Not one, but two stereotypes cling to Val – as a buxom secretary being leered at by a tubby character actor in sexcoms innumerable, and heavy-lidded otherworldly Amazon either worshipping Charles Hawtrey (Carry On Up the Jungle) or trying to do him in (Zeta One). But among all the ‘Take a letter, Miss Hampton’ tomfoolery, there’s classier stuff, like two Bonds, and Warren Mitchell social climbing satire All the Way Up. Oh, and, er, Queen Kong of course.
FINEST HOUR: A rather nifty dual role as the daughter of Andrew Kier possessed by the spirit of an Egyptian empress in Hammer’s rip-roaring Blood from the Mummy’s Tomb.
