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Margaret Nolan

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Margaret Nolan
Nolan in Goldfinger (1964)
Born
Margaret Ann Nolan

(1943-10-29)29 October 1943
Hampstead, London, England
Died5 October 2020(2020-10-05) (aged 76)
Belsize Park, London, England
Other namesVicky Kennedy
Occupation(s)Actress, visual artist, model
Years active1962–2020
Spouses
​
​
(m. 1967; div. 1972)​
Michael O’Sullivan
​
​
(m. 1974, divorced)​
Partner(s)Colin Deeks
(?–2020; her death)
Children2

Margaret Ann Nolan[1] (29 October 1943 – 5 October 2020) was an English actress, visual artist and glamour model. She appeared in Goldfinger, A Hard Day's Night and six Carry On films, and also regularly appeared on screen from the 1960s to the 1980s.

Early life

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Nolan was born in Hampstead, London.[2] Her mother Molly (née O'Sullivan) was an English nurse and her father Jack was an Irish army clerk. They spent the duration of the Second World War in County Waterford in Ireland until the war ended in 1945 before returning to Hampstead. Nolan began training as a teacher but began dating Tom Kempinski, who was acting with the National Theatre Company at the time and persuaded her to begin a career in acting.

Career

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Modelling career

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Margaret Nolan began her career as a model. As her glamour modelling career took off, she was briefly known as Vicky Kennedy in the early 1960s.[3]

Acting career

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Nolan reverted to her birth name as soon as she began to find acting roles, appearing in numerous television shows, theatre productions and films. The latter included A Hard Day's Night with the Beatles,[4] Ferry Cross the Mersey with Gerry and the Pacemakers,[5] and Marcel Carné's Three Rooms in Manhattan.[6] Nolan also appeared in one of the first episodes of the television spy thriller The Saint with Roger Moore.

Nolan played the role of Dink, Bond's masseuse, in the James Bond film Goldfinger released in 1964. She was also painted gold and wore a gold bikini for Robert Brownjohn's title-sequence, advertisements and soundtrack-cover (not Shirley Eaton as in the narrative of the film). This led to photographs in Playboy magazine's James Bond's Girls edition of November 1965. In the film Carry On at Your Convenience (1971), composer Eric Rogers referenced Nolan's Goldfinger affiliation by using its three-note motif on a close-up of her. Nolan appeared on the front cover of both the US and UK versions of the 2005 book Robert Brownjohn: Sex and Typography.[7][8] In 2012, Nolan gave her first interview concerning her experiences as the model. Asked if the imagery liberates or celebrates womanhood, Nolan responded that:

It does celebrate the physical form. If I'd been nude it might have been about liberation because up to that point you wouldn't have seen a nude woman in a publicly visible thing like that. I could have been very pretentious and said this is liberating. But because I was dressed-up anyway I didn't get that sense.[9]

It became the first film-title to be shown in installation at MoMA, New York (2012).[10]

On appearing in Michael Pertwee's farce She's Done It Again at London's Garrick Theatre in 1969, Nolan was described as combining "a long list of physical attractions with a talent that has contributed to the success of many films and television plays".[11] She was known for five BBC series with Spike Milligan and in 2013 published a short essay on her time working with him. Nolan gave a live reading of the work at the Poetry Society in Covent Garden, reviewed by What's On London as a "deeply-personal memoir... her performance simply magical."[12] She spoke of her awareness of Milligan's depressive character but also of their friendly working relationship; noting that "Professionally, he taught me that timing is what makes things funny. Timing is crucial."[13] Nolan was cast in several Carry On films[4] including Carry On Girls (1973). The film contains the scene of Nolan (in a silver bikini) and Barbara Windsor cat-fighting on a hotel floor.[14]

Nolan also appeared in serious theatre, motivated by political themes.[2] In 2011, Nolan's work as a comedy actress was recognised with her name included on Gordon Young's Comedy Carpet installation in front of Blackpool Tower.[15] Also in 2011, Nolan returned to the screen after a gap of nearly three decades. She starred in a role especially written for her by Ann Cameron, in Yvonne Deutschman's The Power of Three.[4]

In 2019, Edgar Wright cast her in his 2021 film Last Night in Soho.[4] It was Nolan's final film appearance.

Art career

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In 1991, Nolan moved to Andalusia in Spain to a rural farmhouse in the mountains where she practised permaculture. It was here that she became a visual artist.[4]

As a visual artist, Nolan produced graphic and sometimes grotesque photo-montages assembled from cut-outs of her early publicity photographs.[16] These pieces concern "a unique and personal dialogue intrinsically related to a view of a woman and how a woman is viewed."[17] She exhibited in London at venues including the Brick Lane Gallery (2009), The Misty Moon Gallery (2013) and Gallery Different (2013), whilst a screen-print is held by Kemistry Gallery.[18] In 2007, Nolan moved back to London.[19][20]

In 2009, early publicity shots of Nolan inspired screen-prints by Brighton-based graffiti artist Hutch.[21] Nolan's work in photo-montage was also selected for the front cover of Playerist poetry magazine (No. 2, 2012).[22] In 2013, her artworks featured in the group show equals: exploring feminism through art and conversation at Blankspace Manchester;[23] the press release quoting that: "Her voice carries alongside universal debate on socio-sexual hierarchies in the age of mass media."[24]

Personal life and death

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Nolan was married to English playwright Tom Kempinski in 1967 and divorced in 1972. They had two sons.[25]

Nolan died of cancer on 5 October 2020 at her home in Belsize Park, London, at age 76.[26][27][28] She had sought to write a memoir with Paul Stenning.[29]

Filmography

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Nolan's acting career covers works in television and cinema.[30]

Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1964 It's a Bare, Bare World! Vicki [3]
The Four Poster Girl Short film
Saturday Night Out Julie
A Hard Day's Night Girl at Casino
The Beauty Jungle Caroline
Goldfinger Dink
1965 Ferry Cross the Mersey Norah
Three Rooms in Manhattan June
Carry On Cowboy Miss Jones
1966 Promise Her Anything Mail-Order Film Girl
The Great St Trinian's Train Robbery Susie Naphill
1967 Bikini Paradise Margarita [31]
1968 Witchfinder General Girl at Inn Billed as Maggie Nolan in end credits
Don't Raise the Bridge, Lower the River Spink's nurse
1969 Can Heironymus Merkin Ever Forget Mercy Humppe and Find True Happiness? Little Assistance
Crooks and Coronets Girlfriend
The Best House in London Busty Prostitute
1970 Toomorrow Johnson
1971 Carry On Henry Buxom Lass
Carry On at Your Convenience Popsy
1972 Frenzy Young Woman (scene cut)
Carry On Matron Mrs Tucker
1973 No Sex Please, We're British Barbara
Carry On Girls Dawn Brakes
1974 Carry On Dick Lady Daley
1983 Positions of Power Elizabeth Nihell Short film
1986 Sky Bandits Waitress
2011 The Power of Three Dame Margaret [4]
2021 Last Night in Soho Sage Barmaid Posthumous release[4]

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1963 The Saint Daisy Episode: "Iris"
1964 ITV Play of the Week Space Hostess Episode: "Deep and Crisp and Stolen"
1965 Danger Man Mrs Elliot Episode: "Parallel Lines Sometimes Meet"
1965 199 Park Lane Martine 3 episodes
1965 Buddenbrooks Babette Episode: "Lengthening Shadows"
1966 Thirty-Minute Theatre Eve Episode: "The Enchanted Night"
1966 Hugh and I Dolly Episode: "Goodbye Dolly"
1966 The World of Wooster Mabel Episode: "Jeeves Exerts the Old Cerebellum"
1966 Theatre 625 Fantasy Girl Episode: "A Man Like That"
1966 Take a Pair of Private Eyes Doreen 3 episodes
1966 The Newcomers Mercedes 17 episodes
1966 Adam Adamant Lives! Sadie Episode: "More Deadly than the Sword"
1967 Armchair Theatre Au Pair Episode: "Compensation Alice"
1967 After Many a Summer Girl TV film
1967 The Wednesday Play Margie "Death of a Private"[2]
1968 Nearest and Dearest Nemone Moore Episode: "Take a Letter"
1968 Mystery and Imagination Vampire Episode: "Dracula" (1968)
Credited as: Marie Legrand
1969 The World of Beachcomber Various 4 episodes
1969 Run a Crooked Mile Secretary TV film
1970 Brian Rix Presents... Melissa Episode: "Clutterbuck"
1970 The Adventures of Don Quick Dulcie Episode: "The Benefits of Earth"
1971 Brian Rix Presents... Pat Thompson Episode: "Reluctant Heroes"
1971–1972 Budgie Inga 3 episodes
1971 The Persuaders! Sophie Episode: "Element of Risk"
1971 Brian Rix Presents... Sylvia Episode: "She's Done It Again!"
1971 Mr. Tumbleweed Leading Huntress TV film
1972 Steptoe and Son Nemone Wagstaff Episode: "A Star is Born"
1972 New Scotland Yard Gudrun Lindblom Episode: "Evidence of Character"
1972 My Wife Next Door Myra Episode: "Pregnant Moment"
1973 Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? Jackie Episode: "I'll Never Forget Whatshername"
1973 Crown Court Angela Mercer 3 episodes
1973 The Moon Shines Bright on Charlie Chaplin Stella TV film
1973 Black and Blue Lynda Cherry Episode: "The Middle-of-the-Road Roadshow for All the Family"
1973 Men of Affairs Gloria Episode: "Horseface"
1973 Last of the Summer Wine Connie Episode: "Pâté and Chips"
1974 Late Night Drama Gillian Episode: "M + M"
1975 The Sweeney Betty Episode: "Thin Ice"
1975 Q6 Various 3 episodes
1976 I Didn't Know You Cared Barmaid Episode: "The Way My Wife Looks at Me"
1980 Fox Sheila Fox 3 episodes
1981 Brideshead Revisited Effie Episode: "The Bleak Light of Day"
1981 Charlie Was a Rich Man Unknown TV film[32]
1983 Crown Court Frances O'Reilly Episode: "Sword in the Hand of David: Part 1"
1983 Crossroads Denise Paget Unknown episodes[33]

Theatre

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Fringe

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  • Why Bournemouth? (1968)
  • It Has No Choice
  • A Minor Scene
  • Homo
  • Stimulation
  • Super Santa
  • How the Vote Was Won (1986)
  • Daughters of Men (1986)

Provincial

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West End

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References

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  1. ^ "Search Results for England & Wales Marriages 1837-2005". Search.findmypast.co.uk. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  2. ^ a b c "About me". The Official Margaret Nolan Website. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  3. ^ a b "Margaret Nolan - actor, artist and Goldfinger title sequence star - dies aged 76". The Guardian. 12 October 2020. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g "Margaret Nolan, 'A Hard Day's Night' actress, has died, aged 76". NME. 12 October 2020. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
  5. ^ "Ferry Cross The Mersey". TV Guide. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
  6. ^ AlloCine, Casting de Trois chambres à Manhattan (in French), retrieved 12 October 2020
  7. ^ "Sign Design Society - Home". Signdesignsociety.co.uk. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  8. ^ King, Emily (24 October 2005). Sex & Typography: Robert Brownjohn : 1925-1970, Life and Work. Laurence King Publishing. ISBN 185669464X. ASIN 185669464X.
  9. ^ Playerist (2012:03) Margaret Nolan Interview Playerist No. 2
  10. ^ "MoMA - Goldfinger: A Convergence at MoMA". Moma.org. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  11. ^ Flink, S (1969:13) Margaret Nolan Garrick Theatre Playbill Volume 4 No. 11
  12. ^ "Poetry Café: Playerist Comedy Night – Review - What's on London". Whats-on-london.co.uk. 21 October 2013. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  13. ^ Nolan, M (2013) Room at the Top Playerist No. 3, p. 16
  14. ^ Hunter, I. Q.; Porter, Laraine (2012). British Comedy Cinema. Routledge. p. 111. ISBN 978-0-415-66667-1.
  15. ^ "Comedy Carpet - Comedians". Comedycarpet.co.uk. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  16. ^ "Margaret Nolan. Photomontages". Margaret Nolan Official Website. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  17. ^ Playerist (2012:02) Margaret Nolan Interview Playerist No. 2
  18. ^ "Margaret Nolan. Photomontage Exhibitions". Margaret Nolan Official Website. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  19. ^ "Margaret Nolan Art". Facebook.com. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  20. ^ "Margaret Nolan (@MaggieNolan007) - Twitter". Twitter.com. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  21. ^ "Dink". Flickr.com. 30 November 2012. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  22. ^ "Playerist Poetry Magazine". Facebook.com. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  23. ^ "equals: exploring feminism through art & conversation launches 11th July". Manchester’s Finest. 5 July 2013. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  24. ^ BLANKSPACE, Manchester (2013:01 [Slidel, 2013]) equals: Press Release
  25. ^ "Margaret Nolan obituary". The Times. 12 October 2020. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 12 October 2020. They divorced in 1972 and she is survived by their two sons, Oscar Deeks, a cinematographer, and Luke O'Sullivan.
  26. ^ Mele, Christopher (12 October 2020). "Margaret Nolan, 'Goldfinger' Actress, Dies at 76". The New York Times.
  27. ^ "Margaret Nolan, Goldfinger title sequence star, dies at 76". The Irish Times. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  28. ^ Shafer, Ellise (11 October 2020). "Margaret Nolan, 'Goldfinger' Model and Actress in 'A Hard Day's Night,' Dies at 76". Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  29. ^ BBC Radio 5 interview with Dawn Dunlop, 2015
  30. ^ The filmography section (unless otherwise stated) is supported by the following sources :
  31. ^ "Bikini Paradise (1967) - Overview - TCM.com". Turner Classic Movies. 7 June 2013. Archived from the original on 7 June 2013. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  32. ^ "Charlie Was a Rich Man (TV) (1981)". Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  33. ^ Watkins, Mike (21 March 2013). "World Down Syndrome Day remembers Nina of Crossroads". ATV Today. Retrieved 16 October 2020.

Bibliography

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