Imogen Hassall

Infobox Actor
name = Imogen Hassall

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imagesize =
caption =
birthname =
birthdate = birth date|1942|8|25|mf=y
birthplace = Woking, Surrey, England, United Kingdom
deathdate = death date and age|1980|11|16|1942|8|25|mf=y
deathplace = Wimbledon London, England, United Kingdom
othername = Imogen Hassell
spouse = Kenneth Ives
Andrew Knox (January 1979 - May 1979)

Imogen Hassall (25 August 1942 — 16 November 1980) was a British actress who appeared in several films during the 1960s and 1970s.

Biography

Hassall, whose name was inspired by Shakespeare's heroine featured in "Cymbeline", was born in Woking, Surrey, to a family of artists and business people. Her grandfather, John Hassall, and her aunt, Joan, worked as illustrators, while her father, Christopher Hassall, was a poet and lyricist. Her godfather was the composer Ivor Novello.

After having studied at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, she appeared in 1960s British TV shows such as "The Saint" and "The Avengers". In her first significant role she played Tara in "The Long Duel" (1967), but her fame became consolidated as a sexy primitive woman in "When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth" (1970).

Hassall married twice, though she acquired a reputation for promiscuity that made her a favourite object of British tabloid newspapers' pages. She was often referred to by the nickname The Countess of Cleavage which was given to her due to her habit of appearing at film premieres in revealing dresses.

She was found dead in her Wimbledon home on the morning of Sunday 16 November 1980 when she failed to meet a friend with whom she was due to go on holiday that day. She had committed suicide by overdosing on Tuinal tablets.

elected filmography

* "The Early Bird" (1965)
* "Press for Time" (Uncredited, 1966)
* "The Long Duel" (1967)
* "When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth" (1969)
* "Mummy, Nanny, Sonny and Girly" (1969)
* "Carry On Loving" (1970)
* "Incense for the Damned" (1970)
* "The Virgin and the Gypsy" (1970)
* "Toomorrow" (1970)
* "El Condor" (1970)
* "Take a Girl Like You" (1971)
* "Images" (1972)
* "White Cargo" (1974)
* "License to Love and Kill" (1979)

Television

* "The Sentimental Agent" (1 episode, 1963)
* "The Saint" (3 episodes, 1964-1968)
* "No Hiding Place" (1 episode, 1965)
* "Theatre 625" (1 episode, 1967)
* "The Avengers" (1 episode, 1967)
* "Champion House" (1 episode, 1967)
* "The Wednesday Play" (1 episode, 1967)
* "Play of the Month" (1 episode, 1967)
* "The Troubleshooters" (1 episode, 1967)
* "The Champions" (1 episode, 1968)
* "Softly, Softly" (1 episode, 1970)
* "The Persuaders!" (1 episode, 1972)
* "Jason King" (1 episode, 1972)

References

*cite book | author=Leissner, D. | title=Tuesday's Child: The Life and Death of Imogen Hassall | publisher=Luminary Press, Baltimore, Maryland, USA | year=2002 | id=ISBN 1-887664-47-5

External links

*imdb name|id=0368302|name=Imogen Hassall
* [http://hammerglam.topcities.com/actresses/hassall.htm Biography and review of D.Leissner's book]
*Find A Grave|id=20195548

Persondata
NAME= Hassall, Imogen
ALTERNATIVE NAMES= Hassell, Imogen
SHORT DESCRIPTION= Actress
DATE OF BIRTH= 25 August 1942
PLACE OF BIRTH= Woking, Surrey, England
DATE OF DEATH= 16 November 1980
PLACE OF DEATH= Wimbledon, London, England