Celebrating Hammer’s “Glamour” Girl!
I came across the terrific book that celebrates Hammer’s Horror Queens – and the Actress who graced the cover is my new obsession!
Madeline Smith achieved fame in the late 60’s, being regularly featured in the work of Cartoonist J Edward Oliver, who once devoted an entire strip to her entitled ‘The Life and Habits of the Madeline Smith’.
It was her work with Hammer films, however, that cemented her status as a cult Horror sex kitten, beginning with this classic Hammer horror film starring Christopher Lee:
Smith’s first Hammer film was “Taste the Blood of Dracula” – she was billed as ‘Maddy Smith’ and played a Prostitute.
Check out the trailer:
Madeline Has A “Vampire Lover!”
Another of her great films was the cult gem “The Vampire Lovers”, and fans remember who she was playing opposite: the legendary Ingrid Pitt!
Smith was not shy about playing very “revealing” roles, and “Vampire Lovers” is one of her most revealing:
I love this film, as it has a vintage gothic setting, but more modern, erotic storytelling, which was happening to keep audiences satisfied as restrictions on more adult content were going away…
Of course, Ingrid Pitt was also a Hammer Horror Queen…and was part of my monthlong celebration in October – you can see more of “The Vampire Lovers” by clicking here:
Throughout the 70’s, Smith showed up in all kind of terrific films:
She starred in the James Bond film “Live and Let Die” with Roger Moore, and revealed a lot more of herself in the 1971 sex comedy “Up Pompeii”:
The plot was just an excuse to get to the sex: a Roman slave comes into possession of a scroll naming the proposed assassins of Emperor Nero – when all he wants to do is maintain the Emperor’s orgy schedule!
Smith also starred in another British sex comedy – a film released in the UK as “Percy’s Progress”:
However, in the United States it had a different title:
Yes, it had a much different title, and the US version included several additional scenes shot by the American distributor, like a new opening scene of a penis transplant operation, and a scene in which a dwarf is seen jumping out of a woman’s bed, leaving her to say the film’s American title, “It’s not the size that counts”!
These films were part of UK cinema in the 70’s – sex comedies with lots of nudity and sexual innuendo…
Actress Julie Age was also in the film, and I looked at her career as well – click here to see why she was called “the new Raquel Welch”:
Smith appeared in a wide range of films throughout the decade, but now you can hear her talk about it yourself!
I found a terrific clip in which Madeline Smith has a lengthy conversation about her career! It’s called “PRODUCTION DIARY #08” –
here she is discussing her roles in a terrific youtube interview!
Madeline Smith Was “Hammer Glamour!”
Twenty years later she was interviewed in, and was the cover star of, the coffee-table book “Hammer Glamour”, which celebrates the Actresses who appeared in Hammer films…
Bravo to Smith for having a great career, and entertaining us in a wide variety of cult gems!
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Leave a comment about your favorite Madeline Smith roles!
Categories: 70's Films, Books / Media, Camp Cult Classics, Classic Horror, Exploitation Films, Grindhouse, Horror films, JRsploitation, sex kittens, Talent / Celebrites
JR-Sploitation! 
She was also an obsession of mine, back in the day. As well as always shedding clothes, her eyes were just amazing! One of my all-time favourite sex kittens, John!
Best wishes, Pete.
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Sorry I missed this comment, Pete…Wordpress acting up, will let me “like” some blogs, not others….hmm…anywya Madeline Smith was quite a stunner!
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She was more than an obsession for me in the 70s, I always watched anything she was in.
The most beautiful woman ever, perfect face, innocent yet seductive eyes and a figure to die for. After 40+ years her photos still take my breath away.
Thanks for the article
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She was a very well deserved choice for the cover of the Hammer Glamour book and is out doing events today, so still active and embraces her terrific past!
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