Melissa Stribling

Melissa Stribling (7 November 1926 – 22 March 1992) was a Scottish film and television actress. She is best known for playing the role of Mina Holmwood in the horror film Dracula (1958).

Melissa Stribling
Born
Melissa Stribling Smith[1]

(1926-11-07)7 November 1926[1]
Gourock, Scotland
Died22 March 1992(1992-03-22) (aged 65)
Watford, Hertfordshire, England[2]
OccupationActress
Spouse(s)Basil Dearden

Career

Born in Gourock, Scotland as Melissa Stribling Smith, her career began with a small role in the film The First Gentleman (1948).[2] Stribling is known for playing the role of Mina Holmwood in the horror film Dracula (1958) starring Christopher Lee in the title role.[3] In the 1960s and 1970s, she guest-starred in the TV series Benny Hill (1963), ITV Play of the Week, The Avengers, The Persuaders!, The Dick Emery Show, and The New Avengers.[4] Her last appearance was in the film Paris by Night (1988) with Charlotte Rampling.[5]

In the film Dracula, her character was the victim of a vampire in what can be seen as an erotically charged performance.[6] Dracula and Mina showing sexual pleasure in this way was a first in British cinema.[7]

Terence Fisher remembers her asking him how to play the scene. Terence replied, saying that she should imagine that she had one whale of a sexual night and that it should be shown on her face.[8] The author Mark Clark detailed the first encounter between Dracula and Mina in his book Smirk, sneer, and scream: great acting in horror cinema which he described as an implied erotic scene.[9] Jonathan Rigby complimented her performance in his book English gothic: a century of horror cinema, saying that she is a terrific female lead throughout the film.[10] Terence Fisher said that he told her that she produced a satisfied little facial expression that speaks volumes.[7]

Family

She was married to Basil Dearden; their son is James Dearden, also a film director. Their younger son is Torquil Dearden, a London-based editor at a company specialising in commercials and corporate videos.[11]

Filmography
Year Title J Notes
1952The First GentlemanLady Conyngham
1952Wide BoyCaroline
1952Crow HollowDiana Wilson
1952Ghost ShipParty Girl (Vera)
1953Decameron NightsGirl in Villa
1953Noose for a LadyVanessa Lane
1954Thought to KillMary
1955Out of the CloudsJean Osmond
1956Behind the HeadlinesMary Carrick
1957Murder ReportedAmanda North
1958The SafecrackerAngela
1958DraculaMina Holmwood
1959The Adventures of William TellCountess Von MarkheinEpisode 'The Young Widow'
1960The League of GentlemenPeggy
1961The Secret PartnerHelen Standish
1968Only When I LarfDiana
1968Journey into DarknessHelen Ames(episode 'The New People')
1970The Persuaders!Lisa KoestlerEpisode: "Powerswitch"
1971Crucible of TerrorJoanna Brent
1974Confessions of a Window CleanerMrs. Villiers
1976FeelingsCharlotte Randall
1988Paris by NightLady Boeing(final film role)

References
  1. Pendreigh, Brian (10 May 2008). "Once bitten...", Herald Scotland; retrieved 30 May 2015.
  2. "Melissa Stribling". BFI.
  3. "BFI Screenonline: Dracula (1958)". www.screenonline.org.uk.
  4. "Melissa Stribling". www.aveleyman.com.
  5. Kinsey, Wayne (2002). Hammer films: the Bray Studio years. Reynolds & Hearn. ISBN 978-1-903111-44-4.
  6. J. Hogan, David (1997). Dark romance: sexuality in the horror film. McFarland. p. 46. ISBN 978-0-7864-0474-2. Retrieved 16 June 2010.
  7. Harper, Sue; Porter, Vincent (2007). British Cinema of the 1950s: The Decline of Deference. Oxford University Press. p. 149. ISBN 978-0-19-815935-3. Retrieved 16 June 2010.
  8. Hutchings, Peter (2001). Terence Fisher. Manchester University Press. p. 120. ISBN 978-0-7190-5637-6. Retrieved 16 June 2010.
  9. Clark, Mark (2004). Smirk, sneer, and scream: great acting in horror cinema. McFarland. p. 122. ISBN 978-0-7864-1932-6. Retrieved 16 June 2010.
  10. Rigby, Jonathan (2004). English gothic: a century of horror cinema. Reynolds & Hearn. p. 67. ISBN 978-1-903111-79-6. Retrieved 16 June 2010.
  11. Quinlan, David (1983). The illustrated guide to film directors. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 70. ISBN 978-0-389-20408-4. Retrieved 16 June 2010.
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