Tania Mallet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tania Mallet
|
|
|---|---|
Mallet in 1964 on set of Goldfinger
|
|
| Born | 19 May 1941 Blackpool, England
|
| Died | 30 March 2019 (aged 77) |
| Occupation | Actress, model |
| Years active | 1961–1976 |
| Spouse(s) |
Simon Radcliffe
(m. 1976; died 2016) |
| Relatives | Helen Mirren (cousin) |
Tania Mallet (born May 19, 1941 – died March 30, 2019) was an English actress and model. She is most famous for her role as Tilly Masterson in the 1964 James Bond movie, Goldfinger.
Early Life
Tania Mallet was born on May 19, 1941, in Blackpool, England. Her mother, Olga Mironoff, was a Russian noblewoman and former performer. Her father was Henry Mallet, an English car salesman.
Tania's maternal grandfather, Pyotr Mironov, was a Russian aristocrat. He was a colonel in the Imperial Russian army. He was working as a diplomat in London when the Russian Revolution began. He decided to stay in the United Kingdom.
Tania Mallet was a cousin of the famous actress Helen Mirren. Tania's mother and Helen's father were brother and sister. Tania went to school in both England and France. Her parents later divorced.
Career Highlights
Before becoming an actress, Tania Mallet worked as a model. She appeared on the cover of Vogue magazine twice in 1961. She also appeared in a short film called Girls Girls Girls in the same year.
Tania tried out for a role in the James Bond film From Russia with Love (1963). Even though she was half-Russian, she did not get the part because of her English accent.
She later got the role of Tilly Masterson in the 1964 James Bond movie Goldfinger. Tania said she got the part after someone sent a picture of her in a bikini to the film's producer, Albert Broccoli.
Goldfinger was a very successful movie. However, it was Tania Mallet's only major film role. In the movie, her character, Tilly Masterson, was seeking revenge for her murdered sister. Tilly was killed by a hat thrown by Goldfinger's henchman, Oddjob.
Tania had only one other acting role. It was a small, uncredited appearance in a 1976 TV show episode.
Tania Mallet decided to go back to modeling and turned down other film offers. She did not like the strict rules she had to follow while filming Goldfinger. For example, she could not travel or ride horses. She also felt the money she earned from acting was not enough. She made much more money as a model.
Personal Life
Tania Mallet married Simon Radcliffe in 1976. She became a stepmother to his children. They were married until Simon's death in 2016. This was Tania's second marriage.
Her cousin, Helen Mirren, wrote about Tania in her autobiography. Helen described Tania as "incredibly beautiful and kind." She also said Tania was a "loyal and generous person." Tania used her earnings from modeling to help pay for her brother's education and support her mother.
Death
Tania Mallet passed away on March 30, 2019, at the age of 77.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | Goldfinger | Tilly Masterson | |
| 1976 | The New Avengers | Sara | Episode: "The Midas Touch" |
See also
In Spanish: Tania Mallet para niños
