Margaret Nolan (1943-2020)
11th October 2020
James Bond's iconic Golden Girl who also played Dink has died aged 76
By MI6 Staff
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Margaret Nolan was born on 29th October 1943 in Norton Radstock, Somerset, to an English mother and Irish father. Her father was a clerk in the Army and her mother took Margaret and her brother to Ireland. The family returned to England after the war in 1946 and she grew up in Hampstead, London, and began her career as a model and visual artist.
Known as Vicky Kennedy during her glamour model days in the early 1960s, she switched back to using her real name when she started to land screen roles. Amongst a gaggle of credits in 1964 came the chance to appear in both of that year's most iconic pop culture figures. First, she featured in 'A Hard Day's Night' with The Beatles, and then she teamed up with the man who couldn't listen to them without earmuffs - James Bond.
Nolan's work in 'Goldfinger' is somewhat unique as she appears as Dink in the Miami sequence, but also as the 'golden girl' in the titles sequence designed by Robert Brownjohn. It was her body that famously had scenes projected on to it for the iconic credits. She was approached for just the title sequence but negotiated the additional small role of Dink.
Back in 2014, Nolan explained to MI6 Confidential magazine that she was not as comfortable with the chauvinism present in her scene which sees Bond dismiss her by patting her backside: "It was sexist but that’s how things were back then, I came to expect it. Thank goodness things have moved on somewhat.”
The image of Nolan was also used for the official soundtrack cover, posters, and press advertisements - not Shirley Eaton whose character Jill Masterson was painted in gold in the film itself. Her appearance in 'Goldfinger' also lead to a Playboy spread for James Bond's Girls in the November 1965 issue. Nolan turned down a two-year contract to work publicity for Goldfinger for fear it would limit her acting career. "Who knows how my life would have panned out had I toured the world,” she told MI6 Confidential, “but I went on to do some very interesting work, particularly in theatre and on television, which perhaps I would not have done had I been only regarded as a Bond Girl.” The image followed her everywhere, anyway.
She also became well known in the UK for her collaboration with comedian Spike Milligan and worked on five series, as well as dozens of other television roles. Nolan worked with Roger Moore twice on the small screen, first in 1963 in an episode of 'The Saint' titled 'Iris', and later in 1972 in 'The Persuaders!' episode 'Element of Risk'.
Film work was consistent through 1964 to the mid-70s with many comedy credits including multiple 'Carry On' appearances. She retired from acting in the late 1980s to focus on her family and in the early 90s moved to Andalucia, Spain.
She was also known for her photomontage work as a visual artist and had exhibitions in Brick Lane Gallery (2009), The Misty Moon Gallery (2013), and Gallery Different (2013) and continued to work and exhibit up until her passing.
Nolan married once to playwright Tom Tempinski in 1967 whilst training to be a school teacher. They divorced in 1972.
Margaret Nolan died on Monday 5th October 2020. She was 76. She is survived by her two sons.
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