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Carole Lesley - The 'Blonde Bombshell' Who Faded Away Too Soon

Ribbon of Dreams

100 Years of Elstree Studios - Part Seventeen

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In the last blog we mentioned the beautiful Carole Lesley who nearly became a huge star with the projected film Cinderella Nightingale. But lawsuits by Sabrina (a 'dumb bombshell') led to the cancellation of the film in 1959, and she was never to get her starring role to take her to Hollywood.

   

   

Born Maureen Lesley Carole Rippingdale in 1935 in Chelmsford, she was mad on films and performing.  She was a child actress at 12 in The Silver Darlings in 1947 and followed this with Trottie True in which Christopher Lee had a small part. In between she became an usherette in her local cinema, the Chelmsford Pavillion. Running away with her sister to London in 1951, and later to Paris where she became a pin-up model under the name of Leslie Carol.

But acting was her passion and she returned to London in 1954. Then ABPC gave her a 7 year contract and she became Carole Lesley. She made a few films and attracted attention from the press thanks to her striking looks and attributes.  Hailed as a cross between "Marilyn Monroe and Diana Dors" she received much attention. A leading role eluded her, however, and even after some excellent reviews for Woman In A Dressing Gown, which won awards for ABPC, she was still a supporting actress.  Sylvia Syms got the leading parts, and Carole couldn't seem to break through.

 

After films such as Doctor In Love, Three On A Spree  and What A Whopper with Adam Faith and Sid James, ABPC did not renew her contract. Carole was devastated and decided to withdraw completely.  In 1964 she married film publicist Michael Dalling and they had two children together, but her Hollywood dream was fading and she sank into depression.

 

       

From then on it was a very sad story as her health deteriorated, she self-harmed and overdosed. The couple lived in a semi near New Barnet Station and in 1974 Dalling discovered her in the kitchen after an overdose of barbiturates. Only 38, the business of show had found another victim.

 

No apologies for the photos here - she was a shining light in the late 50s and early 60s. Try and see one of her films if you can - she made 13 in such a short space of time. I'm sure TPTV have a few scheduled.