Vera Day (born 4 August 1935) is an English film and television actress. She was born in London just before the war and grew up in

Forest Gate Forest Gate is a district in the London Borough of Newham, East London, England. It is located northeast of Charing Cross. The area's name relates to its position adjacent to Wanstead Flats, the southernmost part of Epping Forest. The town ...

, East London.

Early career

Leaving school at 15, she had various jobs before finding employment in a hair salon. Modelling for hairstylists, she became a full-time model. One day she saw an advertisement in a theatrical paper for showgirls, so taking time off work and with the smallest bikini she could find, she attended the auditions. Even though she was untrained in singing and dancing, she caught the attention of

Jack Hylton Jack Hylton (born John Greenhalgh Hilton; 2 July 1892 – 29 January 1965) was an English pianist, composer, band leader and impresario. Hylton rose to prominence during the British dance band era, being referred as the "British King of Jazz" a ...

, who gave her a part in ''

Wish You Were Here Wish You Were Here may refer to: Film, television, and theater Film * Wish You Were Here (1987 film), ''Wish You Were Here'' (1987 film), a British comedy-drama film by David Leland * Wish You Were Here (2012 film), ''Wish You Were Here'' (2012 ...

'' at the

London Casino The Prince Edward Theatre is a West End theatre situated on Old Compton Street, just north of Leicester Square, in the City of Westminster, London. History The theatre was designed in 1930 by Edward A. Stone, with an interior designed by Ma ...

in 1953. She was only nineteen.

Val Guest Val Guest (born Valmond Maurice Grossman; 11 December 1911 – 10 May 2006) was an English film director and screenwriter. Beginning as a writer (and later director) of comedy films, he is best known for his work for Hammer, for whom he direct ...

was at the opening night and left a note for her at the stage door to contact him. This led to Vera being cast in the film '' Dance Little Lady''. However, she had to ask permission from Jack Hylton, for she was under contract for two more shows, which ended up being '' Pal Joey'' at the Princes Theatre and ''Jokers Wild'' with the Crazy Gang at the Victoria Palace Theatre.

Film career

From the late 1950s, Day was a popular figure in British films, a glamorous blonde bombshell who appeared most memorably in the classic Stanley Baker drama ''

Hell Drivers ''Hell Drivers'' (1957) is a British film noir crime drama film directed by Cy Endfield and starring Stanley Baker, Herbert Lom, Peggy Cummins and Patrick McGoohan. The film was produced by the Rank Organisation and Aqua Film Productions. The f ...

'' (1957) and the

Hammer A hammer is a tool, most often a hand tool, consisting of a weighted "head" fixed to a long handle that is swung to deliver an impact to a small area of an object. This can be, for example, to drive nails into wood, to shape metal (as w ...

science fiction film ''

Quatermass 2 ''Quatermass 2'' (retitled ''Enemy From Space'' in the United States and Canada) is a 1957 black-and-white British science fiction horror film drama from Hammer Film Productions. It was originally released in the UK as ''Quatermass II'' and was ...

'' (1957). Her other film roles include that of George Cole's girlfriend in Mario Zampi's comedy ''

Too Many Crooks ''Too Many Crooks'' is a 1959 British comedy film directed by Mario Zampi. The plot concerns a bunch of inept crooks who kidnap the wife of a shady businessman, only for him to decide he doesn’t want her back. It stars George Cole, Sidney Ja ...

'' (1959) and as the heroine in the horror film '' Womaneater'' (1958), one of her few leading parts. Many years later, Day appeared in a supporting role in Guy Ritchie's '' Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels'' (1998).

Selected filmography

* ''

Dance, Little Lady ''Dance, Little Lady'' is a 1954 British drama film directed by Val Guest and starring Terence Morgan, Mai Zetterling, Guy Rolfe and Mandy Miller. The film was made by independent producer George Minter and distributed by his Renown Pictures. It ...

'' (1954) * ''

The Crowded Day ''The Crowded Day'' is a 1954 British comedy drama film directed by John Guillermin and starring John Gregson, Joan Rice, Cyril Raymond and Josephine Griffin. The film follows a group of shopgirls working in Bunting and Hobbs, a London depar ...

'' (1954) * '' It's a Great Day'' (1955) * '' A Kid for Two Farthings'' (1955) * ''

Fun at St. Fanny's ''Fun at St. Fanny's'' is a 1955 British comedy film directed by Maurice Elvey and starring Fred Emney, Cardew Robinson and Vera Day. The film revolves around the teachers and students of St Fanny's private school, particularly the pupil Cardew t ...

'' (1955) * ''

'' (1957) * ''

'' (1957) * '' The Prince and the Showgirl'' (1957) * ''

I Was Monty's Double ''I Was Monty's Double'' (released in the US as ''The Counterfeit General Montgomery''The Woman Eater ''The Woman Eater'' (also known as ''Womaneater'' on its original UK release) is a low budget 1958 British horror film directed by Charles Saunders and starring George Coulouris and Vera Day.John Hamilton, ''The British Independent Horror Film ...

'' (1958) * '' Up the Creek'' (1958) – Lily * '' The Haunted Strangler'' (1958) – Pearl * ''

'' (1959) – Charmaine * ''

And the Same to You ''And the Same to You'' is a 1960 British boxing-themed comedy film directed by George Pollock and starring Brian Rix and William Hartnell. It is based on a stage farce by A.P. Dearsley. Premise Stuck with the nickname "Dreadnought", Dickie March ...

'' (1960) – Cynthia Tripp * ''

Trouble with Eve ''Trouble with Eve'' is a low budget 1960 British comedy film directed by Francis Searle and starring Hy Hazell, Sally Smith, Robert Urquhart and Garry Marsh. It was based on the play ''Widows are Dangerous'' by June Garland. It was shot at W ...

'' (1960) – Daisy Freeman * ''

The Trunk ''The Trunk'' is a low budget, black and white 1961 British mystery film directed by Donovan Winter and starring Phil Carey, Julia Arnall and Dermot Walsh. Plot Trouble ensues when Lisa marries Henry, a British lawyer. Lisa's jealous ex-boy ...

'' (1961) – Diane * '' Watch It, Sailor!'' (1961) – Shirley Hornett * '' A Stitch in Time'' (1963) – Betty * ''

Saturday Night Out ''Saturday Night Out'' is a 1964 British comedy-drama film directed by Robert Hartford-Davis and starring Heather Sears, John Bonney, Bernard Lee, Erika Remberg, Francesca Annis, Margaret Nolan and David Lodge. The screenplay concerns a trio of ...

'' (1964) – Arlene * '' Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels'' (1998) – Tanya * '' The Riddle'' (2007) – Sadie Miller

References

External links

* 1935 births Living people British film actresses British television actresses Actresses from London {{UK-film-actor-stub