Sunday, October 23, 2011

Actress Sue Lloyd R.I.P.

Actress Sue Lloyd, who appeared in such movies as The Ipcress File (1964) and such TV shows as The Baron, passed on 20 October 2011 at the age of 72.

Sue Lloyd was born on 7 August 1939 in Aldeburgh, Suffolk. Her family moved to Birmingham. She attended Edgbaston high school. She took up ballet after she watched Margot Fonteyn at Covent Garden. In 1953 she won a scholarship to the Royal Ballet located at Sadler's Wells theatre in London. Miss Lloyd was one of the last two débutantes to be presented to Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace before the ceremony was discontinued.

Sue Lloyd began her career in entertainment as a dancer and also had a good deal of success modelling. She trained in acting in Los Angeles under actor Jeff Corey. In 1963 she made her television debut in an episode of The Sentimental Agent. She appeared in episodes of Armchair Theatre and Gideon C.I.D. before making her feature film debut in The Ipcress File. She was a regular on the TV series The Baron and His & Hers. She also guest starred on such shows as The Avengers, The Saint, Journey into the Unknown, Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased), and Department S. She appeared in the films Hysteria (1965), Attack on the Iron Coast (1968), Corruption (1968), Where's Jack? (1969), and Lola (1970).

In the Seventies Miss Lloyd was a regular on The Two Ronnies and Crossroads. She appeared on such shows as The Persuaders, Jason King, Justice, and Sherlock Holmes & Doctor Watson. She appeared in such films as Percy (1971), Go For a Take (1972), No. 1 of the Secret Service (1977), and Rough Cut (1980).  In the Eighties she appeared on the shows Super Gran and Bergerac.  She appeared in the film Eat the Rich (1988). In the Nineties and the Naughts she appeared in the series Comic Strip Presents and Keeping Up Appearances. She appeared in the movies U.F.O. (1993) , Bullet to Beijing (1995), and Beginner's Luck (2001).

On the West End Sue Lloyd played John Steed's partner Hannah Wild in the short lived play based on the TV series The Avengers in 1971. Since 1976 she worked as a professional artist, painting murals and portraits.

Sue Lloyd was quite good at playing glamorous and often powerful women. In The Baron she played secret agent Cordelia Winfield. In His & Hers she played the account of the City of London and the breadwinner in her marriage. She even played one of the talented amateurs who partnered with John Steed, although it was in the play based on The Avengers rather than the TV series itself. Given her appearance and natural grace, it was perhaps natural she should generally play glamorous roles. Miss Lloyd played all of these roles well and convincingly. For that she will be remembered.

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