Yvonne Romain

Yvonne Romain (born Yvonne Warren, 17 February 1938) is a British film and television actress of the late 1950s and 1960s.

Early career

Romain was born in London and is a graduate of the Italia Conti Academy. From the age of twelve she appeared in children's shows and repertory. She started appearing in British films in her late teens. Her exotic, dark looks and 38-22-36 figure saw her often cast in supporting roles as Italian or Spanish maidens in war films and comedies. However, it is for her roles in numerous British horror films that she is perhaps most remembered. She enjoyed parts in Corridors of Blood (1958), where she starred alongside Boris Karloff and Christopher Lee, and also in Circus of Horrors (1960). She was also to star in the later Devil Doll (1964), about a malevolent ventriloquist's dummy.

However, Romain is probably best known for The Curse of the Werewolf (1961) where she starred with Oliver Reed in his first major role. In the film, Romain plays a mute servant girl who spurns the advances of the sadistic Marques. She is thrown into a prison cell with a deranged beggar who proceeds to rape her. As a result, she later gives birth on Christmas Day to future lycanthrope Leon (Reed), though the effort kills her. Hammer Films' publicity stills for the movie capitalised on Romain's obvious charms by having her photographed in typical 'scream queen' poses alongside a made-up Reed. This is despite the fact that she and Reed share no actual screen time.

Perhaps her biggest role was in another Hammer production, Captain Clegg (1962), aka Night Creatures (US title), playing alongside Peter Cushing and Oliver Reed again, this time as his fiancée. She also appeared alongside Sean Connery twice, in Action of the Tiger (1957), and the gangster film The Frightened City (1961), where she shared equal billing with the pre-Bond star. Romain also co-starred in the Danger Man episode titled Sabotage in 1961, and in the 1964 mystery film Smokescreen alongside Peter Vaughan.

Oliver Reed would be Romain's most frequent co-star, though. The two appeared together again in an episode of The Saint (Season 2, Episode 9 'The king of the beggars'), and for a fourth and final time in The Brigand of Kandahar (1965).

Later career

Soon after, Romain moved to Los Angeles and starred alongside Ann-Margret in The Swinger (1966), and Elvis Presley in Double Trouble (1967), which she herself calls a 'dreadful film',[1] though she enjoyed the experience, being 29 then.

After a break from the screen, Romain emerged from semi-retirement as the title character in the Anthony Perkins/Stephen Sondheim-scripted mystery thriller The Last of Sheila (1973), her last screen role, she now being 37 years old.

Personal life

She married Leslie Bricusse, composer of musicals (including Stop the World I Want to Get Off, Scrooge, and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory) and lyricist for the classic James Bond themes Goldfinger and You Only Live Twice, and she later turned down a seven-year contract with Federico Fellini because it meant working away from her Hollywood-based husband and young son.

Filmography
Year Title Role Notes
1956The Baby and the BattleshipItalian GirlUncredited
1956House of SecretsUncredited
1957InterpolUncredited
1957Murder ReportedBetty
1957Action of the TigerKatina
1957Seven ThundersMinor RoleUncredited
1957A King in New YorkOlder Girl
1958The Silent Enemy' Spanish GirlUncredited
1958Corridors of BloodRosa
1960Circus of HorrorsMelina
1961The Curse of the WerewolfServant Girl
1961The Frightened CityAnya
1962Village of DaughtersAnnunziata Gastoni
1962Captain CleggImogene - serving wench
1963Return to SenderLisa
1964Devil DollMarianne Horn
1964SmokescreenJanet Dexter
1965The Brigand of KandaharRatina
1966The SwingerKaren Charles
1967Double TroubleClaire Dunham
1973The Last of SheilaSheila Green(final film role)
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References
  1. Yvonne Romain profile, bitememagazine.com; accessed June 4, 2017.
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