Kate O'Mara

Kate O'Mara (born Frances Meredith Carroll;Michael Covene
Obituary: Kate O'Mara
''The Guardian'', 30 March 2014 10 August 1939 – 30 March 2014) was an English film, stage and television actress, and writer. O'Mara made her stage debut in a 1963 production of ''The Merchant of Venice''. Her other stage roles included Elvira in '' Blithe Spirit'' (1974), Katherina in ''The Taming of the Shrew'' (1978 and 1982), Lady Macbeth in ''Macbeth'' (1982), Cleopatra in ''Antony and Cleopatra'' (1982), Goneril in ''King Lear'' (1987), and Marlene Dietrich in '' Lunch with Marlene'' (2008).

In the cinema, O'Mara acted in two 1970 Hammer Horror films: ''The Vampire Lovers'' and ''The Horror of Frankenstein''. On BBC television, she had regular roles in '' The Brothers'' (1975–1976), ''Triangle'' (1981–1982) and ''Howards' Way'' (1989–1990), and portrayed ''Doctor Who'' villain The Rani three times (1985, 1987, 1993). She also appeared as Jackie Stone in two episodes of the sitcom ''Absolutely Fabulous'' (1995–2003) and as Virginia O'Kane in four episodes of the prison drama '' Bad Girls'' (2001). On American television, she played Caress Morell, the scheming sister of Alexis Colby in the primetime soap opera ''Dynasty'' (1986).

Early life and career

O'Mara was born, in Leicester, Leicestershire, to John F. Carroll, an RAF flying instructor, and actress Hazel Bainbridge (born Edith Marion Bainbridge; 25 January 1910 – 7 January 1998). Her younger sister is actress Belinda Carroll. After boarding school, she attended art school before becoming a full-time actress. O'Mara made her stage debut in a production of ''The Merchant of Venice'' in 1963, although her first film role was some years earlier (under the name Merrie Carroll) in ''Home and Away'' (1956) with Jack Warner, as her father, and Kathleen Harrison.

O’Mara's earliest television appearances, in the 1960s, included guest roles in ''Danger Man'', ''Adam Adamant Lives!'', '' The Saint'', ''Z-Cars'' and '' The Avengers''. In 1970, she appeared in two Hammer Studio horror films: ''The Vampire Lovers'' and ''The Horror of Frankenstein''. In the former, she had an erotically charged scene with Ingrid Pitt, in which O'Mara was meant to be seduced; the two women were left laughing on set, however, as Pitt's fangs kept falling into O'Mara's cleavage.Robert Michael 'Bobb' Cotte
''The Women of Hammer Horror: A Biographical Dictionary and Filmography''
Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland, 2013, p. 142 O'Mara's work in ''The Vampire Lovers'' impressed Hammer enough for them to offer her a contract, which she turned down, fearful of being typecast.

Her first major TV role was as Julia Main, wife of the main protagonist in the ITV series ''The Main Chance'' (1969). She had a regular role in the BBC drama series '' The Brothers'' (1975–1976) as Jane Maxwell, and in the early 1980s, O'Mara starred in the BBC soap opera ''Triangle'' (1981–1982), sometimes counted among the worst television series ever made.Obituary; Kate O'Mara
''The Daily Telegraph'', 30 March 2014 She played the villainous Rani in ''Doctor Who'' in two serials, ''The Mark of the Rani'' (1985) and ''Time and the Rani'' (1987), and also in the ''Doctor Who'' 30th anniversary spoof ''Dimensions in Time'' (1993), part of the ''Children in Need'' charity event. She also appeared, through archival footage, in the 2025 episode "Wish World".

Between these appearances in ''Doctor Who'', she auditioned for a leading role as one of the sisters on the American primetime soap ''The Colbys'', a spin-off of the American prime time soap opera ''Dynasty''. Eventually, O'Mara was offered one of the roles alongside Stephanie Beacham, but declined since was still under contract with a production of stage play ''Light Up the Sky'' at the Old Vic Theatre. Shortly after, she was offered the part of Caress Morell on ''Dynasty''. As the sister of Alexis Colby (Joan Collins), O'Mara appeared in 17 episodes of the sixth season and four episodes of the seventh during 1986. "We had a tremendous bitchy tension between us", the actress recalled about performing opposite Collins. "My character Caress was like an annoying little mosquito who just kept coming back and biting her". O'Mara disliked living in California, preferring the change of seasons in Britain, and to her relief was released from her five-year contract after Collins told the producers that having two brunettes in the series was a bad idea. After returning to the UK, she was cast as another scheming villain, Laura Wilde, in the BBC soap ''Howards' Way'' (1989–1990).

Later life and career

O'Mara spoke on several occasions about her experience with the casting couch. On an episode of '' The Word'' in 1994, O'Mara claimed that American producer Judd Bernard pulled down her panties during a hotel-room audition for the Elvis Presley vehicle, '' Double Trouble''. In her autobiography ''Vamp Until Ready: A Life Laid Bare'', O'Mara described this incident and "many other close encounters with... this very unpleasant and humiliating procedure", including with a well-known television casting director, the boss of Associated Television at ATV Elstree Studios, and the director of '' Great Catherine''.

O'Mara continued to make television appearances throughout the 1990s, including ''Cluedo'' (1990), and playing Jackie Stone (Patsy's older sister) in two episodes of ''Absolutely Fabulous'' (1995–2003). In 2001, she had a recurring role in the ITV prison drama series '' Bad Girls'' before appearing in the short-lived revival of the soap opera ''Crossroads''. She continued to perform on stage and in March 2008 she played Marlene Dietrich in a stage play entitled '' Lunch with Marlene''. From August to November 2008, she played Mrs Cheveley in Oscar Wilde's stage play ''An Ideal Husband'' directed by Peter Hall and produced by Bill Kenwright. She performed in radio and audio plays. In 2000, she reprised her role as the Rani in the BBV Productions audio play '' The Rani Reaps the Whirlwind'', and in 2006 she made a guest appearance in the radio comedy series '' Nebulous''.

In 2012, O'Mara appeared in a theatre adaptation of Agatha Christie's ''Death on the Nile''.

Personal life

O'Mara was married twice, first to Jeremy Young in 1971; the couple divorced in 1976. In 1993, she married Richard Willis, but the marriage was dissolved in 1996.

She had two sons, Dickon Young (1964–2012) and Christopher Linde (born 1965), both from previous relationships. Dickon took his stepfather's surname but Christopher, having been given up for adoption, was named by his adoptive parents, Derek and Joy Linde. Christopher, from whom O'Mara was long estranged, was the son of actor David Orchard.
Dickon, whose biological father was reportedly actor Ian Cullen, was a stage manager for the Royal Shakespeare Company before setting up his own company building tree-houses in the mid-1990s. He was found hanged, a presumed suicide, at the family home in Long Marston, Warwickshire, on 31 December 2012, after previous suicide attempts. O'Mara was in hospital with pneumonia at the time of her son's death and his body was not discovered for three weeks.

O'Mara wrote four books. She wrote two novels: ''When She Was Bad'' (1992) () and ''Good Time Girl'' (1993), ()). She also wrote two autobiographical books, ''Vamp Until Ready'' (2003) () and ''Game Plan: A Woman's Survival Kit'' (1990) ().

She said she shared some blame for her marital troubles — she said she was too independent and challenging of authority, despite liking the idea of a “knight in shining armor” to sweep her off her feet from time to time. She said she appreciated men with a sense of humor. “I prefer blond men…But when it comes to physical attraction it’s very difficult to pinpoint…I think the most important thing is a sense of humour. If a man can make me roar with laughter he'll definitely find himself on my welcome list. And if he's tall, blond, and has the bonus of a sense of humour, he'll be on my priority list. And by tall, I don't mean a giant. With my height, a bloke of 5ft.10ins is real tall!"

Speaking about her bouts of depression, later in her life, O'Mara said: "... I've since learnt a cure for depression: listening to J.S. Bach and reading P.G. Wodehouse. This got me through the break-up of my second marriage 17 years ago. The great thing about Wodehouse is that his books are full of romantic problems and yet so hilarious that it puts things in perspective ... I'm not frightened of dying, but I love the countryside so much and I'm going to miss it. I'd like to be out in the wind and the trees for ever."

Death

O'Mara died on 30 March 2014 in a nursing home, in Worthing, Sussex, aged 74, from ovarian cancer. She left a £350,000 estate, bequeathing £10,000 to the Actors' Benevolent Fund and, after the funeral and legal fees, the remainder to her younger sister Belinda Carroll, a former actress.

Filmography

Film

Television

Select stage roles

* 1963, Jessica, ''The Merchant of Venice'' at the Shaftesbury Theatre.
* 1966, Lydia Languish, ''The Rivals'' at The Welsh Theatre Co.
* 1967, Elsa, '' The Italian Girl'' at the Wyndham's Theatre
* 1970, Fleda Vetch, '' The Spoils of Poynton'' at the Mayfair Theatre
* 1971, Gerda Von Metz, '' The Avengers'' (directed by Leslie Phillips) at the Prince of Wales Theatre
* 1971–2, Sheila Wallis, '' Suddenly at Home'' at the Fortune Theatre
* 1974, Elvira, '' Blithe Spirit'' at the Bristol Old Vic
* 1974, Liza Moriarty, '' Sherlock's Last Case'' at the Open Space Theatre Fortune Theatre
* 1977, Sybil Merton, '' Lord Arthur Saville's Crime'' at the Sadlers Wells Theatre
* 1977, Louka, ''Arms and the Man'' at the Hong Kong Festival
* 1978, Rosaline, ''Love's Labour's Lost'' at the Thorndike Theatre
* 1978, Katherina, ''The Taming of the Shrew'' at the Ludlow Festival
* 1978, Cyrenne, ''Rattle of a Simple Man''
* 1979, Monica Claverton-Ferry, '' The Elder Statesman''
* 1979, Lina, ''Misalliance'' at The Birmingham Rep
* 1979, Irene St Clair, ''The Crucifer of Blood'' at the Haymarket Theatre
* 1980, Ruth, '' Night and Day'', at post-London tour
* 1981, Stephanie Abrahams, ''Duet for One'' Yugoslavia and tour
* 1981, Beatrice, ''Much Ado About Nothing'' at the New Shakespeare Co
* 1982, Kathrina, ''The Taming of the Shrew'' at the Nottingham Playhouse\New Shakespeare Co
* 1982, Titania\Hippolta, ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' at the New Shakespeare Co
* 1982, Lady Macbeth, ''Macbeth'' at the Mercury Theatre
* 1982, Cleopatra, ''Antony and Cleopatra'' at the Nottingham Playhouse
* 1982, Millamant, ''The Way of the World'' at the Nottingham Playhouse
* 1983, Hortense, '' The Rehearsal''
* 1984, Mistress Ford, ''The Merry Wives of Windsor'' at the New Shakespeare Co
* 1985 – 1987, Frances Black, '' Light Up the Sky'' at the Old Vic & Globe Theatres
* 1987, Goneril, ''King Lear'' at the Compass Theatre
* 1988, Berinthia, ''The Relapse'' at the Mermaid Theatre
* 1990, Torfreida, '' The Last Englishman'' at The Orange Tree Theatre
* 1990, Martha, ''Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?'' at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre
* 1991, Lilli Vanessi, '' Kiss Me Kate'', RSC tour
* 1992, Lady Fanciful, '' The Provok'd Wife'' at the National Theatre Studio
* 1992, Rosabel, ''Venus Observed'' at the Chichester Festival
* 1992, Eve, ''Cain'' at the Chichester Festival
* 1992, Jackie, '' King Lear in New York'' at the Chichester Festival
* 1994, Maria Wislack, '' On Approval''
* 1995, Pola, ''The Simpleton of the Unexpected Isles'' at The Orange Tree Theatre
* 1995, Rachel, ''My Cousin Rachel'', English Theatre, Vienna and tour 1995
* 1996, Olivia, ''Twelfth Night'' at the Haymarket Theatre, Basingstoke
* 1996–7, Mrs Cheveley, ''An Ideal Husband'' at the Haymarket, Albury and Gielgud theatres
* 2000, Mrs. Malaprop\Lucy, ''The Rivals''
* 2000, Madame Alexandre, '' Colombe'' at the Salisbury Playhouse
* 2003, Gertrude Lawrence, '' Noel and Gertie''
* 2004, Mrs Arbuthnot, ''A Woman of No Importance''
* 2005, Eloise, '' The Marquise'' at the Mercury Theatre
* 2005, Helen, ''We Happy Few'' at the Gielgud Theatre
* 2008, Marlene Dietrich, '' Lunch with Marlene'' at The New End Theatre
* 2010, Lady Windermere, '' Lord Arthur Saville's Crime'' at the Mercury Theatre

See also

*Cinema of the United Kingdom
*Television in the United Kingdom

References

Bibliography

*

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Omara, Kate
1939 births
2014 deaths
20th-century English actresses
20th-century English novelists
20th-century English women writers
21st-century English women writers
21st-century English actresses
20th-century English memoirists
21st-century English memoirists
Actresses from Leicester
Alumni of the Aida Foster Theatre School
Deaths from ovarian cancer in England
English film actresses
English soap opera actresses
English stage actresses
English television actresses
English women memoirists
English women novelists
English women non-fiction writers