Kate O'Mara

Kate O'Mara (born Frances Meredith Carroll; 10 August 1939 – 30 March 2014) was an English film, stage and television actress, and writer. O'Mara made her stage debut in a 1963 production of The Merchant of Venice. Her other stage roles included Elvira in Blithe Spirit, Katherina in The Taming of the Shrew (1978 and 1982), Lady Macbeth in Macbeth (1982), Cleopatra in Antony and Cleopatra (1982), Goneril in King Lear (1987), and Marlene Dietrich in Lunch with Marlene (2008).

In the cinema, O'Mara acted in two 1970 Hammer Horror films: The Vampire Lovers and The Horror of Frankenstein. On BBC television, she had regular roles in The Brothers (1975–1976), Triangle (1981–1982) and Howards' Way (1989–1990), and portrayed Doctor Who villain The Rani three times (1985, 1987, 1993). She also appeared as Jackie Stone in two episodes of the sitcom Absolutely Fabulous (1995–2003) and as Virginia O'Kane in four episodes of the prison drama Bad Girls (2001). On American television, she played Caress Morell, the scheming sister of Alexis Colby in the primetime soap opera Dynasty (1986).

Early life and career O'Mara was born, in Leicester, Leicestershire, to John F. Carroll, an RAF flying instructor, and actress Hazel Bainbridge O'Mara made her stage debut in a production of The Merchant of Venice in 1963, although her first film role was some years earlier (under the name Merrie Carroll) in Home and Away (1956) with Jack Warner, as her father, and Kathleen Harrison. In 1970, she appeared in two Hammer Studio horror films: The Vampire Lovers and The Horror of Frankenstein. In the former, she had an erotically charged scene with Ingrid Pitt, in which O'Mara was meant to be seduced; the two women were left laughing on set, however, as Pitt's fangs kept falling into O'Mara's cleavage. O'Mara's work in The Vampire Lovers impressed Hammer enough for them to offer her a contract, which she turned down, fearful of being typecast. She played the villainous Rani in Doctor Who in two serials, The Mark of the Rani (1985) and Time and the Rani (1987), and also in the Doctor Who 30th anniversary spoof Dimensions in Time (1993), part of the Children in Need charity event. She also appeared, through archival footage, in the 2025 episode "Wish World".

Between these appearances in Doctor Who, she auditioned for a leading role as one of the sisters on the American primetime soap The Colbys, a spin-off of the American prime time soap opera Dynasty. Eventually, O'Mara was offered one of the roles alongside Stephanie Beacham, but declined since was still under contract with a production of stage play Light Up the Sky at the Old Vic Theatre. Shortly after, she was offered the part of Caress Morell on Dynasty. As the sister of Alexis Colby (Joan Collins), O'Mara appeared in 17 episodes of the sixth season and four episodes of the seventh during 1986. "We had a tremendous bitchy tension between us", the actress recalled about performing opposite Collins. "My character Caress was like an annoying little mosquito who just kept coming back and biting her".

Later life and career

O'Mara spoke on several occasions about her experience with the casting couch. On an episode of The Word in 1994, O'Mara claimed that American producer Judd Bernard pulled down her panties during a hotel-room audition for the Elvis Presley vehicle Double Trouble. In her autobiography Vamp Until Ready: A Life Laid Bare, O'Mara described this incident and "many other close encounters with ... this very unpleasant and humiliating procedure", including with a well-known television casting director, the boss of Associated Television at ATV Elstree Studios, and the director of Great Catherine.

O'Mara continued to make television appearances throughout the 1990s, including Cluedo (1990), and playing Jackie Stone (Patsy's older sister) in two episodes of Absolutely Fabulous (1995–2003). In 2001, she had a recurring role in the ITV prison drama series Bad Girls before appearing in the short-lived revival of the soap opera Crossroads. She continued to perform on stage, and in March 2008 she played Marlene Dietrich in a stage play entitled Lunch with Marlene. From August to November 2008, she was cast as Mrs Cheveley in Oscar Wilde's stage play An Ideal Husband, directed by Peter Hall and produced by Bill Kenwright. She also performed in radio and audio plays. In 2000, she reprised her role as the Rani in the BBV Productions audio play The Rani Reaps the Whirlwind, and in 2006 she made a guest appearance in the radio comedy series Nebulous.

In 2012, O'Mara appeared in a theatre adaptation of Agatha Christie's Death on the Nile.

Personal life O'Mara was married twice, first to Jeremy Young in 1971; the couple divorced in 1976. In 1993, she married Richard Willis, but the marriage was dissolved in 1996.

She had two sons, Dickon Young (1964–2012) and Christopher Linde (born 1965), both from previous relationships. Dickon took his stepfather's surname but Christopher, having been given up for adoption, was named by his adoptive parents, Derek and Joy Linde. O'Mara was in hospital with pneumonia at the time of her son's death and his body was not discovered for three weeks.

O'Mara wrote four books, including two novels: When She Was Bad (1992) and Good Time Girl (1993), ). She also wrote two autobiographical books, Vamp Until Ready (2003) and Game Plan: A Woman's Survival Kit (1990) .

She acknowledged that she shared some blame for her marital troubles, noting that she was too independent and challenging of authority, despite liking the idea of a “knight in shining armor” to sweep her off her feet from time to time. She also said that she appreciated men with a sense of humour. “I prefer blond men ... But when it comes to physical attraction it’s very difficult to pinpoint ... I think the most important thing is a sense of humour: If a man can make me roar with laughter he'll definitely find himself on my welcome list. And if he's tall, blond, and has the bonus of a sense of humour, he'll be on my priority list. And by tall, I don't mean a giant. With my height, a bloke of 5ft.10ins is real tall!"

Speaking of her bouts of depression, later in her life O'Mara said: "I've since learnt a cure for depression: listening to J.S. Bach and reading P.G. Wodehouse. This got me through the break-up of my second marriage 17 years ago. The great thing about Wodehouse is that his books are full of romantic problems and yet so hilarious that it puts things in perspective ... I'm not frightened of dying, but I love the countryside so much and I'm going to miss it. I'd like to be out in the wind and the trees for ever."

Death O'Mara died on 30 March 2014 in a nursing home, in Worthing, Sussex, aged 74, from ovarian cancer. She left a £350,000 estate, bequeathing £10,000 to the Actors' Benevolent Fund and, after the funeral and legal fees, the remainder to her younger sister Belinda Carroll, a former actress.

Filmography Film

Television Year Title Role Notes1957-1967Emergency Ward 10Nurse 1964–1966 No Hiding Place Jacqueline 2 episodes 1965 Danger Man Annette Episode: A Room in the Basement Gaslight Theatre Patience Episode: The Drunkard or, the Sins of the Parents Shall Be Visited... Hereward the Wake Richilda Episode: The Court of Love1966 Court Martial Episode: Logistics of Survival Weavers Green Mick Armstrong 1967 Adam Adamant Lives! Sonia Fawzi Episode: The Basardi Affair Welcome to Japan, Mr. Bond Miss Moneypenny's assistant Uncredited The Troubleshooters Kim Hart Episode: Mr. Know-How 1967–1968 The Saint Annabelle / Nadine / Yvette Episodes: Double Take, Counterfeit Countess, Fast Women 1967–1969 Z-Cars Kate / Mae Astell 4 episodes 1968 Promenade Laura Short film The Champions Jane Purcell Episode: To Catch a Rat 1969 The Avengers Lisa Episode: Stay Tuned The Main Chance Julia Main 4 episodes Department S Pietra Episode: Who Plays the Dummy 1970 Never a Cross Word Ellie Episode: When is a Spy... Codename Helen Lingard Episode: Opening Gambit Paul Temple Luciana Benedetti Episode: Re-take The Adventures of Don Quick Peleen Episode: People isn't Everything 1972 A Man About a Dog Storm Riordan ITV Sunday Night Theatre The Persuaders! Heidi Schulman Episode: Read and Destroy Jason King Delphi Episode: A Kiss for a Beautiful Killer Clouds of Witness Cynthia Tarrant Episode 1.3 Pathfinders Section Officer Anne Denby Episode: Fog1973 Spy Trap Sharon Lunghi 3 episodes Men of AffairsTania Lenz 1 episode 1974 The Protectors Sarah Trent Episode: A Pocketful of Posies 1975–1976 The Brothers Jane Maxwell 30 episodes 1976 Morecambe & Wise Kate O'Mata Hari Christmas Special The Two Ronnies The Gypsy Queen 1977 Lucy Lee Series 6 Episodes 3–6: Stop! You're Killing Me mini-serial1977-1978Whodunnit? Lady Gertrude Potter/Treasure Chest Magee2 episodes 1978 Return of the Saint Jeanette Episode: Assault Force 1979 The Plank 'It's Paint' Woman 1981–1982 Triangle Katherine Laker 27 episodes 1985–1987 Doctor Who The Rani Serials: "The Mark of the Rani"/"Time and the Rani" 1986 Dempsey and Makepeace Joyce Hargreaves Episode: Guardian Angels Dynasty Cassandra "Caress" Morell Recurring (Seasons 6–7) 1987 Great Catherine Varinka 1989–1990 Howards' Way Laura Wilde 26 episodes 1990 Cluedo Mrs. Peacock Episode: Christmas Past, Christmas Present 1993 Comic Relief: The Invasion of the Comic Tomatoes Female Patient 1993 Doctor Who: Dimensions in Time The Rani Guest appearance 1995–2003 Absolutely Fabulous Jackie Stone 2 episodes 1997 The New Adventures of Robin Hood Lady Isabelle Episode: Marion to the Rescue 2001 Bad Girls Virginia O'Kane 4 episodes 2003 Crossroads Lady Alice Fox Soap opera 2005 Family Affairs Jackie Lawrence 2008 Doctors Rosetta Froom Episode: Fears, Feats & the Frooms 2012 Benidorm Barbara Simmonds 1 episode (final appearance)

Select stage roles 1963, Jessica, The Merchant of Venice at the Shaftesbury Theatre. 1966, Lydia Languish, The Rivals at The Welsh Theatre Co. 1967, Elsa, The Italian Girl at the Wyndham's Theatre 1970, Fleda Vetch, The Spoils of Poynton at the Mayfair Theatre 1971, Gerda Von Metz, The Avengers (directed by Leslie Phillips) at the Prince of Wales Theatre 1971–2, Sheila Wallis, Suddenly at Home at the Fortune Theatre 1974, Elvira, Blithe Spirit at the Bristol Old Vic 1974, Liza Moriarty, Sherlock's Last Case at the Open Space Theatre Fortune Theatre 1977, Sybil Merton, Lord Arthur Saville's Crime at the Sadlers Wells Theatre 1977, Louka, Arms and the Man at the Hong Kong Festival 1978, Rosaline, Love's Labour's Lost at the Thorndike Theatre 1978, Katherina, The Taming of the Shrew at the Ludlow Festival 1978, Cyrenne, Rattle of a Simple Man 1979, Monica Claverton-Ferry, The Elder Statesman 1979, Lina, Misalliance at The Birmingham Rep 1979, Irene St Clair, The Crucifer of Blood at the Haymarket Theatre 1980, Ruth, Night and Day, at post-London tour 1981, Stephanie Abrahams, Duet for One Yugoslavia and tour 1981, Beatrice, Much Ado About Nothing at the New Shakespeare Co 1982, Kathrina, The Taming of the Shrew at the Nottingham Playhouse\New Shakespeare Co 1982, Titania\Hippolta, A Midsummer Night's Dream at the New Shakespeare Co 1982, Lady Macbeth, Macbeth at the Mercury Theatre 1982, Cleopatra, Antony and Cleopatra at the Nottingham Playhouse 1982, Millamant, The Way of the World at the Nottingham Playhouse 1983, Hortense, The Rehearsal 1984, Mistress Ford, The Merry Wives of Windsor at the New Shakespeare Co 1985 – 1987, Frances Black, Light Up the Sky at the Old Vic & Globe Theatres 1987, Goneril, King Lear at the Compass Theatre 1988, Berinthia, The Relapse at the Mermaid Theatre 1990, Torfreida, The Last Englishman at The Orange Tree Theatre 1990, Martha, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre 1991, Lilli Vanessi, Kiss Me Kate, RSC tour 1992, Lady Fanciful, The Provok'd Wife at the National Theatre Studio 1992, Rosabel, Venus Observed at the Chichester Festival 1992, Eve, Cain at the Chichester Festival 1992, Jackie, King Lear in New York at the Chichester Festival 1994, Maria Wislack, On Approval 1995, Pola, The Simpleton of the Unexpected Isles at The Orange Tree Theatre 1995, Rachel, My Cousin Rachel, English Theatre, Vienna and tour 1995 1996, Olivia, Twelfth Night at the Haymarket Theatre, Basingstoke 1996–7, Mrs Cheveley, An Ideal Husband at the Haymarket, Albery and Gielgud theatres 2000, Mrs. Malaprop\Lucy, The Rivals 2000, Madame Alexandre, Colombe at the Salisbury Playhouse 2003, Gertrude Lawrence, Noel and Gertie 2004, Mrs Arbuthnot, A Woman of No Importance 2005, Eloise, The Marquise at the Mercury Theatre 2005, Helen, We Happy Few at the Gielgud Theatre 2008, Marlene Dietrich, Lunch with Marlene at The New End Theatre 2010, Lady Windermere, Lord Arthur Saville's Crime at the Mercury Theatre