Let's begin at the beginning...
Having brushed aside her teacher training and utilising her seemingly effortless natural beauty, Margaret began her career as many other actresses at the time did, as a successful model. She soon found the call to acting too much to resist, leading to auditions and eventually the biggest break any young actress could achieve, a role (well, two in fact!) in what was to become regarded as the genre defining Bond film, Goldfinger.
Turning down the option to be the sole Bond girl touring the world to promote the Bond franchise for an extended period during and after Goldfinger's release, Margaret successfully pursued further film and television roles. She still ended up a vital part of the Bond promotional campaign, featuring on the official Goldfinger front of house poster image as well as on album soundtrack sleeves and other memorabilia. A giant billboard version of the front of house poster using Margaret's gold painted image very prominently was produced for the film's premiere in London's Leicester Square Odeon cinema.
For me personally, Margaret was this mysterious, yet extremely compelling glamorous woman who seemed to crop up in many films and the majority of T. V. shows I watched as a child and as an impressionable teenager. She played many a walk-on part as a glamour girl, yet with an assured edge to her that intrigued me immensely.
I somehow got the feeling that despite the 'Carry On' silver bikini's, cleavage, variety of accents put on and all the brief 'dolly bird' (groan!) walk-on parts she played, there was much more to this lady than just the astonishing looks.
I'm glad to say I found I was right.
Digging deeper into the material that is still readily available (with no thanks to the BBC and their policy of dumping or re-using video tape recordings) for example, you cannot help but be impressed with performances in the well-known 'Budgie' T.V. drama, or in the film-noir of 'Trois Chambres a' Manhatten'.
Margaret was also a key part in 70's soap leviathan, 'Crossroads' potraying the mother of a downs syndrone girl - no lightweight part in itself; carrying huge responsibilities to represent the syndrome appropriately within the format of what was then a very popular entertaining prime-time soap opera.
Digging further, Margaret appears in numerous comedy shows, either playing it 'straight' or immersing herself in the wackiness as she does in the more riotous hilarity of Spike Milligan's 'Q' series, not only does this reflect Margaret's own humour but also the ability as an adaptable artist.
I just wish more of her television drama was still available to view as she played many parts in quite high-profile dramas during the 60's. Thanks to the BBC Genome website carrying Radio Times listings from that era, I will be transcribing whatever I can find there, sadly, without video clips.
Of course, this is all leaving aside her passion and ability to produce art works of some impact and intensity - another blog, another time!
In my opinion, looking at Margaret's acting career, I'm still inclined to think British cinema at the time missed out on establishing a very glamorous iconic film leading heroine, along the lines of a home-grown Marilyn Monroe, combining undeniable beauty and intellect. Our very own definitive British 'blonde bombshell' poster girl of the silver screen.
Bearing in mind the other glamorous female leading ladies of the time, it's hard to understand why Margaret never quite got the recognition to be the household name she could easily have been and deserved to be. Margaret herself has her own theories on this, stating her later involvement with political theatre could've perhaps made her less palatable for employment than other actresses of the time, a great shame.
Leaving that aside, how many other young aspiring actresses at that time could say they have worked with Sean Connery (Bond!), The Beatles (in 'A Hard Days Night') as well as a variety of big name comedy legends?
TO BE CONTINUED...
For more details of Margaret's acting -
