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Hammer Horror Vampire Star Ingrid Pitt Dies
RIP Ingrid.
Actress Ingrid Pitt, who became famous for playing voluptuous vampires in the Hammer Horror films of the 1970s, has died aged 73.
She collapsed in London last week while on her way to an event hosted by members of her fan club, her daughter said.
The Polish-born star began her career on the stage in East Germany before coming to Britain.
After playing secret agent Heidi in the classic war film Where Eagles Dare alongside Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood in 1968, she appeared in a series of horror films made by Hammer which quickly gained cult status.
Her starring credits included Countess Dracula, The Vampire Lovers and The House That Dripped Blood.
She also appeared in The Wicker Man and, on TV, made appearances in Doctor Who and in the 1982 BBC adaptation of John le Carre's espionage thriller Smiley's People.
Her daughter Steffanie Pitt said she was "a fantastic woman".
She said: "She passed away this morning. It was heart trouble. She had a couple of bad years, health-wise, but she had fought through.
"Anyone who knew my mother would say she was incredibly feisty and determined to make a good fist of everything she wanted to do."
Robin Hardy, the director of The Wicker Man, said he had "very good memories" of Pitt.
He said: "She was a very attractive person in every sense. She was a perfectly good actress but a very decent person as well, not that those two things don't often go together.
"I'm very sorry to hear she's gone."
Specialist film website imdb.com quotes the actress as having once commented: "It's great meeting the fans.
"They say I'm more beautiful now than I was 25 years ago. All lies of course, but sweet. Where else is an old bag like me going to find strapping young men and women to whisper sweet nothings in her ear?"
She is survived by her husband, daughter, grand-daughter and an ex-husband.
She collapsed in London last week while on her way to an event hosted by members of her fan club, her daughter said.
The Polish-born star began her career on the stage in East Germany before coming to Britain.
After playing secret agent Heidi in the classic war film Where Eagles Dare alongside Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood in 1968, she appeared in a series of horror films made by Hammer which quickly gained cult status.
Her starring credits included Countess Dracula, The Vampire Lovers and The House That Dripped Blood.
She also appeared in The Wicker Man and, on TV, made appearances in Doctor Who and in the 1982 BBC adaptation of John le Carre's espionage thriller Smiley's People.
Her daughter Steffanie Pitt said she was "a fantastic woman".
She said: "She passed away this morning. It was heart trouble. She had a couple of bad years, health-wise, but she had fought through.
"Anyone who knew my mother would say she was incredibly feisty and determined to make a good fist of everything she wanted to do."
Robin Hardy, the director of The Wicker Man, said he had "very good memories" of Pitt.
He said: "She was a very attractive person in every sense. She was a perfectly good actress but a very decent person as well, not that those two things don't often go together.
"I'm very sorry to hear she's gone."
Specialist film website imdb.com quotes the actress as having once commented: "It's great meeting the fans.
"They say I'm more beautiful now than I was 25 years ago. All lies of course, but sweet. Where else is an old bag like me going to find strapping young men and women to whisper sweet nothings in her ear?"
She is survived by her husband, daughter, grand-daughter and an ex-husband.
RIP Ingrid.
