Hammer Glamour Star Marie Devereux: A Celebration of 1960 Pictorial

Marie Devereux as the silent temptress
Marie Devereux as the silent temptress

While surfing the Internet searching for images to illustrate the various reviews and retrospectives we are compiling as part of our ongoing tribute to the Horror, Fantasy, and Science Fiction Films of 1960, I have encountered more than a few of Marie Devereux, the stunning beauty who appeared in a handful of Hammer films, including two memorable titles from the year in question, THE BRIDES OF DRACULA and THE STRANGLERS OF BOMBAY.
According to Hammer Glamour by Marcus Hearn, Devereux’s real name was Patricia Sutcliffe, and she first earned attention as a voluptuous model posing in cheesecake magazines. She may not have been much of an actress (she remains mute in both her Hammer horror appearances), but her looks were striking indeed. She was more than just sexy; she had a certain domineering demeanor that registered as dangerous on screen, which made her memorable even though her roles are mostly eye candy. With a little assist from director Terence Fisher, she especially stands out in THE STRANGLERS OF BOMBAY; Fisher turns her into an icon of temptation that leads men into fatal danger.
Devereux’s acting career did not pan out; her  movie resume dries up after the mid-1960s. But those two appearances are enough to earn her a small place in horror movie history, which we celebrate here with this selection of photos.
MarieDevereux in The Stranglers of Bombay (1960) The Brides of Dracula (Marie Devereux on right) The Brides of Dracula (Marie Devereux on left)
[serialposts]

One Reply to “Hammer Glamour Star Marie Devereux: A Celebration of 1960 Pictorial”

  1. Actually, Patricia Sutciffe, a.k.a. Marie Deveraux; Marie Devereux; Marie Devereaux, appeared in at least three other films produced by Hammer Films, including the comedies I ONLY ARSKED! (1958)& A WEEKEND WITH LULU (1961); as well as PIRATES OF BLOOD RIVER (1961), the latter in which she does speak.
    Of course, she was well known as one of Harrison Marks nude models in the 1950’s. She went on to become Elizabeth Taylor’s stand-in in CLEOPATRA (1963), and worked briefly in Hollywood (including two films for director Sam Fuller).
    Her disappearence afterward has puzzled a number of people as much as that of the late Betty Page. As of this writing, no one seems toknow if she is still alive.

Leave a Reply