Suzy Kendall (born Freda Harriet Harrison; 1937) is a British retired actress best known for her film roles in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Early life
Born in
Belper,
Derbyshire, Kendall attended the
Belper School.
[ Derby Evening Telegraph Thursday 14 November 1991, page 8] Later, she attended Derby & District College of Art where she studied painting and design.
Career
Kendall was a fabric designer at
British Celanese and then became a photographic model before becoming an actress. She initially appeared in supporting roles before progressing to female leads in a number of British films in the late 1960s. In the early 1970s, she appeared in several Italian
giallo thrillers before returning to Britain and played supporting roles in a few more films until her retirement from screen acting in 1977.
In 2012, Kendall made her first film appearance in 35 years in Berberian Sound Studio, billed in some sources as the mother of the lead character Gilderoy, played by Toby Jones, though the end credits on the film list her as "special guest screamer".[ Berberian Sound Studio – review The Observer, written by Philip French,2 September 2012.Retrieved 1 April 2013.] The film is about a sound engineer working on an Italian horror film, which alludes to several appearances Kendall made in Italian Film genre during the 1970s.
Personal life
In 1968, Kendall married pianist, comedian and actor
Dudley Moore. They divorced in 1972 and remained friends until Moore's death in 2002.
She married musician Sandy Harper shortly after her divorce. He was subsequently befriended by Moore who became Godparent to their daughter Elodie Harper. In 2002 she hosted a memorial service for Moore attended by her second husband and daughter.
As of 2018, Kendall and Harper live in London. Their daughter, Elodie, is a journalist (at ITV Anglia) and novelist.
Filmography
TV appearances
-
The Spies (1 episode, 1966) - Polly Katt
-
Further Adventures of Lucky Jim (1 episode, 1967)
-
The Persuaders! (1 episode, 1971: The Man In The Middle) - Kay Hunter
-
Van der Valk (1 episode, 1977) - Marijka
External links