Vera Day

Vera Day (born 4 August 1933) is an English film and television actress. She was born and grew up in Forest Gate, Essex (now London Borough of Newham).

Early career

Leaving school at 15, Day had various jobs before finding employment in a hair salon. Posing for hairstylists, she became a full-time model.

One day she saw an advertisement in a theatrical paper for showgirls, so taking time off work and with the smallest bikini she could find, she attended the auditions. Even though she was untrained in singing and dancing, she caught the attention of Jack Hylton, who gave her a part in Wish You Were Here at the London Casino in 1953. She was only 19. Val Guest was at the opening night and left a note for her at the stage door to contact him. This led to Day being cast in the film Dance Little Lady. However, she had to ask permission from Hylton, for she was under contract for two more shows, which ended up being Pal Joey at the Princes Theatre and Jokers Wild with the Crazy Gang at the Victoria Palace Theatre.

Film career

From the late 1950s, Day appeared in British films, a glamorous blonde bombshell in the Stanley Baker drama Hell Drivers (1957) and the Hammer science fiction film Quatermass 2 (1957). Her other film roles include that of George Cole's girlfriend in Mario Zampi's comedy Too Many Crooks (1959) and as the heroine in the horror film Womaneater (1958), one of her few leading parts.

Many years later, Day appeared in a supporting role in Guy Ritchie's Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998).

Selected filmography

Dance Little Lady (1954) The Crowded Day (1954) It's a Great Day (1955) A Kid for Two Farthings (1955) Fun at St. Fanny's (1955) Quatermass 2 (1957) Hell Drivers (1957) The Prince and the Showgirl (1957) I Was Monty's Double (1958) – Angela The Woman Eater (1958) Up the Creek (1958) – Lily Them Nice Americans (1958) – Ann Adams The Haunted Strangler (1958) – Pearl Too Many Crooks (1959) – Charmaine And the Same to You (1960) – Cynthia Tripp Trouble with Eve (1960) – Daisy Freeman The Trunk (1961) – Diane Watch It, Sailor! (1961) – Shirley Hornett A Stitch in Time (1963) – Betty Saturday Night Out (1964) – Arlene Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) – Tanya The Riddle (2007) – Sadie Miller