Honor Blackman was a British actor whose performances helped redefine the female action character in 1960s television and cinema. After film work with Rank and appearances in television dramas, she played Cathy Gale in The Avengers from 1962 to 1964. Gale's intelligence, independence, leather clothing and judo skills made Blackman a distinctive figure in the changing visual culture of the period.
She brought that physical assurance to Pussy Galore, the pilot she played opposite Sean Connery in Goldfinger (1964). The role became one of her best-known screen performances. Her later career continued across television and theatre, including the sitcom The Upper Hand.
