Imogen Hassall facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Imogen Hassall
Imogen Hassall in 1976 (Photograph by Allan Warren)
Born	25 August 1942 (1942-08-25) Woking, Surrey, England
Died	16 November 1980 (1980-11-17) (aged 38) Wimbledon, London, England
Occupation	Actress, model
Years active	1963–1980
Spouse(s)	Kenneth Ives ​ ​ (m. 1974; div. 1978)​ Andrew Knox ​ ​ (m. 1979; div. 1979)​

Imogen Hassall (born August 25, 1942 – died November 16, 1980) was an English actress. She appeared in 33 films during the 1960s and 1970s. She was also known for her roles in popular British TV shows.

Early Life and Family

Imogen Hassall was born in Woking, Surrey, England. Her name came from a character in William Shakespeare's play Cymbeline. She grew up in a family of artists and business people.

Her grandfather, John Hassall, and her aunt, Joan Hassall, were famous illustrators. Her father, Christopher Hassall, was a poet, writer, and lyricist. Imogen also had a brother named Nicholas.

Acting Career

Imogen began her training at ballet schools, including Elmhurst School for Dance and the Royal Ballet School. Later, she studied acting at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. In 1962, she joined the Royal Shakespeare Company for a season.

She started appearing in British TV adventure series in the 1960s. Some of these popular shows included The Saint, The Avengers, and The Persuaders!.

Imogen's first important film role was Tara in The Long Duel (1967). She became more well-known for playing a cave-girl in When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth (1970). That same year, she had major roles in Carry On Loving and the horror film Incense for the Damned. In 1973, she acted alongside David Jason in the film White Cargo.

Personal Life

Imogen Hassall was married to actor Kenneth Ives. She was also married to Andrew Knox for a short time. Her life outside of acting was sometimes talked about in newspapers. Because of the outfits she wore at film premieres, she was sometimes called the "Countess of Cleavage."

Later Life and Passing

As her acting career slowed down, Imogen Hassall faced some difficult times. She passed away on November 16, 1980, in Wimbledon, London. She was buried in Gap Road Cemetery in Wimbledon.

Portrayal in Plays and TV

Imogen Hassall's role in the film Carry On Loving (1970) inspired a character in a play. The play was called Cleo, Camping, Emmanuelle and Dick, written by Terry Johnson. It was first shown in 1998 at the Royal National Theatre. The play won an Olivier Award in 1999 for Best New Comedy. Actress Gina Bellman played Imogen Hassall in the play.

Filmography

Films

Television Shows