Suzy Kendall, a stunning actress with a radiant beauty, was a prominent figure in the British entertainment industry during the 1960s. Despite her extraordinary looks, she never sought to be in the spotlight and only reluctantly accepted fame. Born Freida Harrison, she initially pursued a career in fashion design, majoring in fabric and fashion design at Derby College.
While studying, she encountered fashion photographers and agents who were captivated by her looks and encouraged her to become a model. Although she wasn't particularly interested in modeling, she was flattered by the compliments and saw an opportunity to make extra income while drawing attention to her fashion ideas. She signed with a recommended agency, which gave her the stage name Suzy Kendall.
To her surprise, she was in constant demand, a time when the British entertainment industry was experiencing increased crossover between music and film. Before long, she started receiving film offers, despite not being trained as an actress. Her agents persuaded her to accept roles, and her early parts were minor but included a role in the spy caper The Liquidator (1965),which was a major success.
Her international recognition came with her prominent role in To Sir, with Love (1967),a British version of Blackboard Jungle (1955). The same year, she starred in the crime thriller The Penthouse (1967),playing a woman taken hostage by violent criminal predators. She disliked the film, but it was a major hit. It was around this time that she met the talented and famous but insecure Dudley Moore, with whom she co-starred in 30 Is a Dangerous Age, Cynthia (1968).
They immediately hit it off and gradually became a couple, marrying in 1968. At Moore's urging, she accepted the title role in Fraulein Doktor (1969),in which she played a World War I femme fatale, based on Mata Hari. Although the film received some good reviews, it was not a success. However, her career was boosted again in The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970),in which she played the girlfriend of a murder suspect who becomes the target of the real killer. The film was an international success and made director Dario Argento a household name among horror fans.
By this time, she wanted to become a mother and cut back on her career. However, Moore's career had found worldwide success, and he didn't think the time was right for raising children. This and their increasing time spent apart took a toll, and they subsequently divorced. However, their marriage ended amicably, and they remained good friends for the remainder of his life.
Suzy Kendall continued to work through the 1970s, mostly as threatened heroines in violent horror films of uneven quality. She soon found herself in a professional rut in an industry that wasn't all that important to her. She remarried and settled into a private life, concentrating on her marriage and raising their child.
She briefly returned to the public eye in 2002, when she hosted a memorial service for her late former husband, Moore, who was friends not only with her but also with her current husband, even giving their daughter piano lessons.
