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Sabrina (Norma Ann Sykes), 81, 1950s actress/sex symbol considered UK's MMonroe
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That Derek
Oct 9, 2017, 8:40:15 PM10/9/17
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https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/sabrina-norma-ann-sykes-0n9pc8t6t
OBITUARY
Sabrina (Norma Ann Sykes)
Actress once hailed as a British Marilyn Monroe
The prefix “sex” — whether placed before siren, bomb, symbol or kitten when describing women — is taboo in modern social protocol. In the rainy, frigid Britain of the 1950s, however, such terms were badges of honour, rather than crude or reductive. ‘‘I’m using my bosom to move on to bigger and better things,’’ said Sabrina in an early interview.
Sabrina was one of a number, among them Diana Dors and June Wilkinson, to proffer themselves as Britain’s riposte to Marilyn Monroe. They dyed their hair luminescent white, wore tight clothes to accentuate full figures and tittered (what else?) on cue. The stereotype of the “blonde bombshell” was set loose, with perfect timing. Before
SORRY. THIS PAPER's WEBSITE CUT ME off ...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabrina_(actress)
Sabrina (actress)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sabrina
Born: Norma Ann Sykes, May 19, 1936, Stockport, England
Died:November 24, 2016 (aged 80), Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Cause of death: Blood poisoning
Occupation: Model/Actress/Singer
Spouse(s): Harold Melsheimer (1967-1974)
Children: none
Parent(s): Annie Haslam and Walter Sykes
Website:http://sabrina.nylon.net
Norma Ann Sykes (19 May 1936 – 24 November 2016), better known as Sabrina, was a 1950s English glamour model who progressed to a minor movie career. Her main claim to fame was her hourglass figure of prodigious 41-inch (100 cm) breasts coupled with a tiny 19-inch (48 cm) waist and 36-inch (91 cm) hips.
Early life and career
Sabrina was born on 19 May 1936, in Stockport, Cheshire, at Stepping Hill Hospital to Walter and Annie Sykes, living in Buckingham Street, Heaviley for about 13 years and attended St. George's School, before moving with her mother to Blackpool. She spent some time in hospital with rheumatic fever. At the age of 16 she moved to London, where she worked as a waitress and did some nude modeling, posing for Russell Gay in a photo-shoot that led to appearing on the five of spades in a deck of nude playing cards.
In 1955 she was chosen to play a dumb blonde sidekick in Arthur Askey's new television series, Before Your Very Eyes (BBC 1952–56, ITV 1956–58), from 18 February 1955 to 20 April 1956, which soon made her a household name She was promoted by the BBC as "the bosomy blonde who didn't talk", but existing kinescope episodes show quite clearly that she did.
James Beney, of Walton Films, released a 100-foot 9.5mm short glamour film "At Home With Sabrina" around July 1955.
Goodnight with Sabrina (c.1958, 3:49 mins) is included with Beat Girl, in 2016, newly remastered by BFI Flipside.
She made her motion-picture debut in Stock Car, in 1955. She then appeared in a small role in the 1956 film, Ramsbottom Rides Again. In her third movie, Blue Murder at St Trinian's (1957) she had a non-speaking role in which, despite sharing equal billing with the star Alastair Sim on posters and appearing in many publicity stills in school uniform, she was required only to sit up in bed wearing a nightdress, reading a book whilst the action took place around her.
Sabrina's penultimate movie role was in the western The Phantom Gunslinger (1970), in which she starred alongside Troy Donahue. Her final film was the horror movie The Ice House (1969) as a replacement for Jayne Mansfield, who had died in a car crash two years earlier.
On 27 November 1967 Sabrina married Dr. Harold Melsheimer (born 11 June 1927, Germany), a Hollywood gynecologist/obstetrician, divorcing ten years later.
In 2002 the Daily Mail claimed Sabrina was living "a lonely and sad existence" in Los Angeles. It later issued an apology, stating that "allegations in the article were untrue and that she lives in a desirable residence in West Toluca Lake."
However, in 2007 there were further newspaper reports that Sabrina had been reduced to living in squalor, and had become a hermit living in a Spanish-style house on a street known as 'Smog Central', under the flightpath of LA's Burbank Airport. Sabrina admitted she was confined to the house due to back problems but denied living in squalor.
Suffering ill-health for many years, including due botched back surgery, she died of blood poisoning in 2016 at the age of 80.
Cultural depictions
The Goon Show scripts are littered with references to Sabrina's bosom, such as "by the measurements of Sabrina!" and "by the sweaters of Sabrina!". In 'The Scandal Magazine,' an episode of the radio programme 'Hancock's Half Hour,' Sid James plays the editor of a sleazy gossip magazine which has carried an embarrassing story about Tony Hancock. James tells Hancock that his readers 'will believe anything... If I told them that Sabrina was Arthur Askey's mother, they'd believe me.' Hancock replies, 'Well, I don't,' pauses and asks, 'She's not, is she?' James says emphatically 'No,' but Hancock reflects, 'Mind you, there is a resemblance...'
Hunchfront of Lime Grove - "A somewhat unappealing nickname given to the generously endowed starlet known as Sabrina ..."
British aircrews of the 1950s Royal Air Force dubbed part of the Hawker Hunter jet fighter plane "Sabrinas" owing to two large humps on the underside of the aircraft. Similarly, in the late 1950s the British truck manufacturer ERF produced a semi-forward control HGV with a short protruding bonnet – those vehicles were also nicknamed "Sabrinas" because they had "a little more in front."
The 1959 Triumph TR3S 1985cc iron-block alloy-headed engine was called "Sabrina" because of its dome-shaped cam drivers.
In 1974, the British motoring press gave the name "Sabrinas" to the oversized pairs of protruding rubber bumper blocks added to the MG MGB, Midget and Triumph TR6 sports cars, when US auto safety regulations mandated sturdier impact protection. The name stuck and is used worldwide See Dagmar bumpers.
Television appearances
Before Your Very Eyes (1955–1956, ten episodes)
Double Your Money (1955)
Make Mine a Million (1959)
Tarzan (one episode, 1967)
This Is Your Life - (Arthur Askey, 1974)
Acting credits
Stock Car (1955)
Ramsbottom Rides Again (1956)
Blue Murder at St Trinian's (1957)
Goodnight with Sabrina (1958)
Satan in High Heels (1962)
House of the Black Death (1965)
The Ice House (1969)
The Phantom Gunslinger (1970) = Although not released until 1970, the film was produced in 1967.
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/local-news/fifties-pin-up-star-now-living-1176601
News Local News BBC
Fifties pin-up star now living in squalor
Manchester Evening News|
23:20, 4 SEP 2007
Updated20:39, 7 FEB 2013
IN her hey-day she was described as Marilyn Monroe, Diana Dors and Jayne Mansfield, all rolled into one.
Stockport-born superstar Sabrina was the sex kitten of the 1950s and lived a dream lifestyle envied by millions across the world.
But it seems that the dream has finally come to an end. According to a national newspaper report, Sabrina, whose real name is Norma Sykes, has become a tragic recluse in Beverly Hills.
Her story is now one of unfulfilled dreams as she lives a hermit-style existence in semi-squalor in a Californian suburb, rarely venturing out of her Spanish-style house at the intersections of three ten-lane motorways, and under the flightpath of LA's Burbank Airport.
The house has been left to go to rack and ruin through years of neglect on a street nicknamed 'Smog Central'.
Sabrina, born Norma Ann Sykes in 1936, lived on Buckingham Street, Heaviley, for about 13 years. The blonde bombshell, who was a pin-up of the fifties, founded her showbiz career on the twin assets of her 41-inch bust.
Sabrina, who attended St George's School on Buxton Road, and was once a school champion breast stroke swimmer, bounced onto the showbusiness stage at the age of 18 on an Arthur Askey TV programme - 'Before Your Very Eyes'.
But stardom did not come easily. After spending four years in hospital with rheumatic fever, she spent all the money she had saved on a trip to London when she was 16, where she quickly made her mark as a model.
Sabrina's big break came in 1955 when she was spotted by a BBC producer.
It was then she appeared on the Arthur Askey show, where she picked up the dumb blonde tag, which has followed her ever since.
At the height of her career, she was considered the epitome of femininity and appeared on the cover and centrefold of Britain's largest selling magazine at the time - the Picture Post.
She was offered roles in a handful of movies and found fame as Virginia in Blue Murder at St Trinian's in 1959, despite the fact she was not given a single line.
Sabrina was a star of dynamic proportions, her 41-17-36 figure drew attention wherever she went.
She insured her breasts for £100,000 and was wined and dined by European royalty.
Frank Sinatra wanted to date her and 10,000 fans would turn out just to catch a glimpse of her.
Intent on carving out a career in Hollywood, Sabrina made several attempts to break into Tinseltown, before giving up and quitting showbiz after she married a wealthy Hollywood gynaecologist in 1967.
But according to reports this weekend the voluptuous Stockport beauty and darling of post-war Britain, is now broken and alone living in squalor.
OBITUARY
Sabrina (Norma Ann Sykes)
Actress once hailed as a British Marilyn Monroe
The prefix “sex” — whether placed before siren, bomb, symbol or kitten when describing women — is taboo in modern social protocol. In the rainy, frigid Britain of the 1950s, however, such terms were badges of honour, rather than crude or reductive. ‘‘I’m using my bosom to move on to bigger and better things,’’ said Sabrina in an early interview.
Sabrina was one of a number, among them Diana Dors and June Wilkinson, to proffer themselves as Britain’s riposte to Marilyn Monroe. They dyed their hair luminescent white, wore tight clothes to accentuate full figures and tittered (what else?) on cue. The stereotype of the “blonde bombshell” was set loose, with perfect timing. Before
SORRY. THIS PAPER's WEBSITE CUT ME off ...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabrina_(actress)
Sabrina (actress)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sabrina
Born: Norma Ann Sykes, May 19, 1936, Stockport, England
Died:November 24, 2016 (aged 80), Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Cause of death: Blood poisoning
Occupation: Model/Actress/Singer
Spouse(s): Harold Melsheimer (1967-1974)
Children: none
Parent(s): Annie Haslam and Walter Sykes
Website:http://sabrina.nylon.net
Norma Ann Sykes (19 May 1936 – 24 November 2016), better known as Sabrina, was a 1950s English glamour model who progressed to a minor movie career. Her main claim to fame was her hourglass figure of prodigious 41-inch (100 cm) breasts coupled with a tiny 19-inch (48 cm) waist and 36-inch (91 cm) hips.
Early life and career
Sabrina was born on 19 May 1936, in Stockport, Cheshire, at Stepping Hill Hospital to Walter and Annie Sykes, living in Buckingham Street, Heaviley for about 13 years and attended St. George's School, before moving with her mother to Blackpool. She spent some time in hospital with rheumatic fever. At the age of 16 she moved to London, where she worked as a waitress and did some nude modeling, posing for Russell Gay in a photo-shoot that led to appearing on the five of spades in a deck of nude playing cards.
In 1955 she was chosen to play a dumb blonde sidekick in Arthur Askey's new television series, Before Your Very Eyes (BBC 1952–56, ITV 1956–58), from 18 February 1955 to 20 April 1956, which soon made her a household name She was promoted by the BBC as "the bosomy blonde who didn't talk", but existing kinescope episodes show quite clearly that she did.
James Beney, of Walton Films, released a 100-foot 9.5mm short glamour film "At Home With Sabrina" around July 1955.
Goodnight with Sabrina (c.1958, 3:49 mins) is included with Beat Girl, in 2016, newly remastered by BFI Flipside.
She made her motion-picture debut in Stock Car, in 1955. She then appeared in a small role in the 1956 film, Ramsbottom Rides Again. In her third movie, Blue Murder at St Trinian's (1957) she had a non-speaking role in which, despite sharing equal billing with the star Alastair Sim on posters and appearing in many publicity stills in school uniform, she was required only to sit up in bed wearing a nightdress, reading a book whilst the action took place around her.
Sabrina's penultimate movie role was in the western The Phantom Gunslinger (1970), in which she starred alongside Troy Donahue. Her final film was the horror movie The Ice House (1969) as a replacement for Jayne Mansfield, who had died in a car crash two years earlier.
On 27 November 1967 Sabrina married Dr. Harold Melsheimer (born 11 June 1927, Germany), a Hollywood gynecologist/obstetrician, divorcing ten years later.
In 2002 the Daily Mail claimed Sabrina was living "a lonely and sad existence" in Los Angeles. It later issued an apology, stating that "allegations in the article were untrue and that she lives in a desirable residence in West Toluca Lake."
However, in 2007 there were further newspaper reports that Sabrina had been reduced to living in squalor, and had become a hermit living in a Spanish-style house on a street known as 'Smog Central', under the flightpath of LA's Burbank Airport. Sabrina admitted she was confined to the house due to back problems but denied living in squalor.
Suffering ill-health for many years, including due botched back surgery, she died of blood poisoning in 2016 at the age of 80.
Cultural depictions
The Goon Show scripts are littered with references to Sabrina's bosom, such as "by the measurements of Sabrina!" and "by the sweaters of Sabrina!". In 'The Scandal Magazine,' an episode of the radio programme 'Hancock's Half Hour,' Sid James plays the editor of a sleazy gossip magazine which has carried an embarrassing story about Tony Hancock. James tells Hancock that his readers 'will believe anything... If I told them that Sabrina was Arthur Askey's mother, they'd believe me.' Hancock replies, 'Well, I don't,' pauses and asks, 'She's not, is she?' James says emphatically 'No,' but Hancock reflects, 'Mind you, there is a resemblance...'
Hunchfront of Lime Grove - "A somewhat unappealing nickname given to the generously endowed starlet known as Sabrina ..."
British aircrews of the 1950s Royal Air Force dubbed part of the Hawker Hunter jet fighter plane "Sabrinas" owing to two large humps on the underside of the aircraft. Similarly, in the late 1950s the British truck manufacturer ERF produced a semi-forward control HGV with a short protruding bonnet – those vehicles were also nicknamed "Sabrinas" because they had "a little more in front."
The 1959 Triumph TR3S 1985cc iron-block alloy-headed engine was called "Sabrina" because of its dome-shaped cam drivers.
In 1974, the British motoring press gave the name "Sabrinas" to the oversized pairs of protruding rubber bumper blocks added to the MG MGB, Midget and Triumph TR6 sports cars, when US auto safety regulations mandated sturdier impact protection. The name stuck and is used worldwide See Dagmar bumpers.
Television appearances
Before Your Very Eyes (1955–1956, ten episodes)
Double Your Money (1955)
Make Mine a Million (1959)
Tarzan (one episode, 1967)
This Is Your Life - (Arthur Askey, 1974)
Acting credits
Stock Car (1955)
Ramsbottom Rides Again (1956)
Blue Murder at St Trinian's (1957)
Goodnight with Sabrina (1958)
Satan in High Heels (1962)
House of the Black Death (1965)
The Ice House (1969)
The Phantom Gunslinger (1970) = Although not released until 1970, the film was produced in 1967.
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/local-news/fifties-pin-up-star-now-living-1176601
News Local News BBC
Fifties pin-up star now living in squalor
Manchester Evening News|
23:20, 4 SEP 2007
Updated20:39, 7 FEB 2013
IN her hey-day she was described as Marilyn Monroe, Diana Dors and Jayne Mansfield, all rolled into one.
Stockport-born superstar Sabrina was the sex kitten of the 1950s and lived a dream lifestyle envied by millions across the world.
But it seems that the dream has finally come to an end. According to a national newspaper report, Sabrina, whose real name is Norma Sykes, has become a tragic recluse in Beverly Hills.
Her story is now one of unfulfilled dreams as she lives a hermit-style existence in semi-squalor in a Californian suburb, rarely venturing out of her Spanish-style house at the intersections of three ten-lane motorways, and under the flightpath of LA's Burbank Airport.
The house has been left to go to rack and ruin through years of neglect on a street nicknamed 'Smog Central'.
Sabrina, born Norma Ann Sykes in 1936, lived on Buckingham Street, Heaviley, for about 13 years. The blonde bombshell, who was a pin-up of the fifties, founded her showbiz career on the twin assets of her 41-inch bust.
Sabrina, who attended St George's School on Buxton Road, and was once a school champion breast stroke swimmer, bounced onto the showbusiness stage at the age of 18 on an Arthur Askey TV programme - 'Before Your Very Eyes'.
But stardom did not come easily. After spending four years in hospital with rheumatic fever, she spent all the money she had saved on a trip to London when she was 16, where she quickly made her mark as a model.
Sabrina's big break came in 1955 when she was spotted by a BBC producer.
It was then she appeared on the Arthur Askey show, where she picked up the dumb blonde tag, which has followed her ever since.
At the height of her career, she was considered the epitome of femininity and appeared on the cover and centrefold of Britain's largest selling magazine at the time - the Picture Post.
She was offered roles in a handful of movies and found fame as Virginia in Blue Murder at St Trinian's in 1959, despite the fact she was not given a single line.
Sabrina was a star of dynamic proportions, her 41-17-36 figure drew attention wherever she went.
She insured her breasts for £100,000 and was wined and dined by European royalty.
Frank Sinatra wanted to date her and 10,000 fans would turn out just to catch a glimpse of her.
Intent on carving out a career in Hollywood, Sabrina made several attempts to break into Tinseltown, before giving up and quitting showbiz after she married a wealthy Hollywood gynaecologist in 1967.
But according to reports this weekend the voluptuous Stockport beauty and darling of post-war Britain, is now broken and alone living in squalor.
David Carson
Oct 15, 2017, 9:49:25 PM10/15/17
to
>From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
>
>Sabrina
>Born: Norma Ann Sykes, May 19, 1936, Stockport, England
>Died:November 24, 2016 (aged 80), Los Angeles, California, U.S.
So, over 10 months ago. I don't get it. Did this just get reported?
>
>Sabrina
>Born: Norma Ann Sykes, May 19, 1936, Stockport, England
>Died:November 24, 2016 (aged 80), Los Angeles, California, U.S.
cathyc...@aol.com
Oct 16, 2017, 12:01:26 AM10/16/17
to
Correct, David. She died last year it’s just come to light.
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