Andrée Melly
Andrée Melly | |
---|---|
![]() Melly inThe Brides of Dracula(1960) | |
Born | Liverpool,Lancashire,England, United Kingdom | 15 September 1932
Died | 31 January 2020 | (aged 87)
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 1952–1990 |
Spouse | Oscar Quitak |
Relatives | George Melly(brother) |
Andrée Melly(15 September 1932 – 31 January 2020) was an English actress.
Early life
[edit]Melly was born on 15 December 1932 inLiverpool,Lancashireto Edith and Francis Melly. She made her stage début aged nine at the Little Theatre,Southport.After leavingBelvedere School,she attended the Swissfinishing schoolMon Fertile, after which she acted inrepertory theatre.[1]
Career
[edit]She performed at theOld VicinRomeo and Juliet,The Merchant of VeniceandT.S. Eliot'sMurder in the Cathedralin her early twenties and worked withPeter FinchandRobert Donatat the theatre.[2]In 1958, she appeared with theJamaicanactorLloyd Reckordin theTed WillisplayHot Summer Night,a production which was later adapted for theArmchair Theatreseries in 1959[3]and in which she was a participant in the earliest knowninterracial kiss on television.She continued to appear on British television until 1991.[4]Her other stage work includes the originalWest Endproduction of the farceBoeing-Boeingat theApollo Theatrein 1962 withDavid Tomlinsonand as Alice "Childie" McNaught inThe Killing of Sister GeorgeatSt Martin'sin 1966.[5][6]
Melly appeared in British films, including the comedyThe Belles of St. Trinian's(1954) and theHammer HorrorfilmThe Brides of Dracula(1960).[7]Her role in the latter film was as Gina, a woman who is bitten by Baron Meinster, a vampire, turning her into another undead character.[5]
She reported in an interview with the writer Oscar Martinez in the magazineLittle Shoppe of Horrorsthat she had played the role of Dracula's bride because she wanted to explore varied characters. She had previously played, on BBC television,Joan of Arc,andJo MarchinLittle Women,and the first white woman who played opposite a black man in a romantic drama in the West End,Hot Summer Night.She also played a lesbian lead inThe Killing of Sister Georgealso in the West End, in keeping with unusual roles.
During the filming ofThe Brides of Dracula,she invited her older brotherGeorge Melly,who was writing the cartoon stripFlook(drawn byTrog) inThe Daily Mail,to come to the film set to capture the filming of her climbing out of a coffin dressed as a vampire. George satirised his visit in his comic strip by having the character Flook visit a horror film studio that was employing his sister, who was playing a witch. The episode subsequently reappeared as a chapter on "My Little Sister" in George's fictional autobiography,I, Flook(1962), in which Andrée's character, Lucretia, is described as having "long ratty hair and not too clean", and "baleful malevolence" in her eyes.[8]
When Oscar Martinez interviewed Melly and her husband, the actorOscar Quitak,he called the interview "The Vampire Woman and the Hunchback" because Quitak had played a hunchback in another Hammer horror film,The Revenge of Frankenstein.[9]
Melly playedTony Hancock's girlfriend in two series of theHancock's Half Hour(1955–1956) radio series replacingMoira Lister.[5][10]With the death ofBill Kerrin 2014, Melly was the last surviving regular cast member ofHancock's Half Hour.From 1967 to 1976, she was a regular panellist in theBBCradio comedyJust a Minute.[5]Along withSheila Hancock,she was one of the most regular female contestants, appearing in fifty-four episodes between 1967 and 1976.[11]In 1972, she chaired an episode.[12]She was the first panellist to win points for talking for the prescribed 60 seconds without hesitation, repetition or deviation.[2]She also appeared in several episodes ofThe Benny Hill Show.[2]
Personal life
[edit]One of her two brothers, George Melly, was a jazz singer.[10]She latterly lived inIbizawith her husband.[7]The marriage produced two children.
Melly died on 31 January 2020 at the age of 87.[13]Her husband survived her.
Filmography
[edit]Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1952 | So Little Time | Paulette | Film |
1954 | The Belles of St. Trinian's | Lucretia | Film |
1956 | The Secret Tent | Ruth Martyn | Film |
1957 | The Passionate Stranger(akaA Novel Affair) | Marla | Film |
1958 | Nowhere to Go | Rosa, cocktail waitress | Film |
1960 | Beyond the Curtain | Linda | Film |
The Brides of Dracula | Gina | Film | |
The Big Day | Nina Wentworth | Film | |
1964 | The Horror of It All | Natalia Marley | Film |
Boy with a Flute | Caroline Laser | Short film |
Television appearances
[edit]Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1952 | The Poppenkast | Katryn | Television film |
1953 | A Loan from Lorenzo | Elizabeth Woodville, Queen of England | Television film |
1954 | The Maid of Domrémy | Jeanne d'Arc | Television film |
1955 | Cornelia | Cornelia Taft | Television film |
Theatre Royal
(aka Lilli Palmer Theatre) |
Alycia Lawrence | Episode: "The Orderly" | |
1956 | Act of Violence | Lenora | Television film |
ITV Television Playhouse | Georgie Harlow | Episode: "Woman in a Dressing Gown" | |
The Gambler | Mlle. Blanche de Cominges | Television film | |
Plaintiff in a Pretty Hat | Jennifer Wren | Television film | |
1957 | Assignment Foreign Legion | Denise | Television series. Episode: "As We Forgive" |
Hour of Mystery | Sally Joss | Episode: "No Charge for the Proof" | |
1958 | Saturday Playhouse | Hilda Crompton | Episode: "My Flesh, My Blood" |
Little Women | Jo March | Television series. 6 episodes | |
1958–1959 | Armchair Theatre | Louise Beauchamp / Kathie Palmer | 2 episodes: "Night of the Ding-Dong" (1958) and "Hot Summer Night" (1959) |
1959 | People of the Night | Vera | Television film |
Dangerous Ice | Miss Sennet | Television film | |
The Men from Room 13 | Caroline | Television series. 2 episodes: "The Man Who Sold Romances: Parts 1 & 2" | |
1960 | BBC Sunday-Night Play | Mary Preston | Episode: "Twentieth Century Theatre: Musical Chairs" |
Maigret | Ernestine | Television series.Episode: "The Burglar's Wife" | |
1961 | A Life of Bliss | April Summers | Television series. 3 episodes |
You Can't Win | Ella | Television series. Episode: "To Wait Collection" | |
1962 | Boeing-Boeing | Jacqueline | Television film |
Tales of Mystery | Ilse | Television series. Episode: "Ancient Sorceries" | |
Zero One | Tina Stavros | Television series. Episode: "The Marriage Broker" | |
Let's Imagine | self | Television series. Episode: "Being a Leading Lady" | |
1963 | The Human Jungle | Gloria | Television series. Episode: "Run with the Devil" |
1963–1964 | ITV Play of the Week | Melanie / Mary Boyce | 2 episodes: "The Quails" (1963) and "A Case of Character" (1964) |
1965 | The Wednesday Play | Alicia | Episode: "The Navigators" |
1967 | Thirty-Minute Theatre | The Wife | Episode: "Teeth" |
1968 | The Sex Game | Alison Watkins | Television series. Episode: "Return Match" |
1969 | ITV Playhouse | Leslie Amlett | Episode: "Uncle Jonathan" |
1970 | The Doctors | Lena Freeman | Television series. 10 episodes |
ITV Sunday Night Theatre | Joanna | Episode: "The Insider" | |
1971 | Gardeners' World | narrator | Television series |
1971 | The Benny Hill Show | various characters | Television series. Sketches: "The Grass is Greener" (24 March 1971); "New England 1635", "The Movie Shakers" (24 November 1971) |
1972 | He Said, She Said | self | Television series |
1973 | Spy Trap | Susan | Episode: "Salvage" |
1973 | The Benny Hill Show | Bo Peep's sister | Television series. Sketch: "Naked Lust in Sinful Sweden" (27 December 1973) |
1974 | The Best of Benny Hill | Interviewer ( "The Grass Is Greener" ) | Television film |
1981 | Tiny Revolutions | Agnesa Kalina | Television film |
1984 | The Fasting Girl | Caroline | Television film |
1988 | Turn on to T-Bag | Queen Madeleine | Television series. Episode: "The Two Musketeers" |
1990 | T-Bag and the Pearls of Wisdom | Osiris | Television series. Episode: "Tut Tut" |
1990–1991 | The Third Wave | self | Television discussion series. 4 episodes. |
Radio appearances
[edit]The appearances below have been sourced from the BBC Programme Index.[14]
Year | Title | Role | Notes (dates are first broadcast) |
---|---|---|---|
1952 | Mistress Macham's Repose | Maria | BBC Home Service, 6 April 1952 |
1955–1956 | Hancock's Half Hour | Andrée | BBC Light Programme, 33 episodes |
1955 | Manservant and Maidservant | Sarah | BBC Home Service, 11 January 1955 |
1955 | Waters of the Moon | Tonetta | BBC Home Service, 9 June 1955 |
1957 | The Repair of Heaven | Allan McClelland | BBC Third Programme, 9 April 1957 |
1959 | Unaccompanied Child | Jane | BBC Home Service, 20 September 1959 |
1959 | Rhinoceros | Daisy | BBC Third Programme, 12 September 1959 |
1960 | Dead Men's Embers | Jane Cleary | BBC Home Service, 8 May 1960 |
1960 | Woman's Hour | self | BBC Light Programme, 12 July 1960 |
1960 | Home For the Day | BBC Home Service, 10 September 1960 | |
1962 | A Girl in a Garden | Gwen | BBC Home Service, 28 August 1962 |
1962 | London Mirror | self | BBC Light Programme, 10 March 1962 |
1962 | Medea | Creusa | BBC Third Programme, 12 December 1962 |
1963 | Don't Listen, Ladies | Madeline | BBC Home Service, 8 July 1963 |
1966 | Woman's Hour | self | BBC Light Programme, 18 January 1966 |
1967–1976 | Just a Minute | self | BBC Radio 4, 54 episodes |
1968 | Play School | self | BBC Radio Two, 2 episodes |
1969 | Story Time | BBC Radio 4, 4 episodes | |
1969 | Saturday-Night Theatre | BBC Radio 4, Episode: "The Lady of Lyons", 18 October 1969 | |
1970–1973 | Petticoat Line | self | BBC Radio 4, 8 episodes |
1971 | Right or Wrong? | self | BBC Radio 2 & Radio 4, 7 episodes |
1971 | Saturday-Night Theatre | Catherine | BBC Radio 4, Episode: "The Hidden Face", 23 January 1971 |
1974 | Husband of the Year | self | BBC Radio 2, 23 February 1974 |
1975 | Many a Slip | self | BBC Radio 4, 22 December 1975 |
1976 | Twenty Questions | self | BBC Radio 4, 14 July 1976 |
1989 | With Great Pleasure | self | BBC Radio 4, 30 July 1989 |
Theatre appearances
[edit]The appearances below have been sourced from Theatricalia.[15]
Year | Production | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1951 | Traveller’s Joy | Eva | 15–20 January, New Theatre, Bromley. |
1951 | Captain Carvallo | Anni | 8–19 October,Nottingham Playhouse(Goldsmith Street). |
1952 | Italian Straw Hat | Wedding Guest | started 18 November,The Old Vic,London. |
1952–1953 | Love for Love | Bristol Old Vic– Theatre Royal. | |
1952–1953 | Romeo and Juliet | The Old Vic, London. | |
1952–1953 | Murder in the Cathedral | The Old Vic, London. | |
1952–1953 | The Merchant of Venice | The Old Vic, London. | |
1953 | The Moon is Blue | (understudy) Patty O'Neill | 7 July – 5 December 1953,Duke of York’s Theatre,London. |
1954 | The Moon is Blue | Patty O'Neill | 5 March – 31 July,Vaudeville Theatre,(Strand) London. |
1955 | The Ghost Writers | Julie Bedford | 9 February – 6 March, Arts Theatre, London. |
1955 | The Moon is Blue | Patty O'Neill | 2–7 May,Theatre Royal, Windsor. |
1955 | Sabrina Fair | Sabrina Fairchild | 1–6 August, Theatre Royal, Windsor. |
1956 | I Am a Camera | Sally Bowles | 14–19 May, Theatre Royal, Windsor. |
1956–1957 | Plaintiff in a Pretty Hat | Jennifer Wren | 12 October – 14 September 1957, Duchess Theatre, London, St Martin’s Theatre, London, and other locations. |
1958–1959 | Hot Summer Night | Kathie Palmer | 29 September – 10 January 1959,Bristol Hippodrome,New Theatre, London(now Noël Coward Theatre), and other locations. |
1961 | Roots | Beatie Bryant | 6–19 March, Theatre Royal, Windsor. |
1961 | Boeing Boeing | Jacqueline | 9 October – 16 December,New Theatre, Oxford,Grand Theatre& Opera House, Leeds, and other locations. |
1963 | The Shot in Question | Elizabeth Mayle | 1 April – 18 May, Duchess Theatre, London, Theatre Royal, Brighton, and other locations. |
1965–1966 | The Killing of Sister George | Alice 'Childie' McNaught (replacement) | 20 April – 10 December, Bristol Old Vic – Theatre Royal, Theatre Royal, Bath, and other locations. |
1962–1967 | Boeing Boeing | 20 February – 7 January, Apollo Theatre (Shaftesbury Avenue), London and Duchess Theatre, London. | |
1967 | As You Like It | 21 March – 24 May,Birmingham Repertory Theatre. | |
1969 | Mixed Doubles | A Man's Best Friend:Jackie;Norma:The Woman;Permanence:Helen;Silver Wedding:Audrey | 6 February – 28 June, Comedy Theatre, London (nowHarold Pinter Theatre,London) and Hampstead Theatre, London. |
1973 | That’s No Lady, That’s My Husband | Hilary Plummer | 19 February – 31 March,Theatre Royal, Brighton,New Theatre, Hull,and other locations. |
1983 | The Bed Before Yesterday | Alma | 21 April – 7 May,Theatre Royal, Plymouth. |
1983–1984 | Morning’s at Seven | Theatre Royal, Bath. | |
1984 | Morning’s at Seven | Myrtle Brown | 3 May – 19 August,Westminster Theatre,London,Watford Palace Theatre,and other locations. |
1984 – 1985 | Gala – A Tribute toJoyce Grenfell | Aldwych Theatre,London. | |
1988 | Kindly Keep It Covered | Vanessa Harbinger | 9 March – 14 May Theatre Royal, Bath, Churchill Theatre, Bromley, and other locations. |
1991 | Just Between Ourselves | Marjorie | 2 October – 2 November,Bristol Old Vic– Theatre Royal. |
References
[edit]- ^"Obituary: Andrée Melly, actress who went from Hancock's Half-Hour and The Brides of Dracula to radio's Just a Minute".The Herald.21 April 2020.Retrieved26 June2024.
- ^abc"Andrée Melly obituary".The Times.London. 4 March 2020.Retrieved5 March2020.(subscription required)
- ^Oliver Wake"Hot Summer Night(1959) ",BFI screenonline
- ^"Andrée Melly".BFI.Archived fromthe originalon 8 January 2017.
- ^abcd"Andrée Melly, actress whose many roles included a vampire's victim in a Hammer horror film – obituary".The Daily Telegraph.9 March 2020.Retrieved9 March2020.
- ^"Andree Melly: Theatricalia".theatricalia.com.
- ^abCotter, Robert Michael “Bobb” (10 January 2014).The Women of Hammer Horror: A Biographical Dictionary and Filmography.McFarland.ISBN9781476602011– via Google Books.
- ^Melly, George(1962).I, Flook: an autobiography.London: Macmillan. pp. 19–30.
- ^Oscar, Martinez (1990). "The Vampire Woman and the Hunchback".Little Shoppe of Horrors Magazine, Published by Richard Klemensen(10/11).
- ^abStevens, Christopher (2010).Born Brilliant: The Life Of Kenneth Williams.John Murray. p. 81.ISBN978-1-84854-195-5.
- ^"Andrée Melly – National Portrait Gallery".www.npg.org.uk.
- ^"Just A Minute radio season 6 1971–1972".just-a-minute.info.
- ^Telegraph Deaths Announcements: QUITAK
- ^"Andree Melly".BBC Programme Index.Retrieved26 June2024.
- ^"Andrée Melly".Theatricalia.Retrieved22 July2024.
External links
[edit]- Andree MellyatIMDb
- Just a Minute Information site(Archived25 October 2009)