Нири Дона Портер: Жизнь и карьера актрисы

New Zealand–British actress

Nyree Dawn Porter OBE (born Ngaire Dawn Porter; 22 January 1936 – 10 April 2001) was a New Zealand–British actress.

Porter was born in Napier, New Zealand in 1936. She moved to Britain in 1958 after winning a Miss Cinema talent competition for young actresses organised by Rank, with the prize of a round the world trip and a film test in London. Look Who's Here at the Fortune Theatre in Drury Lane was her first West End appearance. She followed this with the role of Connie in Neil Simon's first West End play, Come Blow Your Horn, and a string of other appearances.

She appeared in several television productions, including an early episode of The Avengers ("Death on The Slipway", 1961); and the title role in the BBC's 1964 adaptation of Madame Bovary. The 1967 series, which attracted audiences of 18 million, saw her described by critics as "the first romantic sex symbol of the telly age." She herself said, "I was an unknown theatre actress and Irene gave me international fame and opened doors for me". Her husband was played by Ian Hendry. The programme ran for two series, in 1980 and 1981. Her film appearances included Live Now, Pay Later (1962), The Cracksman (1963), Two Left Feet (1963), and two horror anthologies: The House That Dripped Blood (1971) and From Beyond the Grave (1974). She also appeared in Hilary and Jackie (1998) as the ballerina Dame Margot Fonteyn.

In the 1970 Birthday Honours, Porter was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to television.

Her first husband, Byron O'Leary, died in 1970 of an accidental drug overdose. In 1975 she married actor Robin Halstead after the birth of their daughter, Natalya Francesca Halstead. The couple divorced in 1987.

She died in Wandsworth, London, in 2001 from leukaemia, aged 65. She was cremated at Putney Vale Crematorium and her ashes buried in the cemetery there.

Year Title Role Notes1960Identity UnknownPam1960Sentenced for LifeBetty Martin1961Part Time WifeJenny Briggs1962Live Now, Pay LaterMarjorie MasonAlso starring Ian Hendry1963Muriel1965Two Left FeetEileen1971AnnSegment: "Sweets to the Sweet"1974From Beyond the GraveSusan WarrenSegment: "The Elemental"1976Morir dormir tal vez sonarAna Mari1998Hilary and JackieMargot Fonteyn

Year Title Role Notes1959ITV Play of the WeekVera Berridge"Touch Wood"1960Deadline MidnightJulie Sykes"1.5"1960Man from InterpolMary"The Soul Peddlers"1960Danger ManStewardess"The Island"1961Liz Wells"Death on the Slipway" (with lead Ian Hendry)1961Drama 61 67Mary Mills"The Diamond Run"1961Armchair TheatreMildred"His Polyvinyl Girl"1961Edgar Wallace MysteriesMary Greer"Man at the Carlton Tower"1962Reunion DayJudith RubinTV film1962Miss Wyvern"A Question of Libel"1963Corrigan BlakeFrancesca"The Scientific Approach"1963No Hiding PlaceVicky West"Death of Samantha"1963Drama 61 67Caroline West"Dead Darling"1963ITV Play of the WeekVicky, the Princess Aziza"Vicky and the Sultan"1964Madame BovaryEmma BovaryTV miniseries1964Ghost SquadYvette"It Won't Be a Stylish Marriage"1964Judith ParisJudith ParisTV miniseries1964Janoo"The Sending of Dana Da"1964Patsy Butler"The Scorpion"1964Love StoryTina Morris"Arranged for Strings"1965Public EyeSheila Reynolds"I Went to Borrow a Pencil, and Look What I Found"1965Thursday TheatreAgnes Potter"The Kidders"1965Sherlock HolmesLady Brackenstall"The Abbey Grange"1965Six Shades of BlackMelusine"A Loving Disposition"1965ITV Play of the WeekNina"A Couple of Dry Martinis"1965Armchair Mystery TheatreLisa"Wake a Stranger"1965BlackmailMrs. Donahoe"The Case of the Phantom Lover"1966HermioneTV series1967Irene ForsyteMain role1968Rita Ironside"Mates! "1968Armchair TheatreBarbara"A Second Look"1968Never a Cross WordDeirdre BaldockTV series1970HassanPervanehTV film1970Jane EyreBlanche IngramTV film1972–1974Contessa Caroline di ContiniMain role1973Armchair 30Stephanie"Ross Evan's Story"1974ThrillerLaura Vallance"Ring Once for Death" (US title: "Death in Small Doses")1976Softly, SoftlyJane Rawlings"Alarums and Excursions"1980Alice HathawayTV miniseries1980For Maddie with LoveMaddie LaurieMain role (again alongside Ian Hendry)1986David CopperfieldMrs. SteerforthTV miniseries