“Hello, Honey!”
One picture. One iconic name: Honey Ryder. The FIRST Bond Girl! As she said at the time:
“This bikini made me into a success. As a result of starring in Dr. No as the first Bond girl, I was given the freedom to take my pick of future roles and to become financially independent.”
Time To Celebrate Ursula Andress – Nicknamed Ursula “Undress”!
Ursula Andress is a Swiss film Actress who has appeared with some of Hollywood’s all-time biggest stars, including Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley!
But she will also forever be known for this:
007’s First Bond Girl!
Andress achieved instant stardom in 1962 when she emerged from the water as Bond girl Honey Ryder in the first James Bond film, “Dr. No!”
Here is the scene from “Dr. No” when Sean Connery sees his first “Bond Girl”:
A Dubbed “Andress!”
Here is some great trivia: Ursula’s Swiss accent was so strong that her dialogue was dubbed – that’s not even her voice in the film! Still, it didn’t keep her from stardom. As Andress said:
“This bikini made me into a success. As a result of starring in Dr. No as the first Bond girl, I was given the freedom to take my pick of future roles and to become financially independent.”
And so she did, moving on to a series of big hit films with Hollywood’s biggest stars!
Andress co-starred with Elvis Presley in the 1963 musical “Fun in Acapulco”, and then moved on to another of America’s most popular singers!
Address also starred with Frank Sinatra, Anita Ekberg and Dean Martin in “4 for Texas” – and she also dated James Dean shortly before his death…
Ursula “Undress!”
Now, let’s discuss her nickname: how she earned it, and what she thought of it!
In 1965, Ursula Andress posed nude for Playboy – in what would be the first of eight times she posed for the magazine!
So THIS Is How She Earned Her Nickname!
Address appeared nude in a number of her movie roles, and posed for many pictorials, including one where she re-enacted her “Dr. No” pose – minus some wardrobe…
She was asked once why she had agreed to do the Playboy shoot – here is her succinct reply:
“Because I’m beautiful.”
OK then, within a few years she had earned her the nickname “Ursula Undress!”
Her film and TV work slowed down as she got older, but in 2006, on the occasion of the inauguration of the Swiss Consulate General in Scotland, Andress celebrated her 70th birthday on board the Royal Yacht Britannia in Edinburgh in the company of an international crowd of celebrities.
Here is an article looking at her life now, still turning heads at 79!
Of course, Andress was just the first of many Bond girls – some who actually helped the movie plots, many of whom were wasted window dressing…some feel that this was the most beautiful Bond girl of all time!
Claudine Auger starred with Sean Connery in the fourth Bond film, “Thunderball” – also using the film’s beach locations to her benefit.
You can read more about Auger’s filmography, including one of Italy’s best giallo thrillers!
Another “Bond Girl” wasn’t in any of the official 007 movies, but in a spoof of Bond that was a smash hit in the late 60’s!
Barbara Bouchet was a “Bond girl” in the camp film “Casino Royale” – read more about it here:
https://johnrieber.com/2014/04/29/classic-sex-kitten-james-bonds-sexy-co-star-barbara-bouchet/
And since we are on all things “James Bond 007” – time for one of the biggest film debates of all time:
Who is the best 007? Who was the worst James Bond? Well, you can weigh in by clicking here!
For many, the best part of a Bond movie is the theme song – and we all know which one was the all-time best:
Paul McCartney and Wings rocked “Live And Let Die” to new Bond heights…but what is your favorite? Click here to vote – just don’t click “yes” for Madonna!
https://johnrieber.com/2013/11/05/rock-on-007-the-best-and-worst-james-bond-theme-songs/
And let’s take a moment to tip our hat to the first “Bond girl” ever!
