Alexandra Lendon Bastedo (9 March 1946 – 12 January 2014) was a British actress, best known for her role as the secret agent Sharron Macready in the 1968 British espionage/science fiction adventure series ''

The Champions ''The Champions'' is a British espionage thriller/science fiction/occult detective fiction adventure television series. It was produced by Lew Grade's ITC Entertainment production company, and consists of 30 episodes broadcast in the UK on ...

''. Bastedo was a

vegetarian Vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from the Eating, consumption of meat (red meat, poultry, seafood, insects as food, insects, and the flesh of any other animal). It may also include abstaining from eating all by-products of animal slau ...

and

animal welfare Animal welfare is the quality of life and overall well-being of animals. Formal standards of animal welfare vary between contexts, but are debated mostly by animal welfare groups, legislators, and academics. Animal welfare science uses measures ...

advocate, and wrote a number of books on both subjects.

Early life

Bastedo was born in

Hove Hove ( ) is a seaside resort in East Sussex, England. Alongside Brighton, it is one of the two main parts of the city of Brighton and Hove. Originally a fishing village surrounded by open farmland, it grew rapidly in the 19th century in respon ...

, England. Her mother (Liberiana Dorina Rescagliova,1917–2001) was of French, German and Italian descent, while her Canadian-born father (Gilbert Lendon Bastedo,1915–1985) was of Spanish, Dutch, Scottish and native American extraction. She attended Brighton and Hove High School and Brighton School of Drama.

Professional career

Bastedo made her film debut as one of the title characters in

William Castle William Castle (born William Schloss Jr.; April 24, 1914 – May 31, 1977) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. He is known for the horror film, horror and thriller film, thriller B movie, B-movies he directed durin ...

's poorly-received '' 13 Frightened Girls'' (1963). She gained attention on the European continent, earning her the nickname, "La Bastedo". One of her first appearances in popular culture was in the 1966 film '' Doctor in Clover'' where she appears as a young nurse dancing with Sir Lancelot at a party (a non-speaking role). Although most familiar to viewers of 1960s TV as Sharron Macready in ''

'', she was also known for her language skills, speaking Italian, Spanish, French and German. This ability brought her to the attention of

10 Downing Street 10 Downing Street in London is the official residence and office of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, prime minister of the United Kingdom. Colloquially known as Number 10, the building is located in Downing Street, off Whitehall in th ...

, where she was employed to assist with translations, and landed her the role of co-presenter of

Miss World Miss World is the oldest existing international beauty pageant. It was created in the United Kingdom by Eric Morley in 1951. Since his death in 2000, Morley's widow, Julia Morley, has co-chaired the pageant. Along with Miss Universe, Mi ...

competitions with Peter Marshall in the 1980s. In 1979, she played in the series '' The Aphrodite Inheritance''. In 1988, Bastedo was the cover star for '' Rank'', a live album by British band

The Smiths The Smiths were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Manchester in 1982, composed of Morrissey (vocals), Johnny Marr (guitar), Andy Rourke (bass) and Mike Joyce (musician), Mike Joyce (drums). Morrissey and Marr formed the band's songwrit ...

that charted at number 2 on the

UK Albums Chart The Official Albums Chart is the United Kingdom's industry-recognised national record chart for album, albums. Entries are ranked by sales and audio streaming. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the O ...

. In 1992, she appeared in "Fat", the second broadcast episode of '' Absolutely Fabulous'', playing a 1960s model associate of Edina and Patsy. She was seen in two episodes of '' The Saint'', alongside

Roger Moore Sir Roger George Moore (14 October 192723 May 2017) was an English actor. He was the actor to portray Ian Fleming's fictional secret agent James Bond (literary character), James Bond in the Eon Productions/MGM Studios film series, playing the ...

, and in one episode of the 1969 series of

Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) ''Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)'' is a British private detective television series, starring Mike Pratt (actor), Mike Pratt and Kenneth Cope respectively as the private detectives Jeff Randall and Marty Hopkirk. The series was created by Denn ...

. In 2006, Bastedo reunited for the first time with her co-stars from ''

'' to provide commentaries and an interview for a DVD release of the show. Still working as an actress, she appeared in ''

Batman Begins ''Batman Begins'' is a 2005 superhero film directed by Christopher Nolan, who co-wrote the screenplay with David S. Goyer. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, it stars Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne (Dark Knight trilogy), Bruce Wayne / B ...

'', and toured theatres in 2006 with a production of ''Beyond Reasonable Doubt'' alongside

Leslie Grantham Leslie Michael Grantham (30 April 1947 – 15 June 2018) was an English actor who played "Dirty" Den Watts in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. He was a convicted murderer, having served 10 years for the killing of a West Germany, West German ...

and Simon Ward. In 2008, she joined the cast of ''

EastEnders ''EastEnders'' is a British television soap opera created by Julia Smith (producer), Julia Smith and Tony Holland which has been broadcast on BBC One since February 1985. Set in the fictional borough of Walford in the East End of London, the ...

'', playing Cynthia. In January 2008, she appeared as co-presenter (with

Ed Stewart Edward Stewart Mainwaring (23 April 1941 – 9 January 2016), known as Ed "Stewpot" Stewart, was an English radio broadcaster and TV presenter. He was principally known for his work as a DJ on BBC Radio 1 (particularly the Saturday morning ' ...

) of "The Magic of Mantovani" at

Lighthouse A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lens (optics), lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways. Ligh ...

, Poole. The success of this concert led, the following year, to a second concert at the same venue, with the Mantovani Orchestra, which she again co-presented.

Personal life

Bastedo dated

David Frost Sir David Paradine Frost (7 April 1939 – 31 August 2013) was an English television host, journalist, comedian and writer. He rose to prominence during the satire boom in the United Kingdom when he was chosen to host the satirical programme ...

and

Omar Sharif Omar Sharif (, ; born Michel Yusef Dimitri Chalhoub ; 10 April 1932 – 10 July 2015) was an Egyptian actor, generally regarded as one of his country's greatest male film stars. He began his career in his native country in the 1950s. He is bes ...

, but turned down the advances of

Steve McQueen Terrence Stephen McQueen (March 24, 1930November 7, 1980) was an American actor. His antihero persona, emphasized during the height of counterculture of the 1960s, 1960s counterculture, made him a top box office draw for his films of the late ...

who, she recalled, propositioned her with the line, "My wife doesn't understand me". In the case of Sharif, the liaison lasted only a few weeks because of Sharif's bridge-playing, his odd hours and the fact that he took telephone numbers from other women. Mike Tomkies, the Fleet Street journalist who abandoned the life of a celebrity reporter to live alone in the wilderness, lived with her for a while in Canada. They talked of marriage, but she was prohibited from marrying by a contract for ''The Champions'' (1968 to 1969). He said that she was the "most stunningly beautiful creature" he had ever seen. In 1980, at

Chichester Cathedral Chichester Cathedral, formally known as the Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity, is the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Chichester. It is located in Chichester, in West Sussex, England. It was founded as a cathedral in 1075, when the seat of th ...

, Bastedo married Patrick Garland,"Patrick Garland, theatre producer and director, dies aged 78"

BBC News BBC News is an operational business division of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs in the UK and around the world. The department is the world's largest broad ...

, 20 April 2013 a director, writer and actor; he became a long-serving director of the

Chichester Festival Theatre Chichester Festival Theatre is a theatre and Grade II* listed building situated in Oaklands Park in the city of Chichester, West Sussex, England. Designed by Philip Powell and Hidalgo Moya, it was opened by its founder Leslie Evershed-Mart ...

. Bastedo wrote a memoir, ''Beware Dobermanns, Donkeys and Ducks'', as well as several books on caring for cats and dogs. Her husband died on 19 April 2013.

Animal welfare

Bastedo was a vegetarian and the founder of Alexandra Bastedo Champions (ABC) Animal Sanctuary. In an interview for the

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

television series ''Where Are They Now?'', Bastedo provided a glimpse into her private life. She had been the president of her local RSPCA branch but gave up her position in 2008, to dedicate more time to her fast-growing animal sanctuary at her home in

West Chiltington West Chiltington is a village and civil parish in the Horsham (district), Horsham district of West Sussex, England. It lies on the Storrington to Broadford Bridge road, 2.6 miles (4.2 km) north of Storrington. The parish covers an area of 1 ...

, West Sussex. A journalist who interviewed her husband in 2010 described their domestic surroundings: She was also a patron to a number of animal welfare organisations including Compassion in World Farming, Wildlife Aid Foundation, National Animal Welfare Trust, Greyhounds in Need and Naturewatch.

Death

Bastedo died of

breast cancer Breast cancer is a cancer that develops from breast tissue. Signs of breast cancer may include a Breast lump, lump in the breast, a change in breast shape, dimpling of the skin, Milk-rejection sign, milk rejection, fluid coming from the nipp ...

on 12 January 2014, aged 67, in a hospital in Worthing, England. She was buried next to her husband, Patrick Garland, in St Mary's churchyard, Sullington, West Sussex.

Bibliography

* Alexandra Bastedo, ''Beware Dobermanns, Donkeys and Ducks'' (Parkwest: Robson Books, 1998) * Alexandra Bastedo and Jeannie Kemnitzer, ''Canine Care and Cuisine: The Healthy Dog Book'' (Parkwest: Robson Books, 2000) * Alexandra Bastedo and Jeannie Kemnitzer, ''The Healthy Cat Book: Feline Care and Cuisine'' (Parkwest: Robson Books, 2000)

Filmography

* '' 13 Frightened Girls'' (aka ''The Candy Web'') (1963) – Alex * '' The Liquidator'' (1965) – Radio Operator (uncredited) * '' Doctor in Clover'' (1966) – Nurse at Party (uncredited) * '' That Riviera Touch'' (1966) – Girl at Roulette Table * '' Casino Royale'' (1967) – Meg * '' Wedding Night'' (1970) – Gloria – Girl Friend * '' My Lover, My Son'' (1970) – Cicely Clarkson * '' This, That and the Other'' (1970) – Angie * ''The Kashmiri Run'' (1970) – Henrietta Fleming * '' The Blood Spattered Bride'' (1972) – Mircalla Karstein * ''I Hate My Body'' (1974) – Leda Schmidt * '' The Ghoul'' (1975) – Angela * ''El Clan de los Nazarenos'' (1975) – Arima * ''Tu dios y mi infierno'' (1976) – Liselotte * '' Find the Lady'' (1976) – Victoria * ''The Man Inside'' (1976, TV movie) – Joan Lytton * ''La Gioconda está triste'' (1977) * ''El Mirón'' (1977) – Elena – wife * ''Cabo de vara'' (1978) – Lola * ''Stigma'' (1980) – Anna * '' A Choice of Two'' (1981) * '' Draw!'' (1984, TV movie) – Bess, Harry's Girlfriend in Bell City / member of acting troupe * ''La veritat oculta'' (1987) – Agnes / Chiromancer * ''The Byzantine Cat'' (2002) – Barbara * ''

'' (2005) – Gotham Society Dame

Television

* ''

The Count of Monte Cristo ''The Count of Monte Cristo'' () is an adventure novel by the French writer Alexandre Dumas. It was serialised from 1844 to 1846, and published in book form in 1846. It is one of his most popular works, along with ''The Three Musketeers'' (184 ...

'' (TV series, 1964) – Renée de Saint-Méran * '' The Saint'' (episode " The Crime of the Century", 1965) – Joan Vendel * ''

The Scales of Justice ''The Scales of Justice'' was a series of 13 British cinema featurettes produced from 1962 to 1967 for Anglo-Amalgamated at Merton Park Studios in London. The first nine episodes were made in black and white, and the last four in colour. The ...

'' (episode "The Haunted Man", 1966) – Laura * ''

The Wednesday Play ''The Wednesday Play'' is an anthology series of United Kingdom, British television plays which ran on BBC One, BBC1 for six seasons from October 1964 to May 1970. The plays were usually original works written for television, although dramatic ...

'' (1966) (TV) – The Girl * '' The Saint'' (episode " The Counterfeit Countess", 1967) – Mireille * ''

'' (TV series, 1968–1969) – Sharron Macready * '' Call My Bluff'' as herself, 4 episodes (1969–1975) * ''

'' (episode " Whoever Heard of a Ghost Dying?", 1969) – Carol Latimer * '' Department S'' (episode "The Man Who Got a New Face", 1969) - Nicole * ''

Codename A code name, codename, call sign, or cryptonym is a code word or name used, sometimes clandestinely, to refer to another name, word, project, or person. Code names are often used for military purposes, or in espionage. They may also be used in ...

'' (1970) (TV series) – Diana Dalzell * '' From a Bird's Eye View'' (episode "Sicillian Affair", 1970) – Lisa Vespucci * '' The Starlost'' (TV series, 1973), episode 10 "The Alien Oro" - Idona * '' The Aphrodite Inheritance'' (miniseries, 1979) – Helene * '' Magnolia Blossom'' by Agatha Christie, 1982 – Clare Hamilton * ''Legend of the Champions'' (TV, 1983) – Sharron Macready * '' Absolutely Fabulous'' (episode "Fat", 1992) – Penny Caspar-Morse * ''

'' (2008–2009) – Cynthia (final television appearance)

Radio

* ''Halloween Party'' by Agatha Christie, BBC radio 1993 * ''Five Little Pigs'' by Agatha Christie, BBC radio 1994 * ''Elephants Can Remember'' by Agatha Christie, dramatised by Michael Bakewell, BBC radio 2006

References

External links

Official Alexandra Bastedo Champions Animal Sanctuary site

Official fan club website
(internet archive) *
Selected performances in Bristol University Theatre Archive

in The Independent by Marcus Williamson {{DEFAULTSORT:Bastedo, Alexandra 1946 births 2014 deaths 20th-century English actresses 21st-century English actresses British animal welfare workers Keepers of animal sanctuaries Deaths from cancer in England English film actresses English people of Canadian descent English people of Dutch descent English people of French descent English people of German descent English people of Italian descent English people of Scottish descent English people of Spanish descent British soap opera actresses English television actresses People educated at Brighton and Hove High School Actresses from Hove People from West Chiltington 20th-century British businesspeople Actors from Horsham District