Suzy Mandel (born 6 March 1953) is a former actress and model best known for her roles in such mid-1970s British

sex comedies Sexual comedy (also known as, sex comedy and erotic comedy) is a genre in which comedy is motivated by sexual situations and love affairs. Although "sexual comedy" is primarily a description of dramatic forms such as theatre and film, literary wor ...

as '' Intimate Games'' (1976), ''

Confessions of a Driving Instructor ''Confessions of a Driving Instructor'' is a 1976 British sex-farce film directed by Norman Cohen and starring Robin Askwith and Anthony Booth. It was the third instalment of the ''Confessions'' series, based on the novels by Christopher Wood ...

'' (1976), '' Come Play with Me'' (1977), '' The Playbirds'' (1978), and ''

Adventures of a Plumber's Mate ''Adventures of a Plumber's Mate'' is a 1978 British sex comedy film directed by Stanley Long and starring Christopher Neil as Sid South. It was written by Stephen D. Frances and Aubrey Cash. Following '' Adventures of a Taxi Driver'' (1976) a ...

'' (1978), and for her appearances on ''

The Benny Hill Show ''The Benny Hill Show'' is a British comedy television show starring Benny Hill that aired on the BBC and ITV between 15 January 1955 and 1 May 1989. The show consisted mainly of sketch comedy, sketches typified by slapstick, mime, parody, and ...

''.

Early life

Born in London, Mandel grew up on the

Isle of Sheppey The Isle of Sheppey is an island off the northern coast of Kent, England, neighbouring the Thames Estuary, centred from central London. It has an area of . The island forms part of the districts of England, local government district of Borough ...

, Kent and later in

Essex Essex ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East of England, and one of the home counties. It is bordered by Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, the North Sea to the east, Kent across the Thames Estuary to the ...

at Epping, Woodford and

Buckhurst Hill Buckhurst Hill is an affluent suburban town in Epping Forest District, Epping Forest, Essex, within the Greater London Urban Area and adjacent to the northern boundary of the London Borough of Redbridge. The area developed following the opening ...

. She was partly raised by her grandparents "who owned bars and clubs and holidays camps". Beginning at age 13, she attended London Academy of Modeling in London.

Career

Early years

She began her career as a coat model but was also a

catwalk A fashion show is an event put on by a fashion designer to showcase their upcoming line of clothing and/or accessories during a fashion week. Fashion shows debut every season, particularly the spring/summer and fall/winter seasons. This is where ...

model and later a photographic model. Later, she modelled lingerie and was a contestant on '' Miss TV Times'' (broadcast on UK television on 14 June 1974 and presented by Hughie Green).

In sex comedies

Mandel's acting career in British sex comedies began in 1976, with her first film, ''Intimate Games''.

Benny Hill Alfred Hawthorne "Benny" Hill (21 January 1924 – 18 April 1992) was an English comedian, actor and scriptwriter. He is best remembered for his television programme, ''The Benny Hill Show'', a comedy-variety show whose amalgam of slapstick, bu ...

saw ''Intimate Games'', and this led him to cast Mandel on his eponymous show. She appears in multiple roles on two 1977 episodes of the series (broadcast in the UK 26 January 1977 and 23 March 1977). Of Hill and

Jackie Wright John Wright (24 September 1904 – 11 January 1989), credited professionally as Jackie Wright, also nicknamed Little Jackie and Uncle Jackie, was a Northern Irish comedian. He is best known for being the bald-headed sidekick of Benny Hill on h ...

's famous "head slapping" routine, she said "Jackie Wright was a chain smoker and he would often hide his cigarette in his mouth or behind his back during scenes. In fact, you could often see a little plume of smoke rising behind him if you looked close enough. Benny would slap his head to fan the smoke away." On the big screen, she quickly became a favourite of both British sex film directors and audiences. Soon she was receiving equal billing with Mary Millington, the UK's biggest sex symbol of the 1970s. Millington and Mandel's film, '' Come Play With Me'' still stands as one of the longest-running films in British film history, and ran continuously at the Moulin Cinema in London's West End from 1977 to 1981.

Performing in the US

After the release of her final British sex film, ''You're Driving Me Crazy'' (1978), Mandel moved to

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

where, in 1979, she attended the Lee Strasberg Institute for about a year, studying acting and voice. She also studied with noted voice and dialect coach Robert Easton. Mandel continued acting, appearing in the film '' The Mistress of the Apes'' (directed by B-movie specialist

Larry Buchanan Larry Buchanan (January 31, 1923 − December 2, 2004), born Marcus Larry Seale Jr., was a film director, producer and writer, who proclaimed himself a " schlockmeister". Many of his extremely low-budget films have landed on "worst movie" lists or ...

). She appears in the 1980 comedy '' The Private Eyes'' starring

Tim Conway Thomas Daniel "Tim" Conway (December 15, 1933 – May 14, 2019) was an American actor, comedian, writer, and director. Conway is perhaps best known as a regular cast member (1975–1978) on the TV comedy ''The Carol Burnett Show'' where he port ...

and

Don Knotts Jesse Donald Knotts (July 21, 1924February 24, 2006) was an American actor and comedian. He is widely known for his role as Deputy Sheriff Barney Fife on the 1960s sitcom ''The Andy Griffith Show'', for which he earned five Emmy Awards. He als ...

as Hilda, the Upstairs Maid. She guest starred on television shows like ''

The Love Boat ''The Love Boat'' is an American romantic comedy-drama television series created by Wilford Lloyd Baumes that originally aired on ABC from September 24, 1977, to May 24, 1986. In addition, three TV movies aired before the regular series pre ...

''. She also appeared in the hardcore film ''Blonde Ambition'' (also known as ''Can I Come Again''), which was shot in New York City in 1977, but only released in 1980. ''Blonde Ambition'' stars Mandel as Sugar Kane, half of a talentless duo of singers who become embroiled in the search for a missing brooch. Directed by the eccentric Amero Brothers, the role required Mandel to strip while ice skating, impersonate a drag queen, play the tuba and perform in hardcore sex scenes. (She used a

body double In filmmaking, a double is a person who substitutes for another actor such that the person's face is not shown. There are various terms associated with a double based on the specific body part or ability they serve as a double for, such as stunt ...

for the last.)

Later years

Mandel eventually moved behind the scenes, working on the horror comedy ''Dead Men Don't Die'' (1991) starring

Elliott Gould Elliott Gould (; né Goldstein; born August 29, 1938) is an American actor. Gould's breakthrough role was in the film ''Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice'' (1969), for which he received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. The ...

as well as co-producing ''Love Bites'', starring

Adam Ant Stuart Leslie Goddard (born 3 November 1954), known professionally as Adam Ant, is an English singer, musician, and actor. He gained popularity as the lead singer of new wave group Adam and the Ants and later as a solo artist, scoring 10 UK ...

, in 1993, (she appears briefly onscreen as well). In 1996, Mandel revealed in the British newspaper ''

The People The People may refer to: Legal jargon * The People, term used to refer to the people in general, in legal documents * "We the People of the United States", from the Preamble to the U. S. Constitution * In philosophy, economics, and political scienc ...

'' that she had quit show business to work as a nurse, caring for people dying from

AIDS The HIV, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is a Preventive healthcare, pr ...

after several of her friends had died from the disease. For a short period of time, she ran an art gallery in

Beverly Hills, California Beverly Hills is a city located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. A notable and historic suburb of Los Angeles, it is located just southwest of the Hollywood Hills, approximately northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Beverly Hills ...

. However she returned to the nursing work, until 2001, when she was "involved in a very serious accident" which caused her to retire from that work. In 2006, she returned to producing, working with adult video director Jennifer James on a series, '' Inside Erotica''. The 2014

tongue-in-cheek Tongue-in-cheek is an idiom that describes a humorous or sarcastic statement expressed in a serious manner. History The phrase originally expressed contempt, but by 1842 had acquired its modern meaning. Early users of the phrase include Sir Walte ...

British television documentary '' The Golden Rules of Porn'' (broadcast on

More4 More4 is a British free-to-air television channel, owned by Channel Four Television Corporation. The channel launched on 10 October 2005. Its programming mainly focuses on lifestyle and documentaries, as well as foreign dramas. Content The i ...

on 9 August 2014) included Mandel discussing her roles in the soft-core British comedies ''

'', ''Come Play with Me'', '' The Playbirds'' and sharing her thoughts on bad

chat-up line A pick-up line or chat-up line is a conversation opener with the intent of engaging a person for romance or dating. As overt and sometimes humorous displays of romantic interest, pick-up lines advertise the wit of their speakers to their target l ...

s and high heels.

Personal life

Mandel has been married more than once. On 16 August 1981, she married wealthy British film financier Stanley Margolis. Margolis had owned

Tigon British Film Productions Tigon British Film Productions or Tigon was a film production and distribution company, founded by Tony Tenser in 1966. It is best remembered for its horror films, particularly ''Witchfinder General (film), Witchfinder General'' (directed by ...

, the company that released some of her best-known British films, and that would later co-produce the 1993 film ''

True Romance ''True Romance'' is a 1993 American romantic crime film directed by Tony Scott and written by Quentin Tarantino. It features an ensemble cast led by Christian Slater and Patricia Arquette, with Dennis Hopper, Val Kilmer, Gary Oldman, Brad Pitt ...

''. She and Margolis divorced in 1994.

Filmography

*''Health Farm'' (hardcore short 1975) ... 2nd Girl * '' Intimate Games'' (1976) ... Erica *''

'' (1976) ... Mrs. Hargreaves *'' Come Play with Me'' (1977) ... Rena *''Over Exposed'' (hardcore short 1977) ... Susan *'' The Playbirds'' (1978) ... Lena Cunningham *''

'' (1978) ... First Tennis Girl *''You're Driving Me Crazy'' (1978) ... Anthea *'' Mistress of the Apes'' (1979) ... Secretary *''Blonde Ambition'' (hardcore 1980, filmed 1977) ... Sugar Cane *'' The Private Eyes'' (1980) ... Hilda *''

The Sword and the Sorcerer ''The Sword and the Sorcerer'' is a 1982 American sword and sorcery fantasy film co-written and directed by Albert Pyun, and starring Lee Horsley, Kathleen Beller, Simon MacCorkindale, George Maharis, Richard Lynch, and Richard Moll. The plot ...

'' (1982)

Television

*''The Lotus Eaters'' (TV show, BBC 1973) *''Miss TV Times'' (TV show, LWT 1974) ... Herself/Contestant *''Dial M for Murder'' (TV show, BBC 1974) *''Churchill's People'' (TV show, BBC 1970s) *'' The Girls of Slender Means'' (TV show, BBC 1975) *''

Play of the Month ''Play of the Month'' is a BBC television anthology series, which ran from 1965 to 1983 featuring productions of classic and contemporary stage plays (or adaptations) which were usually broadcast on BBC1. Each production featured a different wor ...

'': ''

King Lear ''The Tragedy of King Lear'', often shortened to ''King Lear'', is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare. It is loosely based on the mythological Leir of Britain. King Lear, in preparation for his old age, divides his ...

'' (TV show, BBC 1975) *''The Fight Against Slavery'' (TV show, BBC 1975) *'' Rutland Weekend Television'' (TV show, BBC 1975 episode "Rutland Weekend Whistle Test" in sketch "A Penny for your Warts") *''The Best of Marty'' (TV show 1970s) *''

The Generation Game ''The Generation Game'' is a British game show produced by the BBC in which four teams of two people from the same family, but different generations, compete to win prizes. The game There are eight competitors, hence the catchphrase "Let's me ...

'' (TV show, BBC 1970s) *''The Basil Brush Show'' (TV show, BBC 1970s) *'' Rentaghost'' (TV show, BBC 1970s) *''What's on Next'' (TV show, Thames, 1976) *''

Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? ''Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?'' is a British sitcom which was broadcast on BBC1 between 9 January 1973 and 9 April 1974. It was the colour sequel to the mid-1960s hit ''The Likely Lads''. It was created and written, as was its predec ...

'' (TV show, BBC 1970s) *''The Benny Hill Show'' (TV show, Thames 1977) ... Various roles *''The Dick Emery Show'' (TV show, BBC 1977) ... Dawn, the biker chick *''

Within These Walls ''Within These Walls'' is a British television drama programme made by London Weekend Television for ITV and shown between 1974 and 1978. It portrayed life in HMP Stone Park, a fictional women's prison. Unlike later women-in-prison TV series ...

'' (TV show, LWT 1970s) *''

Z-Cars ''Z-Cars'' or ''Z Cars'' (pronounced "zed cars") is a British television police procedural series centred on the work of mobile uniformed police and CID detectives in the fictional town of Newtown, based on Kirkby, near Liverpool. Produced by ...

'' (TV show, BBC 1970s) *'' Van der Valk'' (TV show, 1970s) *''

Target Target may refer to: Warfare and shooting * Shooting target, used in marksmanship training and various shooting sports ** Bullseye (target), the goal one for which one aims in many of these sports ** Aiming point, in field artille ...

'' (TV show, BBC 1970s) *''Jackanory Playhouse'' (TV show, 1970s) *''George Sands'' (TV show, 1970s) *''Nice Day Tomorrow'' (TV show, 1970s) *''

The Liver Birds ''The Liver Birds'' is a British sitcom, set in Liverpool, North West England, which aired on BBC1 from April 1969 to December 1978, and again in 1996. The show was created by Carla Lane and Myra Taylor. The two Liverpudlian housewives had me ...

'' (TV show, BBC 1970s) *''

The Sweeney ''The Sweeney'' is a British police drama television series focusing on two members of the Flying Squad, a branch of the Metropolitan Police specialising in tackling armed robbery and violent crime in London. It stars John Thaw as Detective ...

'' (TV show, Thames 1970s) *'' Rock Follies'' (TV show, Thames 1970s) *''The Barry Humphries Show'' (TV show, BBC 1977) *''The World of Pam Ayres'' (TV show, LWT 1977) *'' The XYY Man'' (TV show, Granada 1970s) *''The Other One'' (TV show, BBC 1970s) *''Play of the Month: The Country Wife'' (TV show, BBC 1977) *''Mr. Big'' (TV show, BBC 1977) *''Play of the Month: The Ambassadors'' (TV show, BBC 1977) *''

Get Some In! ''Get Some In!'' is a British television sitcom about National Service life in the Royal Air Force, broadcast between 1975 and 1978 by Thames Television. Scripts were by John Esmonde and Bob Larbey, the team behind sitcoms such as '' The Good ...

'' (TV show, BBC 1977) ... Non-responsive W.A.A.F. *''Pennies from Heaven'' (TV show, BBC, 1978) *''

'' (TV show, ABC 1980) ... Trina *''Kawasaki'' (TV Commercial, 1980s) *''Toyota'' (TV Commercial, 1980s) *''Nissan'' (TV Commercial, 1980s) *''Red Mountain Coffee'' (TV Commercial, 1980s) *''We're Making It'' (TV show, series regular, 1980s) *''Sunset Strip'' (TV show, series regular, 1980s) *''All Nonsense Network News'' (TV show, series regular/opera reporter, 1980s) *''Love Bites'' (1993)

Magazine covers

*''Whitehouse'' issue 27 *''Whitehouse'' issue 25 *''Park Lane'' issue 21 *''Playbirds'' issue 14, 1977 *''Playbirds'' issue 13, 1977 *''National News'' issue 8 *''Lovebirds'' issue 6 *''Cine Revue'' 1 May 1980, Vol. 1, Iss. 18

Notes

References

* * *

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Mandel, Suzy English pornographic film actresses English film actresses 1953 births Page 3 girls Living people Actresses from London Models from London English female models