Barbara Shelley (born Barbara Teresa Kowin; 13 February 1932 – 3 January 2021) was an English film and television actress. She appeared in more than a hundred films and television series. She was particularly known for her work in horror films, notably Village of the Damned; Dracula, Prince of Darkness; Rasputin, the Mad Monk and Quatermass and the Pit.
Biography Shelley was born as Barbara Teresa Kowin at Queen Charlotte's Hospital in Marylebone, London, England, on 13 February 1932. Her parents were May (née Hayes) and Robert Kowin. She had an older sister, Jo, who emigrated to Canada to become a writer and producer for CBC Television. Shelley attended a convent school in Harlesden, north London, where she performed in Gilbert and Sullivan productions and school plays, as well as participating in local Catholic youth drama festivals.
Initially shy on stage, her acting teacher suggested that she take up modelling to gain self-confidence. Shelley followed the advice and started modelling in 1951, which led to an offer of a minor role as a fashion show commentator in the 1953 Hammer Film Productions film Mantrap. She was credited for this film under her birth name, Barbara Kowin.
The same year, she went to Rome on holiday and met Italian comic actor Walter Chiari, who recognised her talent and suggested she change her name to that of his favourite poet, Shelley. Although she had planned a month's holiday, Shelley lived in Rome for four years and appeared in nine Italian films, speaking Italian.
Horror films Shelley returned to the UK in 1957, starring that year in the film Cat Girl for British Lion Films. The following year she made her first significant appearance in a film for Hammer, The Camp on Blood Island. She then appeared in the gothic horror Blood of the Vampire (1958), distributed by Eros Films,Haining, Peter (1992). The Dracula Scrapbook. London: Chancellor Press. p. 118; . and later took a number of roles in horror features, including Village of the Damned (1960) for MGM-British, and The Gorgon (1964), Dracula, Prince of Darkness (1966), Rasputin, the Mad Monk (1966) and Quatermass and the Pit (1967) for Hammer. She became the company's top female star and was nicknamed the "Queen of Hammer". Her final role on screen was in the Uncle Silas mini series in 1989.
Ryan Gilbey, in her obituary in The Guardian, praises Shelley's acting in the Hammer films, considering that she had "a grounded, rational quality that instantly conferred gravitas on whatever lunatic occurrences were unfolding around her." In Dracula, Prince of Darkness she starred opposite Christopher Lee, portraying a virtuous woman who reveals to her friend that she has been turned into a vampire in a scene which Gilbey describes as having "traumatised and tantalised" viewers. Shelley considered the later scene in that film in which her character is staked to be among her best work. In Village of the Damned – based on John Wyndham's science fiction novel, The Midwich Cuckoos – she gave a "heartbreaking" performance as one of the mothers of the alien children. In Quatermass and the Pit, she plays a scientist who is taken over by an alien spacecraft, in a scene described by Gilbey as "painfully believable". Although she is known as a scream queen, her most famous scream (in Dracula) was dubbed by co-star Suzan Farmer. In 2010, writer and actor Mark Gatiss interviewed Shelley about her career at Hammer for his BBC documentary series A History of Horror.
While making the 1961 TV film, A Story of David, she met Hollywood star Jeff Chandler, and they began a relationship. Chandler died suddenly the following year. Shelley is later reported to have said that he had been the love of her life.
Television and stage work Shelley's television appearances include the first Danger Man episode, "View from a Villa" (1960), plus a subsequent episode that season, "The Traitor" (also 1960); The Saint episode "The Covetous Headsman" (1962); "Death Trap" an episode in the Edgar Wallace Mysteries series, (1962); an episode of The New Phil Silvers Show (1963); The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1965); two episodes of 12 O'Clock High (1965 and 1966); The Avengers episodes "Dragonsfield" (1961) and "From Venus with Love" (1967); Crown Court (1972); Z-Cars (1973); the television series Prince Regent (1979); the BBC TV adaptation of Pride and Prejudice (1980) as Mrs Gardiner (the Bennet sisters' aunt); The Borgias (1981); the Blake's 7 episode "Stardrive" (1981); the Bergerac Series 2 episode "A Perfect Recapture" (1983); the Doctor Who serial Planet of Fire (1984), and EastEnders (1988).
Shelley also acted in the Royal Shakespeare Company from 1975 to 1977. She retired in 1988.
Personal life and death Shelley met actor Jeff Chandler on the set of A Story of David in 1960 who became the love of her life; however, he died in 1961 and she neither married nor had children, living unaccompanied in her childhood home for the rest of her life.
Shelley was admitted to hospital in December 2020, for a check-up. It was there she contracted COVID-19 during the COVID-19 pandemic in England. Though Shelley recovered, she fell ill with other underlying health conditions. She died on 3 January 2021, at the age of 88.Hayward, Anthony (22 January 2021). "Barbara Shelley: 'Queen of Hammer' during the golden age of Gothic horror films". The Independent. Retrieved 22 July 2021
Selected filmography Films +YearTitleRoleNotes1953Mantrapas Barbara Kowin1955New Moon AmiraDestinazione Piovarolo Tragic Ballad Betty Mason1956Nero's Mistress Toto, Peppino and the Outlaws La BaronessaSupreme ConfessionBettina1957Cat GirlLeonora Johnson - née BrandtThe End of the Line Liliane1958The Camp on Blood Island KateBlood of the Vampire MadelineMurder at Site 3Susan1959Deadly RecordSusan WebbBobbikins Valerie1960Village of the Damned Anthea Zellaby1961A Story of DavidAbigailThe Shadow of the CatBeth Venable1962Postman's KnockJean1963Stranglehold Chris Morrison1964The GorgonCarla HoffmanBlind CornerAnne1965The Secret of Blood IslandElaine1966Dracula, Prince of Darkness HelenRasputin, the Mad MonkSonia1967Quatermass and the Pit Barbara Judd1974Ghost Story Matron
Television series +YearTitleRoleNotes1957Captain Gallant of the Foreign LegionGabyEpisode: "One Accident Too Many"1957-1967ITV Play of the WeekVarious3 episodes1958Solo for CanaryMarie Vazzani2 episodes1958-1959ITV Television PlayhouseSarah/FrankieBBC Sunday Night TheatreJoyce Penrose/Elizabeth Imrie1959The Invisible ManHelenEpisode: "The Big Plot"1960Interpol CallingDianeEpisode: "Checkmate"Danger ManLouise Goddard/Gina Scarlotti2 episodes1960-1962BBC Sunday-Night PlayJane Lancing/Irene Baumer1960-1964No Hiding PlaceCarole Maitland/Susan Pelham1961-1967The AvengersSusan Summers/Venus Browne2 episodes, including "From Venus with Love"1962Edgar Wallace Mysteries Jean AnscombeEpisode: Death Trap The SaintValerie NorthEpisode: "The Covetous Headsman"Ghost Squad Margaret ErringtonEpisode: "The Desperate Diplomat"1962-1963The Third ManDiana Barratt/Lady Barbara Webster2 episodes1963Route 66 JeannieEpisode: "...Shall Forefeit His Dog and Ten Shillings to the King"The Lloyd Bridges ShowClareEpisode: "The Last Lion"The New Phil Silvers ShowPamelaEpisode: "Who Do Voodoo? Harry Do!"1963-1965HazelBianca Belina/Anna Forti2 episodes1964The Human JungleCatherineEpisode: "The Man Who Fell Apart"1965The Farmer's Daughter PamelaEpisode: "Crime of Passion"The Man from U.N.C.L.E.Bryn WatsonEpisode: "The Odd Man Affair"1965-196612 O'Clock HighAnn Gray/Alice Clyde-Bryce2 episodesThe Wackiest Ship in the ArmyPrudence/Christine1966The Donna Reed ShowPauletteEpisode: "All This and Voltaire Too?"1967Man in a SuitcaseDolores HornsbyEpisode: "All That Glitters"Champion HouseMary GreenwoodEpisode: "Blind Spt"1968-1971The TroubleshootersVarious3 episodes1969Counterstrike Elaine PinotEpisode: "Joker One"The Spy Killer DanielleABC Movie of the WeekPaul TempleMrs. HawthornEpisode: "Which One of Us Is Me?"1972-1981Crown CourtDelia Savage/Madame Veda Bronski2 serials1972ITV Saturday Night TheatreClareEpisode: "A Marriage"1973Z-CarsRuby MasonEpisode: ""Women at Work"Hadleigh Susan PaigeEpisode: "Mrs. Paige"1974John Halifax, Gentleman Lady Caroline3 episodesJustice Aisling AinsworthEpisode: "Point of Death"1975The Hanged ManLouisa GalbraithEpisode: "Chariot of Earth"Oil Strike NorthElaine Smythe12 episodes1979Prince RegentLady Isabella Hertford4 episodes1980Pride and PrejudiceMrs. Gardiner2 episodesThe Two RonniesBorder Guard1 episode1981The Borgias Vannozza Canale7 episodesBlake's 7Dr. PlaxtonEpisode: "Stardrive"1983Bergerac Catherine PrescottEpisode: "A Perfect Recapture"By the Sword DividedLady WeltonEpisode: "A Silver Moon"Jackanory PlayhouseQueen of BardaliaEpisode: "The Magic Mirror"1984Doctor WhoSorastaSerial: "Planet of Fire"The District NurseMrs. Pughe-Morgan1 episode1988EastEndersHester2 episodesMaigret Louise MaigretTV film
References
External links
Barbara Shelley at HorrorStars BFI profile