Dawn Addams

Victoria Dawn Addams (21 September 1930 – 7 May 1985) was an English actress, particularly in Hollywood motion pictures of the 1950s and on British television in the 1960s and 1970s.

Dawn Addams
Addams with Alan Young in the television show Time to Smile, 1953.
Born
Victoria Dawn Addams

(1930-09-21)21 September 1930
Died7 May 1985(1985-05-07) (aged 54)
London, England
OccupationActress
Years active1951–83
Spouse(s)
Don Vittorio Emanuele Massimo, Prince of Roccasecca
(m. 19541971)
(2 children)
Jimmy White (1974–1985) (her death)
Children2[1][2]

Early years

Addams was born in Felixstowe, Suffolk, England, the daughter of Ethel Mary (née Hickie) and Captain James Ramage Addams,[3] of the Royal Air Force. Her mother died when she was young,[4] and she spent her early life in Calcutta, India.

Career

Dawn Addams and
Susan Cabot, 1953

Addams' face and physique attracted the attention of talent agents. In December 1950, she signed a seven-year contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios.[5] Her film career began with a role in Night into Morning (1951), and her subsequent MGM films included Singin' In The Rain (1952), Plymouth Adventure (1952), Young Bess (1953) and the female lead opposite Peter Lawford in The Hour of 13 (1952). She played David Niven's daughter in The Moon Is Blue (1953), a film which helped loosen the system of censorship of Hollywood which had been in place since 1934. She also embarked on a USO tour the same year to help entertain troops in Korea. She worked steadily in films during the remainder of the 1950s, including a heavily publicised role as Richard Carlson's model girlfriend in the science fiction film Riders to the Stars (1954) and the female lead opposite actor-director-filmmaker legend Charlie Chaplin in his final comedy to star himself, A King in New York (1957). During the 1960s and 1970s, she appeared mainly in British TV shows and French films.

She was a semi-regular on the instructional series En France (1962) and the leading lady in several episodes of The Saint (1962–69), which starred Roger Moore as Simon Templar. Among her last film credits were two British horror films, The Vampire Lovers (1970) and The Vault of Horror (1973), and she was also a regular in the British sitcom Father, Dear Father (1971–1973).[6] One of her last television roles was in the science fiction serial Star Maidens (1977).[7] Addams retired in the early 1980s, dividing her remaining years between Europe and the United States.

Personal life

She first married Don Vittorio Emanuele Massimo, Prince of Roccasecca, in 1954,[8] in a wedding that was the subject of a cover story in Life magazine.[9] They separated four years later, though they did not formally divorce until 1971.

Death

Addams died in 1985 in a London hospital at age 54 from cancer.[8]

Filmography

Films

Year Title Role Notes
1951 Night into Morning Dotty Phelps
The Unknown Man Ellie Fansworth
1952 Singin' in the Rain Teresa, Lady-in-Waiting Uncredited
The Hour of 13 Jane Frensham
Plymouth Adventure Priscilla Mullins
1953 Young Bess Kate Howard
The Moon Is Blue Cynthia Slater
Die Jungfrau auf dem Dach Cynthia Slader English translation: The Virgin on the Roof
The Robe Junia
1954 Riders to the Stars Susan Manners
Mizar Mizar
The Bed Janet
Return to Treasure Island Jamesina 'Jamie' Hawkins
Khyber Patrol Diana Rivington
The Count of Bragelonne Hélène de Winter
1955 Rommel's Treasure Sofia
I quattro del getto tonante Moglie di Rovi
1956 The House of Intrigue Mary
1957 A King in New York Ann Kay
1958 The Silent Enemy Third Officer Jill Masters, W.R.N.S.
1959 Die feuerrote Baronesse Szaga de Bor
Temptation Island Victoria
Pensione Edelweiss Nadia Rakesy
Prisoner of the Volga Irina Tatyana
The Treasure of San Teresa Hedi von Hartmann
The Black Chapel Tilla Turner
Secret professionnel Dr. Catherine Langeac
Come Dance with Me Anita Florès
1960 Die zornigen jungen Männer Irene
The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll Kitty Jekyll
The Thousand Eyes of Dr. Mabuse Marion Menil
1961 House of Sin Norma O'Brien
Follow That Man Janet Clark
1962 Sentimental Education Catherine Dambreuse
1963 Come Fly with Me Katie Rinard
1964 The Black Tulip La marquise Catherine de Vigogne
1965 Ballad in Blue Gina Graham
1966 Where the Bullets Fly Felicity 'Fiz' Moonlight
1969 Zeta One Zeta
1970 The Vampire Lovers The Countess
1971 Sapho ou la Fureur d'aimer Marianne
1973 The Vault of Horror Inez

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1950 The Alan Young Show Kay Prindall Sketch comedy
1953 Racket Squad Betty Grant Episode: "The Case of Lady Luck"
1955 Sherlock Holmes Doreen Meredith Episode: "The Case of the Careless Suffragette"
1956 I Tre moschettieri Alvina - Countess of Aragon Episode: "The Hapsburg Hare"
1959 Sunday Night Theatre Epifania Fitzfassenden Episode: "The Millionairess"
The Third Man Eva Episode: "Barcelona Passage"
ITV Play of the Week Jane Lockridge Episode: "Sweet Poison"
1962 Edgar Wallace Mysteries Maxine Hagen Episode: "The £20,000 Kiss"
1963 The Saint Magda Vamoff Episode: "The Fellow Traveller"
1964 Danger Man Gerdi Episode: "Fish on the Hook"
The Saint Countess Audrey Morova Episode: "The Lawless Lady"
1966 'The Saint Queen Adana Episode: "The Queen's Ransom"
1967 Emergency Ward 10 Diane Parker Episode: "Handicap Dead"
1969 Department S Dianne Lynne Episode: "Handicap Dead"
Playhouse Alma Rostalba Episode: "Romans and Friends"
1970 Armchair Theatre Margo Episode: "A Room in Town"
Ryan International Francoise Albert Episode: "Evidence of Murder"
1971 Armchair Theatre Cynthia Fenton Episode: "The Bargain Hunters"
1971-1973 Father, Dear Father Georgie Thompson Series regular
1972 The Troubleshooters Lady Diana Episode: "Whatever Became of the Year 2000?"
Crime of Passion Therese Episode: "Therese"
Sez Les 1 episode
1973 The Adventurer Lady Anne Benson Episode: "The Case of the Poisoned Pawn"
1974 Dial M for Murder Sybil Willis Episode: "Murder on Demand"
1976 Star Maidens Clara 5 episodes
1977 Crossroads Katherine Lambert 1 episode
1983 Triangle Mrs. Landers Recurring role

References

  1. Burgess, Patricia; Turner, Roland (1988). The Annual Obituary. St. Martin's. p. 221.
  2. "Dawn Addams". Glamour Girls of the Silver Screen. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
  3. "Dawn Addams Biography (1930–1985)". Filmreference.com. Retrieved 2 August 2010.
  4. Cotter, Robert Michael “Bobb” (2013). The Women of Hammer Horror: A Biographical Dictionary and Filmography. McFarland. pp. 7–8. ISBN 9781476602011. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  5. "English Actress' Contract Okeyed [sic]". Arizona Daily Star. Arizona, Tucson. Associated Press. 8 December 1950. p. 30. Retrieved 11 May 2018 via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Dawn Addams". BFI.
  7. "Dawn Addams - Biography, Movie Highlights and Photos". AllMovie.
  8. Walter Waggoner (9 May 1985). "Dawn Addams, 54, Actress is Dead". The New York Times.
  9. "Once upon a time ... a pretty girl met a prince". Life. 17 May 1954. pp. 131–134, 136. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
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