But this idea was quickly abandoned after the second installment by Guy Hamilton, the director of the third film in the series – Goldfinger (1964). Note that the voice of the actress has never been heard in the films, except for the original trailer of the first part. Indeed, she was dubbed each time by Nikki van der Zyl, who herself dubbed the majority of the female voices of many films of the saga in the 1960s and 1970s.
Subsequently, the actress Eunice Gayson had been more discreet and had abandoned cinema and television for the boards. As the first James Bond Girl, she is usually only associated with this role while her career has spanned several decades. Before her appearance in the 007 franchise, she was already well known to the public. She played the female lead in Terence Fisher's Revenge of Frankenstein (1958), in which she played Margaret. After her time in James Bond, she was also seen on television in television series such as The Saint (1965) or Bowler Hat and Leather Boots (1966). In theatre, she had notably distinguished herself in the musicals The Sound of Music and Into the Woods in 1990.
Kate, Eunice Gayson's daughter, had also taken over from her mother by playing a small role alongside Pierce Brosnan in GoldenEye in 1995.
