Caroline Munro – from Vincent Price’s Dead Wife to 007’s Bond Girl!
Time to celebrate another 007 “Bond Girl”…while that sounds derogatory, this is a description that has been used since the series premiered in 1963…with this legendary “Bond Girl”:
Ursula Andress was also known as “Ursula UNDRESS!” See why here:
Ursula Andress – Or “UNDRESS!” 007’s First “Bond Girl”! Honey Ryder Was 60’s Sex Kitten!
There are a number of unique Bond Girls as well, which leads us to Caroline Munro:
Munro got her start as a Vogue model when she was seventeen, and quickly began showing up in bit parts in films such as the 1967 James Bond spoof, “Casino Royale.” In the pic above, she is the third woman from the left…
Some don’t consider this James Bond spoof a real 007 film, but I say we celebrate Munro’s role…just as we did for this Bond Girl as well:
Barbara Bouchet was also in “Casino Royale”, and you see more of her here:
https://johnrieber.com/2014/04/29/classic-sex-kitten-james-bonds-sexy-co-star-barbara-bouchet/
Now, back to Munro: after her small role in the Bond film, Caroline’s first big role was in 1971, opposite Horror legend Vincent Price in “The Abominable Dr. Phibes” – playing the deceased Mrs. Victoria Regina Phibes.
Here is what she said about working on the film – as a dead woman next to a living legend!
“The most challenging scenes involved lying in the coffin with Vincent. You see, I’m allergic to feathers and I was attired in this beautiful negligee – but it was covered with feathers! It took a great deal of willpower not to sneeze or sniffle. On occasion, I would simply have to sneeze and this would result in having to do another take.”
You can see my story about going to see this film at a midnight madness event in Seattle by clicking here:
https://johnrieber.com/2013/10/22/drunken-dr-phibes-horrors-abominable-midnight-madness/
Now, back to Munro:
She reprised the role in the 1972 sequel as well, then went on to sign a deal with legendary British horror studio Hammer.
Munro starred alongside Christopher Lee in “Dracula AD 1972”, then went on to star in the classic “Captain Kronos, Vampire Hunter”!
Munro was on a roll, showing up next in the Ray Harryhausen effects spectacular “The Golden Voyage Of Sinbad.”
As you can see, the camera LOVED Munro, and she never had an issue with her wardrobe being ill-fitting…
Munro’s “Real” Bond Film!
In 1977, Caroline got her biggest role ever when she became an official “Bond Girl” in “The Spy Who Loved Me.”
“Spy” was one of the best Bond films ever, with Roger Moore at the height of his popularity as 007. The film also introduced a classic bad guy, the late Richard Kiel as “Jaws.”
Of course, every “Bond girl” gets a chance to wear a bikini, and Munro was no different – but she also exuded a sense of fun and playfulness that made her one of the more memorable Bond actresses.
From 007 To Crazed “Maniac!”
The Bond film was Munro’s career highlight, and after that, while working regularly, the films weren’t quite as big. Some of Munro’s later movies include cult B-movies like “Starcrash” – and she literally lost her head in the cult horror classic “Maniac!”
Caroline Munro ‘The Golden Voyage of Sinbad’ Gallery theblackboxclub.com
Her roles dwindled over time, but Munro left behind a lot of cult classics to remember her by, and a ton of bikini photos as well!
Leave a comment and let me know your favorite Caroline Munro movie!
