Carry on Valerie (From Daily Echo)

Carry on Valerie

2:55pm Friday 29th January 2010 in

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SEVENTIES screen siren Valerie Leon is to reveal the winners of the Daily Echo’s coveted Curtain Call Awards tonight in a glittering ceremony at the De Vere Grand Harbour Hotel.

The star of several Carry On films, two Bond films and cult Hammer horror Blood From The Mummy’s Tomb will be handing out prizes at our sold-out tenth annual black tie bash.

Lorelei Reddin talks to the actress, probably best known for her appearance in the Hai Karate aftershave advertisements, ahead of the event…

What does a day in the life of Valerie Leon involve these days?

“Well I did a show called Valerie Leon’s Carry On in which I talked about my life and work illustrated with vintage material. Somebody who came and saw it, who will coincidentally be at the Curtain Call Awards, is really interested in doing something with it. We’re sending out a mailshot to all the theatres around England to see if there is interest in it. That’s quite exciting. It means I will have to rework it into two distinct acts as theatres like to sell ice creams at the interval, so I’m working on that. It’s going to be called Up Front with Valerie Leon.

“The most recent thing I’ve worked on was a commercial in South Africa and I haven’t done one of those for years. I had two weeks in Cape Town, which was lovely, and only one day’s shooting and one day’s fitting, on top of the travelling. It’s for Right Guard and will be shown in Germany, Ukraine and Russia, with an option of the UK. Workwise, I’ve had some recent parts like in Last of the Summer Wine and The Green Green Grass.

“I also have my grandchildren who I like to go and visit regularly. My daughter is a journalist, she runs the Saturday Magazine at the Guardian and she has two little ones. I like to go and see her and them.”

What was the most memorable role of your acting career? “They were all memorable for different reasons, but not always for the right reasons. The Hammer horror Blood From the Mummy’s Tomb where I had a dual starring role was totally jinxed. It originally starred Peter Cushing but he had to pull out as his wife was desperately ill. Then one of the crew died in a motorbike accident, which was terribly spooky as my fiance in the film died the same way. Then the director Seth Holt had the hiccups for a week, which we all found incredibly funny until he dropped dead at the age of 47.

“The Bond films were also particularly memorable especially for what they led to afterwards. After Never Say Never Again I got to go to Japan twice and had a great time with pictures of Sean Connery all over my body! It was wonderful.”

Which was your favourite Bond?

“I’ve worked with Roger Moore four times and he’s definitely my favourite, although everyone thinks of Sean Connery as the definitive Bond.”

Are there any parts you would have loved which slipped through your fingers?

“Oh God, yes. I was too nice though, I would go for auditions and suggest other people for the role! There was one that went to Shakira Caine, Michael Caine’s wife that I really wanted, but it couldn’t have been that important as I can’t think what it was now! I was lucky to make a little niche for myself in what I did. I was seen as the foil to Norman Wisdom, Ronnie Corbett, Morecambe and Wise and Frankie Howerd. They were marvellous comedians, but very much of their time.”

The event tonight will feature the great and good of the amateur dramatics world. What advice would you give to aspiring actors and actresses?

“Well I’m going to talk a little about my background in amateur dramatics tonight, but what I would say is get as much experience as possible. There’s so much fringe theatre around and you can apply for that. I mean you earn peanuts, but it’s great experience. You have to graft, you have to push, you have to send off letters and photographs. It’s even harder these days of course because of reality television and five minute wonders. Theatre is a different world from TV and film and everyone watches TV these days. My good fortune was that I am associated with the three great cults – Carry On, Bond and Hammer horrors.

“I’m thrilled to be asked to come along to the awards. I think they’re a wonderful idea and I’m really looking forward to it.”