Catherine Schell

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Catherine Schell
Catherine Schell in 1967
Born
Katherina Freiin Schell von Bauschlott

(1944-07-17) 17 July 1944 (age 79)
NationalityBritish
Other namesCatherine von Schell
Katherina von Schell
Katherine von Schell
CitizenshipBritish
Alma materOtto Falckenberg School of the Performing Arts
Occupation(s)Television and film actress
Years active1964–2004; 2020-Present
Known forOn Her Majesty's Secret Service
The Return of the Pink Panther
Doctor Who
TelevisionSpace: 1999
Spouses
(m. 1968; div. 1977)
(m. 1982; died 2006)
Parent(s)Baron Paul Schell von Bauschlott
Countess Katharina Maria Etelka Georgina Elisabeth Teleki de Szék

Catherine Schell (born Katherina Freiin Schell von Bauschlott, 17 July 1944) is a Hungarian-born British actress who came to prominence in British film and television productions from the 1960s. Her notable roles include the Bond girl Nancy in On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969), Lady Claudine Litton in The Return of the Pink Panther (1975), Countess Scarlioni in the Doctor Who serial City of Death (1979), and a regular role as Maya in Series Two of the television series Space: 1999 (1975).

Early life[edit]

Schell's father, Baron Paul Schell von Bauschlott, was a Hungarian diplomat of three-quarter[1] Magyar ancestry; her mother was Countess Katharina Maria Etelka Georgina Elisabeth Teleki de Szék. "Schell" is the family name, while "von Bauschlott" indicates the place in Germany where the Schell family owned its main estate.

Fleeing Hungary in advance of the Soviets and communism, the family lived in poverty until 1948, finding asylum in Austria: first in Vienna, then in Salzburg. In 1950, the family emigrated to the United States,[2] where Schell's father acquired American citizenship.

Schell entered a convent school in the New York City borough of Staten Island. In 1957, her father joined Radio Free Europe and the family moved to Munich where Schell developed an interest in acting and attended the Otto Falckenberg School of the Performing Arts.[3]

Career[edit]

Film[edit]

She acted under the alternate names "Catherine von Schell", "Catherina von Schell", and "Katherina von Schell" early in her career. Under the last name, she made her film debut as the title character in the little-known German-language film Lana, Queen of the Amazons (1964). She appeared as Bond girl Nancy in the James Bond film On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969), with George Lazenby in the lead.[2] Around the same time, she appeared in Hammer Films science-fiction thriller Moon Zero Two (also 1969) cast in the role of Clementine Taplin. She appeared with Bette Davis, now credited as Catherine Schell, in Madame Sin (1972), a television film made by ITC which was released theatrically in some markets.

Schell appeared opposite Peter Sellers in the comedy The Return of the Pink Panther (1975) as Lady Claudine Lytton. Schell appeared with Sellers again in The Prisoner of Zenda (1979), one of his last films.

Television[edit]

Schell's first TV credit was Till Eulenspiegel (1967), a West German comedy in which she played Nele and was billed as Katherina von Schell.

Schell spent much of her career in British television, appearing in more than 47 series spanning a period of nearly 30 years. She played regular roles in series such as The Adventurer, Looking For Clancy, One by One, Mog and Wish Me Luck, in addition to many guest appearances, including The Persuaders! (starring alongside future James Bond actor Roger Moore), The Troubleshooters, Arthur of the Britons, Return of the Saint, The Sweeney, The Onedin Line, The Gentle Touch, Lovejoy, Bergerac, The Bill, Howards' Way and The Search for the Nile.

Schell appeared in the science-fiction series Space: 1999 as a robotic servant ("Guardian of Piri", 1975), and returned to the series in its second season as the regular character Maya, a shape-shifting "metamorph" from the planet Psychon. Schell appeared in another British science-fiction series, as Countess Scarlioni in the Doctor Who serial City of Death (1979).[2]

Personal life[edit]

Family[edit]

Schell's brother, Paul Rudolf (born 1940), now known as Paul von Schell, has acted in German-language productions. A younger brother, Peter (1941–68), died young. Through a German great-grandfather, Schell is related to Louis XIV of France (1638–1715), Philip II, Duke of Orléans (1674–1723), Regent of France and Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor (1708–65).[citation needed] She is not believed to be related to the Austrian-Swiss actors Maximilian and Maria Schell.[citation needed]

Marriages[edit]

While filming Amsterdam Affair in 1968, Schell met and married her first husband, British actor William Marlowe (1930–2003), and moved to London. The marriage ended in divorce in 1977. Schell married director Bill Hays (1938–2006) in 1982. In 1984, they worked together for the first time as husband and wife on a TV production of Ivan Turgenev's play A Month in the Country.

Retirement[edit]

Schell's career continued into the mid-1990s, after which she retired from acting and opened Chambre d'Hôtes Valentin, a small guesthouse in Bonneval, Haute-Loire, France, which would become a popular destination for fans of Space: 1999. She reportedly sold the inn after the death of her second husband in 2006.

Schell made her first convention appearance at MainMission:2000, a celebration of the 25th anniversary of Space: 1999 held in New York City. To date, she has appeared at only one other convention, mainly due to her second husband's declining health.

Schell contributed a foreword to the Space: 1999 novel Born for Adversity, written by David McIntee and published by Powys Media in 2010.

Schell's autobiography A Constant Alien was published in 2016.[2][4]

She subsequently came out of acting retirement to portray the Grand Duchess Valeria in the BBC One/Netflix series Dracula, which aired in 2020.

Filmography[edit]

Film[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
1964 Lana, Queen of the Amazons Queen Lana
1964 Traitor's Gate Hope Joyner
1967 Hell Is Empty Catherine Grant
1968 Assignment K Maggi Uncredited
1968 Amsterdam Affair Sophie Ray
1969 Moon Zero Two Clementine Taplin
1969 On Her Majesty's Secret Service Nancy
1972 Madame Sin Barbara
1974 The Black Windmill Lady Melissa Julyan
1974 Callan Jenny
1975 The Return of the Pink Panther Lady Claudine Litton
1977 Gulliver's Travels Mary
1978 Exposure Caroline
1978 Destination Moonbase-Alpha Maya
1979 The Prisoner of Zenda Antoinette
1982 The Island of Adventure Alison Mannering
1982 Cosmic Princess Maya
1983 On the Third Day Clarissa Hammond
1988 On the Black Hill Lotte Zons
1990 The March Noelle Epps
1993 Pretty Princess Countess Von Dix
2022 The Munsters Zoya Krupp [5]

Television[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
1967 Till Eulenspiegel Nele Unknown episodes
1970 Omnibus Lunia Episode: "A Requiem for Modigliani"
1971 Paul Temple Uschi Baumann Episode: "Death of Fasching"
1971 The Troubleshooters Kirsten Hansen 2 episodes
1971 The Search for the Nile Florence Baker 2 episodes
1971 The Persuaders! Kristin Hansen Episode: "The Morning After"
1972 A Family at War Erika Episode: "Two Fathers"
1972–1973 The Adventurer Diane Marsh 11 episodes
1973 The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes Maria Wolkinski Episode: "The Sensible Action of Lieutenant Holst"
1973 Arthur of the Britons Benedicta Episode: "The Girl from Rome"
1974 Napoleon and Love Marie Walewska 4 episodes
1974 Dial M for Murder Helen Episode: "Contract"
1974 The Double Dealers The Double Dealers Episode: "An Ad in The Times"
1975 The Sweeney Stella Goodman Episode: "Big Spender"
1975 Thriller Julie Episode: "The Next Voice You See"
1975 Looking for Clancy Penny Clancy 4 episodes
1975 Space: 1999 Servant of the Guardian Episode: "Guardian of Piri"
1976 Play of the Month Mabel Dancy Episode: "Loyalties"
1976–1977 Space: 1999 Maya 23 episodes
1977 Supernatural Theresa Episode: "Viktoria"
1978 The Onedin Line Hannah Webster Episode: "The Reverend's Daughter"
1978 Return of the Saint Samantha Episode: "The Imprudent Professor"
1979 Doctor Who Countess Scarlioni Episode: "City of Death"
1980 The Gentle Touch Margot Episode: "Melody"
1980–1981 The Spoils of War Paula Brandt 11 episodes
1980 Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson Lady Sylvia Tarleton Episode: "The Case of the Deadly Tower"
1982 Strangers Sophy Paget-Lombardi Episode: "A Swift and Evil Rozzer"
1983 Bergerac Veronique Episode: "Prime Target"
1983 Agatha Christie's Partners in Crime Virma La Strange Episode: "The Ambassador's Boots"
1985 One by One Lady Ann Pendle 6 episodes
1985–1986 Mog Mrs. Mortenson All 13 episodes
1985 A Month in the Country Lizaveta TV film
1985 My Brother Jonathan Mrs. Martyn Episode: #1.1
1988 Screen Two Melena Lotskova Episode: "Border"
1989 The Bill Mrs. Stern Episode: Silver Lining"
1989 Howards' Way Yvette Studer Episode: #5.10
1990 Wish Me Luck Virginia Mitchell 8 episodes
1991 Lovejoy Francis Beauchamp Episode: "Raise the Hispanic"
1992 Moon and Son Mrs. Milestone Episode: "Nearly Dearly Departed"
1993 Screen Two Marie-Claire Episode: "The Clothes in the Wardrobe"
1994 The Wimbledon Poisoner Mrs. Gunther Both 2 episodes
1995 Tales of Mystery and Imagination Lady Montresor Episode: "The Cask of Amontillado"
1996 The Knock Inspector Helene Masson 2 episodes
2020 Dracula Grand Duchess Valeria Episode: "Blood Vessel"

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Peter Schell von Bauschlott's Family Tree". geni.com. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d "Catherine Schell | SPACE: 1999". starburstmagazine.com. Starburst magazine. 2 June 2016. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  3. ^ Heald, Tim (1976). The Making of Space: 1999. New York: Ballantine Books. p. 60. ISBN 978-0345252654.
  4. ^ Schell, Catherine (21 March 2016). A Constant Alien. Fantom Films Limited. ISBN 978-1781961612. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  5. ^ "The Munsters Image: Rob Zombie Reveals First Look at Catherine Schell's Character". Screen Rant. 14 January 2022.

External links[edit]