Zena Moyra Marshall (1 January 1926 – 10 July 2009) was a British actress of film and television, best known for her appearances as Miss Taro in Dr. No (1962) and as Countess Ponticelli in Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines (1965).
Early life and education Marshall was born in Nairobi, Kenya, to parents of English, Irish and French descent. After her father's death and her mother's remarriage, she was brought up in Leicestershire, England. Marshall attended St Mary's, Ascot, and trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA).
Career Marshall worked with the Entertainments National Service Association (ENSA) during the Second World War. Marshall first acted on stage. Her film career began with a small role in Caesar and Cleopatra (1945), with Claude Rains and Vivien Leigh. Her exotic looks resulted in her being cast in "ethnic" roles, such as Asian women, including her role as the Chinese character Miss Taro, in the first James Bond film, Dr. No (1962). She also appeared in Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines (1965) as the Countess Ponticelli, and made numerous television appearances. Her last film performance was in The Terrornauts in 1967.
Personal life and death Marshall married bandleader Paul Adam in January 1946; they divorced in 1953, owing to his "misconduct" with a woman referred to only as "Miss X". She later wed and divorced Alexander "Reggie" Ward, before her final marriage to film producer Ivan Foxwell. He died in 2002. Marshall died of cancer on 10 July 2009, aged 83. Her gravesite is in St Thomas a Becket churchyard, Skeffington, Leicestershire.
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes1945Caesar and CleopatraLady-in-WaitingUncredited 1947Sante1948So Evil My LoveLisetteSnowboundItalian GirlMirandaSecretaryGood-Time GirlAnnie FarrellSleeping Car to TriesteSuzanne1949An Italian WomanUncreditedMarry Me!Marcelle DuclosHelter SkelterGiselleAnnaMeet Simon CherryLisa Colville1950Morning Departure Operation Disaster (US)The WrenSo Long at the FairNinaSoho ConspiracyDora ScalaDark IntervalSonia Jordan1951Hell Is Sold OutHoneychild1952Blind Man's BluffChristine StevensFritzi Villiers1953Deadly NightshadeAnn FarringtonMen Against the SunElizabeth1954Laura VaneMrs. Forrest1955Three Cases of MurderBeautiful Blonde(segment "Lord Mountdrago"), Uncredited1956Bermuda AffairChris WaltersMy Wife's FamilyHilda1957Let's Be HappyHelene1958Dial 999 (TV series) ('Fashions in Crime', episode)Laura Harris1960A Story of David: The HuntedNaomi1962CrosstrapRinaDr. NoMiss TaroBackfire!Pauline LoganEdgar Wallace Mysteries1963The Scales of JusticeThelma Sinclair1964 The VerdictCarola Edgar Wallace Mysteries1965Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying MachinesCountess Sofia Ponticelli1967Sandy Lund(final film role)
Television Year Title Role Notes1950MargueritteTV short1952Helen AnastiadiEpisode: "The Quiet Voice"Sunday Night TheatreCatherineEpisode: "The Portugal Lady"1953Your Favorite StoryEpisode: "Work of Art"1954LiebeleiMitzi SchlagerTV film1955Saber of LondonAudrey LiptonEpisode: "The Serpent Beneath"1956Colonel March of Scotland YardMadeleineEpisode: "The Silent Vow"1957O.S.S.Lucille GenetEpisode: "Operation Flint Axe"1958African PatrolStella StevensEpisode: "No Place to Hide"TaniaEpisode: "The Locked Room"1960–1964Danger ManDr. LeClair, Mrs. Ramfi, NadiaEpisodes: "The Leak", "Find and Return", "Fish on the Hook"1962Sir Francis DrakeMariaEpisode: "The Bridge"Richard the LionheartZaraEpisode: "The Challenge"Man of the WorldMadame ThiboeufEpisode: "Death of a Conference"1963Vera BarclayEpisode: "Over and Out"Melina, RitaEpisodes: "A Little Sweetness and Light", "A Box of Tricks"1964Ghost SquadYvonneEpisode: "Dead Men Don't Drive"1965Dixon of Dock GreenCarol WrightEpisode: "Find the Lady"Public EyeJean LawfordEpisode: "You Have to Draw the Line Somewhere"1966Court MartialMaraEpisode: "Let Slip the Dogs of War"
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