Aliza Gur

Aliza Gur (, born Alizia Gross; 1 April 1940) is an Israeli actress and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Israel 1960 and a semifinalist at the Miss Universe 1960 held in Miami Beach. She played Vida in the James Bond film From Russia with Love in 1963.

Early life Born Alizia Gross on 1 April 1940 in Ramat Gan, British Mandate of Palestine (now Israel), to a family of Ashkenazi Jewish descent. Her parents had fled Nazi Germany during Hitler's dictatorship and settled in the city of Ramat Gan where she and her brother were born. She studied at the University of Haifa, where she designed and made dresses to help pay for her tuition. Her first pageant win was as Miss Haifa.

She enlisted as a soldier in the Israel Defense Forces. Gur also studied acting in Tel Aviv under Peter Fry, a well known director. After her success in national and international beauty pageants, she settled in California, where she began her film and television career. Her parents emigrated to the United States, as well, and settled in Cleveland, Ohio, for a time; they died in the 1970s. In 1960, she toured America to help support the purchase of Israeli Bonds.

Acting career In 1965, she made a guest appearance on Perry Mason as Dr. Nina Rivelli in "The Case of the Baffling Bug". Her other television credits include The Big Valley, Daniel Boone, Get Smart, The Wild Wild West and Adventures in Paradise. Her film credits include Exodus (1960), A Place to Go (1962), From Russia with Love (1963), Night Train to Paris (1964), Agent for H.A.R.M. (1966), Kill a Dragon (1967), The Hand of Night (1968), and her last movie Tarzan and the Jungle Boy (1968).

Her most famous role was as Vida, one of two fighting gypsies in 1963's James Bond film From Russia with Love, where she fought Miss Jamaica's Martine Beswick. The female lead in the film, Daniela Bianchi, had been Gur's roommate at the 1960 Miss Universe pageant. then in 1964 to Sy Shulman, the director of Cedars of Lebanon Hospital, and finally in 1978 to Sheldon Schrager, film producer and vice-president of Columbia Pictures, in charge of production. She had one son from her second marriage. All three marriages ended in divorce.

Filmography Film

Television Year Title Role Notes1960 Adventures in Paradise Tiare Episode: "The Intruders"1963 Ghost Squad Maria Episode: "Sabotage"1963 Taxi! Tina Dobson Episode: "Benefit of the Doubt"1965 The Wackiest Ship in the Army Terii Episode: "Goldbrickers"1965 The Big Valley Naomi Episode: "Earthquake"1965 Burke's Law Carmen Episode: "Deadlier Than the Male"1965 Perry Mason Dr. Nina Revelli Episode: "The Case of the Baffling Bug"1965 O.K. Crackerby! Carla Compagna Episode: "Bitter Ravioli"1965 Daniel Boone Tawna Episode: "The Christmas Story"1967 The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Francina Episode: "The 'J' for Judas Affair"1969 Get Smart Gina Episode: "Absorb the Greek"1969 The Wild Wild West Maria Episode: "The Night of the Cossacks"1972 Search Control Deva Siri Episode: "Moonrock"1973 Cannon Airplane Passenger Episode: "Press Pass to the Slammer"1973 Portrait: A Man Whose Name Was John Rachel Friedman TV film