Eunice Gayson, First 'Bond Girl,' Dies At 90
"I admire your courage, Miss … ?"
"Trench. Sylvia Trench. I admire your luck, Mr. …?"
"Bond. James Bond."
It was an exchange over a Baccarat table that introduced to the world Ian Fleming's indefatigable secret agent, as played by Sean Connery. It also marked the first appearance of a "Bond Girl," actress Eunice Gayson.
Unlike many Bond Girls who would meet untimely ends during the franchise's 50-year-plus history, Gayson's character Sylvia Trench actually appeared in two films – the very first 007 adventure, "Dr. No" (1962), and "From Russia With Love."
The actress' death, at age 90, was announced on Saturday via her official Twitter account:
"We are very sad to learn that our dear Eunice passed away on June 8th. An amazing lady who left a lasting impression on everyone she met. She will be very much missed."
In a 2012 interview with the Daily Record, Gayson explained that she helped Connery overcome nerves on the very first day of production when he kept bumbling his now-iconic opening line. Taking him to lunch and pretending to imbibe herself, she encouraged him to go off the wagon and loosen up with a drink. He downed two.
"Well, not having had a drink for so long, it really affected him, but in a nice sort of way – all his nerves seemed to go out the window," she said. "We went back on set and he said the name 'Bond, James Bond' in a beautiful way."
As originally planned, the character of Trench was to have returned in subsequent Bond adventures, but director Guy Hamilton dropped her from the third film, "Goldfinger."
Gayson held a notable place in film history as the very first Bond Girl, though it wasn't without its indignities. A striking presence, Gayson's voice was nevertheless dubbed over by another actress in both films.
