Christine Noonan (born Christine Elizabeth Wright; 8 March 1945 – 6 August 2003) was a British actress. She is best remembered for her role as the anarchist love interest of

Malcolm McDowell Malcolm McDowell (born Malcolm John Taylor; 13 June 1943) is an English actor. He first became known for portraying Mick Travis in Lindsay Anderson's ''if....'' (1968), a role he later reprised in ''O Lucky Man!'' (1973) and ''Britannia Hospital ...

's character in the film '' if....'' (1968). In one scene, which gained particular notice in British cinema of the period, she impersonated a tiger and had sexual intercourse with McDowell's character

Mick Travis Michael Arnold "Mick" Travis is a fictional character played by Malcolm McDowell in the Mick Travis Trilogy, three films directed by British film director Lindsay Anderson and written by David Sherwin. Travis features not so much as a single cha ...

on the floor of a cafe, which with the later violence in the film led to an

X rating An X rating is a film rating that indicates that the film contains content that is considered to be suitable only for adults. Films with an X rating may have scenes of graphic violence or explicit sexual acts that may be disturbing or offensive ...

, leading

Paramount Paramount (from the word ''paramount'' meaning "above all others") may refer to: Entertainment and music companies * Paramount Global, also known simply as Paramount, an American mass media company formerly known as ViacomCBS. **Paramount Picture ...

to later cut the sexual content from the film. Noonan said of the scene in the film: "He was stark naked and I was stark naked, but we were both so busy fighting that I can't remember what he looked like in the nude". Her husband initially protested when he learned of the nature of the role, but he agreed to her acting in it once she explained the point of the film and the context. Noonan also appeared opposite McDowell in two minor roles in the film ''

O Lucky Man! ''O Lucky Man!'' is a 1973 British comedy-drama fantasy film directed by Lindsay Anderson and starring Malcolm McDowell as Mick Travis, whom McDowell had first played as a disaffected public schoolboy in his first film performance in Anderso ...

'' (1973), and also appeared in the films ''

Oh! What a Lovely War ''Oh! What a Lovely War'' is a 1969 British epic comedy historical musical war film directed by Richard Attenborough (in his directorial debut), with an ensemble cast, including Maggie Smith, Dirk Bogarde, John Gielgud, John Mills, Kenneth Mo ...

'' (1969), '' Malatesta'' (1970) and '' Backwoods'' (1987). She found work on the stage in the 1970s, performing in

George Etherege Sir George Etherege (c. 1636 – c. 10 May 1692) was an English dramatist. He wrote the plays '' The Comical Revenge or, Love in a Tub'' in 1664, '' She Would If She Could'' in 1668, and '' The Man of Mode or, Sir Fopling Flutter'' in 1676 ...

's comedy ''

She Would If She Could ''She Would If She Could'' is a 1668 comedy play by the English writer George Etherege. It was originally staged at the Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre by the Duke's Company. The play's novelty lies in its shedding of the romantic verse element to a ...

'' for the Nuffield Theatre Company at

Lancaster University Lancaster University (officially The University of Lancaster) is a collegiate public university, public research university in Lancaster, Lancashire, England. The university was established in 1964 by royal charter, as one of several new univer ...

in 1972. Noonan played the brief role of Barberina in

Dennis Potter Dennis Christopher George Potter (17 May 1935 – 7 June 1994) was an English television dramatist, screenwriter and journalist. He is best known for his BBC television serials '' Pennies from Heaven'' (1978) and '' The Singing Detective'' ...

's TV serial '' Casanova'' (1971); her scene is repeated multiple times during the six episodes. Noonan was often out of work as an actress and worked selling wool in an Army and Navy store. She was married to Denis Noonan, and later to Lawrence Dennett, with whom she had three children. She died in 2003 at age 58, from cancer.

Filmography

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Noonan, Christine 1945 births 2003 deaths British actresses