Margaret Ann Nolan (29 October 1943 – 5 October 2020) was an English actress, visual artist and glamour model. She appeared in Goldfinger, A Hard Day's Night and six Carry On films, and also regularly appeared on screen from the 1960s to the 1980s.
Early life Nolan was born in Hampstead, London. Her mother Molly (née O'Sullivan) was an English nurse, and her father Jack was an Irish army clerk. They spent the duration of the Second World War in County Waterford in Ireland until the war ended in 1945, before returning to Hampstead. Nolan began training as a teacher, but began dating Tom Kempinski, who was acting with the National Theatre Company at the time and persuaded her to begin a career in acting.
Career Modelling career Margaret Nolan began her career as a model. As her glamour-modelling career took off, she was briefly known as Vicky Kennedy in the early 1960s.
Acting career Nolan reverted to her birth name as soon as she began to find acting roles, appearing in numerous television shows, theatre productions, and films. The last included A Hard Day's Night with the Beatles, Ferry Cross the Mersey with Gerry and the Pacemakers, and Marcel Carné's Three Rooms in Manhattan. Nolan also appeared in one of the first episodes of the television spy thriller The Saint with Roger Moore.
Nolan played the role of Dink, Bond's masseuse, in the James Bond film Goldfinger released in 1964. She was also painted gold and wore a gold bikini for Robert Brownjohn's title-sequence, advertisements, and soundtrack cover (not Shirley Eaton as in the narrative of the film). This led to photographs in Playboys "James Bond's Girls" edition of November 1965. In the film Carry on at Your Convenience (1971), composer Eric Rogers referenced Nolan's Goldfinger affiliation by using its three-note motif on a close-up of her. Nolan appeared on the front cover of both the US and UK versions of the 2005 book Robert Brownjohn: Sex and Typography. In 2012, Nolan gave her first interview concerning her experiences as the model. Asked if the imagery liberates or celebrates womanhood, Nolan responded:It does celebrate the physical form. If I'd been nude, it might have been about liberation because up to that point you wouldn't have seen a nude woman in a publicly visible thing like that. I could have been very pretentious and said this is liberating. But because I was dressed-up anyway I didn't get that sense.Playerist (2012:03) Margaret Nolan Interview Playerist No. 2 It became the first film-title to be shown in installation at MoMA, New York (2012).
On appearing in Michael Pertwee's farce She's Done It Again at London's Garrick Theatre in 1969, Nolan was described as combining "a long list of physical attractions with a talent that has contributed to the success of many films and television plays".Flink, S (1969:13) Margaret Nolan Garrick Theatre Playbill Volume 4 No. 11 She was known for five BBC series with Spike Milligan, and in 2013, she published a short essay on her time working with him. Nolan gave a live reading of the work at the Poetry Society in Covent Garden, reviewed by What's On London as a "deeply personal memoir... her performance simply magical." She spoke of her awareness of Milligan's depressive character, but also of their friendly working relationship, noting, "Professionally, he taught me that timing is what makes things funny. Timing is crucial."Nolan, M (2013) Room at the Top Playerist No. 3, p. 16 Nolan was cast in several Carry On films including Carry on Girls (1973). The film contains the scene of Nolan (in a silver bikini) and Barbara Windsor cat-fighting on a hotel floor.
Nolan also appeared in serious theatre, motivated by political themes. In 2011, Nolan's work as a comedy actress was recognised with her name included on Gordon Young's Comedy Carpet installation in front of Blackpool Tower. Also in 2011, Nolan returned to the screen after a gap of nearly three decades. She starred in a role especially written for her by Ann Cameron, in Yvonne Deutschman's The Power of Three.
In 2019, Edgar Wright cast her in his 2021 film Last Night in Soho. It was Nolan's final film appearance.
Art career In 1991, Nolan moved to Andalusia in Spain to a rural farmhouse in the mountains, where she practised permaculture. There, she became a visual artist.
As a visual artist, Nolan produced graphic and sometimes grotesque photomontages assembled from cut-outs of her early publicity photographs. These pieces concern "a unique and personal dialogue intrinsically related to a view of a woman and how a woman is viewed."Playerist (2012:02) Margaret Nolan Interview Playerist No. 2 She exhibited in London at venues including the Brick Lane Gallery (2009), The Misty Moon Gallery (2013) and Gallery Different (2013), whilst a screen-print is held by Kemistry Gallery. In 2007, Nolan moved back to London.
In 2009, early publicity shots of Nolan inspired screenprints by Brighton-based graffiti artist Hutch. Nolan's work in photo-montage was also selected for the front cover of Playerist poetry magazine (No. 2, 2012). In 2013, her artworks featured in the group show equals: exploring feminism through art and conversation at Blankspace Manchester; the press release quoting that: "Her voice carries alongside universal debate on socio-sexual hierarchies in the age of mass media."BLANKSPACE, Manchester (2013:01 [Slidel, 2013]) equals: Press Release
Personal life and death Nolan was married to English playwright Tom Kempinski in 1967 and divorced in 1972. They had two sons.
Nolan died of cancer on 5 October 2020 at her home in Belsize Park, London, at age 76. She had sought to write a memoir with Paul Stenning.BBC Radio 5 interview with Dawn Dunlop, 2015
Filmography Nolan's acting career covers works in television and cinema.The filmography section (unless otherwise stated) is supported by the following sources:
Film Year Title Role Notes1962 One Track Mind Girl Short film1963 It's a Bare, Bare World! Vicki Short film. Credited as Vicki Kennedy1964 The Four Poster Girl Saturday Night Out Julie The Beauty Jungle Rose of England (Caroline) A Hard Day's Night Grandfather's Girl at Casino Uncredited role Goldfinger Dink Golden girl in the film's titles, on the film's posters and soundtrack album Ferry Cross the Mersey Norah1965 Three Rooms in Manhattan June Carry On Cowboy Miss Jones 1966 Promise Her Anything Mail-Order Film Girl The Great St Trinian's Train Robbery Susie Naphill 1967 Bikini Paradise Margarita 1968 Witchfinder General Girl at Inn Billed as Maggie Nolan in end credits Don't Raise the Bridge, Lower the River Spink's Nurse 1969 Can Heironymus Merkin Ever Forget Mercy Humppe and Find True Happiness? Little Assistance Crooks and Coronets Girlfriend Uncredited role The Best House in London Busty Prostitute 1970 Toomorrow Johnson 1971 Carry On Henry Buxom Lass Carry On at Your Convenience Popsy 1972 Carry On Matron Mrs. Tucker Frenzy Young Woman Uncredited role. Scene cut1973 Class of '44 Girl in Stairwell Uncredited role No Sex Please, We're British Barbara Carry On Girls Dawn Brakes 1974 Carry On Dick Lady Daley 1983 Positions of Power Elizabeth Nihell Short film1986 Sky Bandits Waitress 2011 The Power of Three Dame Margaret 2021 Last Night in Soho Sage Barmaid Posthumous release
Television Year Title Role Notes1963 The Saint Daisy Episode: "Iris". Uncredited role1964 ITV Play of the Week Space Hostess Episode: "Deep and Crisp and Stolen"1965 Danger Man Mrs. Elliot Episode: "Parallel Lines Sometimes Meet" 199 Park Lane Martine 3 episodes Buddenbrooks Babette Episode: "Lengthening Shadows"1966 Thirty-Minute Theatre Eve Episode: "The Enchanted Night" Hugh and I Dolly Episode: "Goodbye Dolly" The World of Wooster Mabel Episode: "Jeeves Exerts the Old Cerebellum" Theatre 625 Fantasy Girl Episode: "A Man Like That" Take a Pair of Private Eyes Doreen 3 episodes The Newcomers Mercedes 17 episodes The Bed-Sit Girl (unknown) 1 episode Adam Adamant Lives! Sadie Episode: "More Deadly Than the Sword" On the Margin (unknown) 1 episode1967 Armchair Theatre Au Pair Episode: "Compensation Alice" After Many a Summer Girl Television film. Uncredited role The Wednesday Play Margie Episode: "Death of a Private"1968 Ooh La La! (unknown) Episode: "All Night Sitting" The Morecambe & Wise Show (unknown) 1 episode Nearest and Dearest Nemone Moore Episode: "Take a Letter" Mystery and Imagination Vampire Episode: "Dracula" (1968). Credited as Marie Legrand1968–1969 The World of Beachcomber (unknown) 4 episodes 1969 World in Ferment Various roles 1 episode Run a Crooked Mile Secretary Television film. Uncredited role1970 The Adventures of Don Quick Dulcie Episode: "The Benefits of Earth" Brian Rix Presents... Melissa Episode: "Clutterbuck"1971 Pat Thompson Episode: "Reluctant Heroes" Sylvia Episode: "She's Done It Again!" The Persuaders! Sophie Episode: "Element of Risk" Mr. Tumbleweed Leading Huntress Television film1971–1972 Budgie Inga the Stripper 3 episodes1972 Steptoe and Son Nemone Wagstaff Episode: "A Star Is Born" Funny You Should Say That (unknown) 1 episode New Scotland Yard Gudrun Lindblom Episode: "Evidence of Character" My Wife Next Door Myra Episode: "Pregnant Moment"1973 Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? Jackie Episode: "I'll Never Forget Whatshername" Crown Court Angela Mercer Serial: "Crime in Prison" The Moon Shines Bright on Charlie Chaplin Stella Television film Black and Blue Lynda Cherry Episode: "The Middle-of-the-Road Roadshow for All the Family" Men of Affairs Gloria Episode: "Horseface" Last of the Summer Wine Connie Episode: "Pâté and Chips"1974 Late Night Drama Gillian Episode: "M + M"1975 The Sweeney Betty Episode: "Thin Ice" Q6 Various characters 3 episodes1976 I Didn't Know You Cared Barmaid Episode: "The Way My Wife Looks at Me"1980 Fox Sheila Fox 3 episodes1981 Brideshead Revisited Effie Episode: "The Bleak Light of Day" Charlie Was a Rich Man (unknown) Television film1983 Crown Court Frances O'Reilly Episode: "A Sword in the Hand of David: Part One" Crossroads Denise Paget 14 episodes
Theatre Fringe Why Bournemouth? (1968) It Has No Choice A Minor Scene Homo Stimulation Super Santa How the Vote Was Won (1986) Daughters of Men (1986)Provincial The Bacchae (1970) Bus Stop (Cherie) (1970) Who Goes Bare (1970) Murder in the Office (1972) Not Now, Darling (1973) Don't Look Now (1974) Under the Hill (Aubrey Beardsley) (1976)West End The Giveaway (1969) Adam's Apple (1970) She's Done It Again (1970)
References
Bibliography Hadoke, T (2020) Margaret Nolan obituary Guardian Media Group King, E (2005) Robert Brownjohn: Sex and Typography 1925–1970 UK: King . US: Princeton Mele, C (2020) Margaret Nolan, ‘Goldfinger’ Actress, Dies at 76 The New York Times Company Ross, R (1996) The Carry On Companion Batsford Ross, R (1999) Carry On' Uncensored Boxtree Ross, R (2011) 'Carry On' Actors Apex Sheridan, R (2007) Keeping the British End Up: Four Decades of Saucy Cinema Reynolds and Hearn Slidel, M (2012) Margaret Nolan Interview Playerist No. 2, Martin Slidel Snelgrove, K (2008) Official Carry On Facts, Figures and Statistics Apex Webber, R (2008) Fifty Years of Carry On Century 38 26 34 – Vol 09 No 02 (1972) Margaret Nolan as Vicki Kennedy – Pages 42–47
External links
Margaret Nolan 2007 interview at "Den of Geek" website Margaret Nolan 2012 interview at "Playerist" website