News has come across the wires of the passing of Dame Diana Rigg at the age of 82.
Still best known for her stint as Emma Peel on The Avengers, Ms. Rigg experienced a career resurgence when she was cast in the recently concluded HBO series, Game of Thrones, her first television series in the US since hosting PBS' Mystery! in the 80's.
Like her Avengers predecessor, Honor Blackman, Diana also starred in a James Bond film, "On Her Majesty's Secret Service", opposite George Lazenby, and holding the distinction of being the only one to play Mrs. James Bond. Her film credits also include "Theatre of Blood", with Vincent Price, and "The Assassination Bureau", with Oliver Reed.
The British rock group, The Pretenders, paid homage to The Avengers, and singer Chrissie Hynde in particular, honored Rigg, with their music video for 1986's "Don't Get me Wrong".
In 1973, Diana was lured back to American television by producer Leonard Stern, who'd developed a sitcom for her. However, Diana ended up a dud for NBC, lasting half a season. From that series, though, comes a sample episode:
Rest in peace, Dame Diana.
This one breaks my heart!
ReplyDeleteThe Avengers was the show I'll always remember her for (despite a lengthy career on stage and screen as well) and I think where she made her biggest career impression. My dad and I used to love watching the Emma Peel years and he always had a crush on her! Not that he didn't love my mother, of course; Mrs. Peel was the epitome of the ultimate woman - intelligent, self sufficient, beautiful and sophisticated.
Rigg seemed to have carried that dignified persona to many of her roles - I don't think she's ever put in a bad one!
Of course, these days most kids today only know her from GOT. Man could that character be vicious and classy at the same time!
While viewers rejected American made heroines like Honey West and April Dancer (Girl From UNCLE), they embraced Emma wholeheartedly.
ReplyDeleteSince "Theatre of Blood" is available presently, that will be up come October.