Samantha Eggar

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Victoria Louise Samantha Marie Elizabeth Therese Eggar (5 March 1939 – 15 October 2025) was an English actress. After beginning her career in Shakespearean theatre she rose to fame for her performance in William Wyler's thriller The Collector (1965), which earned her a Golden Globe Award, a Cannes Film Festival Award and an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress.

Eggar later appeared as Emma Fairfax in Doctor Dolittle (1967) and the American drama The Molly Maguires (1970). In the early 1970s Eggar moved to the United States and Canada, where she later starred in several horror films, including The Dead Are Alive (1972), The Uncanny (1977) and David Cronenberg's cult thriller The Brood (1979).[1]

Eggar also worked as a voice actress, as Hera in Disney's Hercules (1997) and in several video games, including Gabriel Knight 3: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned and James Bond 007: Nightfire. Her television work included roles on Fantasy Island and a recurring part as Charlotte Devane in the soap opera All My Children in 2000.[2]

Early life

Samantha Eggar was born Victoria Louise Samantha Marie Elizabeth Therese EggarTemplate:Sfn[3] on 5 March 1939,[4][5] in Hampstead, London, to Ralph Alfred James Eggar, a brigadier in the British Army, and Muriel Olga Palache-Boumam, who was of Dutch and Portuguese descent.[6][7][8] Eggar also had Irish ancestry through her grandmother.[8] Soon after her birth, her family moved to rural Bledlow, Buckinghamshire, during World War II, where she spent her childhood.Template:Sfn

Eggar was brought up as a Roman Catholic and educated at St Mary's Providence Convent in Woking, Surrey. Reflecting on her time at convent school, Eggar said: "The nuns didn't have too much success with me — I've always had a violent temper. In fact, once I almost killed one of the nuns."[3] At age 16 she began to go by the name Samantha.Template:Sfn Although Eggar expressed interest in acting at a young age, she was urged against a career in the theatre by her parents. She was offered a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, but instead studied fashion for two years at the Thanet School of Art.[3] After completing her studies she enrolled at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art in London.Template:Sfn

Career

Theatre and early work

File:Samantha Eggar.jpg
Eggar in 1964

Eggar began her acting career in several Shakespearean companies, notably playing Titania in a 1962 production of A Midsummer Night's Dream directed by Tony Richardson.Template:Sfn She also appeared on stage in a production of Douglas Seale's Landscape with Figures, where she was noticed by a talent scout. From there she was cast in the biographical film Dr. Crippen (1962) opposite Donald Pleasence.Template:Sfn Her second film role was in 1962 in The Wild and the Willing;[9] in the same year she appeared on stage again as Olivia in a production of Twelfth Night by George Devine.Template:Sfn

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"It was physically exhausting, and mentally exhausting because of the way Wyler works. Oh, it's all done now and finished."[10]

—Eggar on her time filming The Collector (1965)

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In 1963, Eggar played the lead role of Claire Avery in "Marcia", a second-season episode of The Saint. After her appearance in The Saint, Eggar did not make a guest appearance on television for 10 years.[11][12] In 1965, Eggar appeared in the thriller The Collector, directed by William Wyler, playing a kidnap victim.[13] Of her time working on the set of the film "Ms. Eggar told The Daily Mirror in 1965 that working on the set ... was 'the hardest three months of my life;" she noted that during the shoot she lost about 14 pounds.[14] She received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress and won a Golden Globe award for her performance.[15] She was also awarded Best Actress at the Cannes Film Festival in 1966.[16]

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"My biggest relationship on set was with William Wyler. The tension on set was real. And if the tension wasn't there – if I didn't exude precisely what he wanted – well, Willi just poured cold water over me."[17]

—Eggar on her role as Miranda in The Collector (2014)

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The following year Eggar starred in the comedy Walk, Don't Run (1966) with Cary Grant (his last motion picture) and Jim Hutton,[18][19] followed by a lead role as Emma Fairfax in Richard Fleischer's musical adaptation of Doctor Dolittle (1967).[18] She was linked with roles in Guess Who's Coming to Dinner? and Goodbye Mr Chips but did not appear in either.[1] She also appeared in The Walking Stick, a psychological thriller by Eric Till where she costarred with David Hemmings, The Molly Maguires (1970), a social drama directed by Martin Ritt in which she starred with Sean Connery and Richard Harris,[20] and The Light at the Edge of the World (1971),[21] an adventure movie from a novel by Jules Verne in which she shared the screen with Kirk Douglas and Yul Brynner.[1]

Eggar also played the main character in The Lady in the Car with Glasses and a Gun (1970), a thriller based on a book by French novelist Sébastien Japrisot and the last film directed by Anatole Litvak.[20][22] She then went to Italy to shoot The Dead Are Alive (1972), a giallo directed by Armando Crispino.[23] Although Eggar co-starred with Yul Brynner in the television series Anna and the King (1972), she did not make another television guest appearance until 1973, when she starred in an episode of the romantic anthology series Love Story.[23] That same year she played Phyllis Dietrichson in a TV remake of the 1944 film Double Indemnity.Template:Sfn

Move to United States

In 1973, Eggar moved to the United States, settling in Los Angeles, and appeared first in television, guest-starring in episodes of Starsky & Hutch, Hart to Hart and Columbo.[18] She would go on to star in a number of horror films, including A Name for Evil (1973)[22] and Demonoid (1981).[18]

During this period, Eggar also appeared in two British-Canadian co-productions, Welcome to Blood City, an early "virtual-reality" thriller directed by Peter Sasdy in which she plays opposite Jack Palance and Keir Dullea,[24] and The Uncanny, a horror movie directed by Denis Héroux.[23]

Eggar was also in the Canadian movie Why Shoot the Teacher?, a dramatic comedy filmed in Alberta by Silvio Narizzano that went on to be the most successful Canadian movie that year. But it is another Canadian movie that was to become one of Samantha's best known films, David Cronenberg's cult sci-fi film The Brood (1979).[1]

In 1980, she filmed the Canadian slasher film Curtains, released in 1983.Template:Sfn

She also appeared as Maggie Gioberti in "The Vintage Years", the pilot for the drama Falcon Crest, but was replaced by Susan Sullivan when the series went into production.[3] She appeared twice on The Love Boat in 1979 and 1981.[21] She appeared in the drama Dark Horse (1992), followed by the superhero film The Phantom (1996). In 1997, she provided the voice of Hera in Disney's animated film Hercules; she also supplied the voice for the subsequent television series.[22] Eggar also had a role in the sci-fi thriller The Astronaut's Wife (1999), which starred Johnny Depp.[20]

Eggar appeared as the wife of Captain Jean-Luc Picard's brother Robert on the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation, and as Sarah Templeton, the wife of Speaker of the House Nathan Templeton (Donald Sutherland), on the short-lived television series Commander in Chief, which starred Geena Davis.[22] In the year 2000, she had a brief run as Charlotte Devane in the American soap opera All My Children.[23] In 2004, she appeared in the first season of Cold Case, episode 14 ("The Boy in the Box") as Sister Vivian.[21]In 2009, she played the mother of Jack and Becky Gallagher in season 1, episode 11 ("Lines in the Sand") of the Fox television series Mental.[18]

Personal life

In 1964, she married actor Tom Stern and the couple had two children: film producer Nicolas Stern and actress Jenna Stern.[25] Eggar and Stern divorced in 1971.[26]

In the early 1970s, Eggar had an affair with her The Walking Stick co-star David Hemmings.[27]

Eggar held dual British and American citizenship.[28]

Death

Eggar resided in Los Angeles,[17] where she died at her home in Sherman Oaks, on 15 October 2025 from chronic lymphocytic leukemia, at the age of 86.[22][23][20][29] According to her daughter, Eggar had been diagnosed with this illness 22 years earlier.[29]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Director(s) Notes Ref.
1962 The Wild and the Willing Josie Ralph Thomas Romantic drama film
Also known as Young and Willing 		[4][20]
[30]
Dr. Crippen Ethel Le Neve Robert Lynn Biographical film [4][20]
[31]
1963 Doctor in Distress Delia Mallory Ralph Thomas Comedy film [20][23]
[32]
1964 Psyche 59 Robin Alexander Singer Drama film [22][33]
1965 Return from the Ashes Fabienne 'Fabi' Wolf J. Lee Thompson Thriller film [20][22]
[23]
The Collector Miranda Grey William Wyler Psychological horror film
Also known as The Butterfly Collector
Based on the 1963 novel of the same name by John Fowles 		[4][13]
[20][22]
[23][34]
1966 Walk, Don't Run Christine Easton Charles Walters Romantic comedy film [4][20]
[22][23]
1967 Doctor Dolittle Emma Fairfax Richard Fleischer Musical fantasy film
Based on The Story of Doctor Dolittle by Hugh Lofting 		[4][20]
[22][23]
[35]
1970 The Molly Maguires Miss Mary Raines Martin Ritt Historical drama film [4][20]
[22][23]
The Walking Stick Deborah Dainton Eric Till Crime drama film
Based on 1967 novel of the same name by Winston Graham
The first use of the tune Cavatina in a feature film 		[20][22]
[36]
The Lady in the Car with Glasses and a Gun Danielle "Dany" Lang Anatole Litvak Psychological thriller film [4][20]
[22][37]
1971 The Light at the Edge of the World Arabella Kevin Billington Adventure film
Based on the 1923 novel of the same name by Jules Verne 		[38][39]
1972 The Dead Are Alive Myra Shelton Armando Crispino Giallo film [4][20]
[23]
1973 A Name for Evil Joanna Blake Bernard Girard Horror film [4][20]
[22][23]
1976 The Seven-Per-Cent Solution Mary Morstan Watson Herbert Ross Mystery film
Based on novel of the same name by Nicholas Meyer 		[20][22]
[40]
1977 The Uncanny Edina Hamilton Denis Héroux Anthology horror film [4][20]
[23]
Welcome to Blood City Katherine Peter Sasdy Science fiction Western film [1]
Why Shoot the Teacher? Alice Field Silvio Narizzano Comedy-drama film Template:Sfn
1978 The Greatest Battle Annelise Ackermann Umberto Lenzi Euro War film
Template:Langx 		[41]
1979 The Brood Nola Carveth David Cronenberg Psychological body horror film [4][20]
[22]
1980 The Exterminator Dr. Megan Stewart James Glickenhaus Vigilante action film [1][22]
[42][43]
1981 The Hot Touch Samantha O'Brien Roger Vadim Crime-comedy film [1]
Demonoid Jennifer Baines Alfredo Zacarías Supernatural horror film
Also known as Macabra: La mano del diablo 		Template:Sfn
1983 Curtains Samantha Sherwood Richard Ciupka
Peter R. Simpson 		Slasher film [4][22]
1991 Ragin' Cajun Dr. May William Byron Hillman Action film [4][20]
[23]
1992 Dark Horse Mrs. Curtis David Hemmings Drama film [4][20]
[23]
Round Numbers Anne Nancy Zala Comedy film [44]
1993 The Magic Voyage Isabella I of Castile (voice) Michael Schoemann Animated musical fantasy film
Template:Langx 		[45]
1994 Inevitable Grace Britt Alex Monty Canawati Drama film [20][23]
1996 The Phantom Lily Palmer Simon Wincer Superhero adventure film [4][20]
[23]
1997 Hercules Hera (voice) John Musker
Ron Clements 		Animated musical fantasy comedy film [20][22]
1999 The Astronaut's Wife Dr. Patraba Rand Ravich Science fiction thriller film [4][20]
[22][23]

Television

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1961 Rob Roy Diana Vernon Recurring [23]
1963 Ghost Squad Mina Episode: "Hot Money" [46]
The Saint Claire Avery Episode: "Marcia" [11][12]
1972 Anna and the King Anna Leonowens Series regular [4][20]
[22][23]
1973 Love Story Ruth Wilson Episode: "The Cardboard House" [23]
Double Indemnity Phyllis Dietrichson Made-for-TV movie directed by Jack Smight [4][20]
[22]
The Man of Destiny The Strange Lady Made-for-TV movie directed by Joseph Hardy
1974 All the Kind Strangers Carol Ann Made-for-TV movie directed by Burt Kennedy
Also known as Evil in the Swamp 		[47][48]
1975 Lucas Tanner Angela Bowman Episode: "Shattered" [46]
The Legendary Curse of the Hope Diamond Evalyn Walsh McLean Made-for-TV movie directed by Delbert Mann [49][50]
1976 The Hemingway Play Glynis Made-for-TV movie directed by Don Taylor [46]
The Killer Who Wouldn't Die Anne Roland Made-for-TV movie directed by William Hale [46]
Baretta Laurie Eckardt Episode: "Look Back in Terror" [23]
1977 Columbo Vivian Brandt Episode: "The Bye-Bye Sky High IQ Murder Case" [46][18]
Starsky and Hutch Charlotte Episode: "Starsky and Hutch on Playboy Island" [46][18]
Family Norah McKay Episode: "Labours of Love" [46]
1978 Ziegfeld: The Man and His Women Billie Burke Made-for-TV movie directed by Buzz Kulik [1]
Hawaii Five-O Agnes DuBois Episode: "Horoscope for Murder" [22]
Fantasy Island Helena Marsh Episode: "Return/The Toughest Man Alive" [22]
1979–1981 The Love Boat Template:Plainlist Episodes: Template:Plainlist [22]
1979 Fantasy Island Helena Marsh Episode: "The Wedding" [22]
1980 Hagen Livia Episode: "Pilot" [46]
1981 Aloha Paradise Template:CGuest Episode: "The Kid Who Would Be a Daddy / Make Me a Match / Treasure Hunt" [46]
Falcon Crest Maggie Gioberti Episode: "The Vintage Years" [22][51]
1982 Darkroom Miss Alexis St. Clair Episode: "Exit Lane" [46]
1983 For the Term of his Natural Life Julie Vickers Miniseries directed by Rob Stewart [1]
Hart to Hart Gillian Rawlings Episode: "Long Lost Love" [46]
1984 Murder, She Wrote Marta Quintessa Episode "Hooray for Homicide" [46]
Magnum, P.I. Laura Bennett Episode "Fragments" [46]
1985 Finder of Lost Loves Megan Brody Episode: "Wayward Dreams" [46]
Tales of the Unexpected Gwen Carter Episode "People Don't Do Such Things" [46]
George Burns Half-Hour Comedy Hour Mrs. Cratchet Episode: "Christmas Carol II: The Sequel" [46]
Hotel Elizabeth Oliver Episode: "Cry Wolf" [46]
1987 Outlaws Sister Rachel Episode: "Hymm" [46]
Stingray Camila Episode "Echos" [46]
Love Among Thieves Solange Made-for-TV movie directed by Roger Young [52]
Alfred Hitchcock Presents Lisa Talbot Episode: "Deathmate" [46]
1990 A Ghost in Monte Carlo Jeanne Miniseries [46][53]
Star Trek: The Next Generation Marie Picard Episode "Family" [4][20]
[22]
1991–93 The Legend of Prince Valiant Queen Guinevere Voice; recurring [22][54]
1993 L.A. Law Camille Bancroft Episode "Where There's a Will" [46]
1996 Everything to Gain Diana Keswick Made-for-TV movie directed by Michael Miller [55][56]
1998–99 Hercules Hera Voice; 7 episodes [46]
1998 Loss of Faith Insp. Strong Made-for-TV movie [46]
2000 All My Children Charlotte Devane 20 episodes [20][23]
2005 Commander in Chief Sara Templeton Recurring [4][20]
[22]
2009 Mental Margo Stroud 2 episodes [46]
2011 The Nine Lives of Chloe King Olivia Rezza Episode: "Beautiful Day" [57]
2012 Metalocalypse Whale (voice); 2 episodes; Final role [23]

Stage credits

Year Title Role Director Venue Notes Ref.
1959 Landscape with Figures — Douglas Seale Olympia Theatre; Theatre Royal, Brighton; Grand, Wolverhampton Template:Sfn
1962 A Midsummer Night's Dream Titania Tony Richardson Royal Court Theatre Template:Sfn
Twelfth Night Olivia George Devine Royal Court Theatre Template:Sfn[58]
1985 The Lonely Road Irene Herms Christopher Fettes Yvonne Arnaud Theatre; Old Vic Theatre Template:Sfn[59]
The Seagull Irina Nikolayevna Arkadina Charles Sturridge Oxford Playhouse; Theatre Royal, Bath Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn
1992 Auntie Mame Vera Karin Baker Candlewood Playhouse, New Fairfield, Connecticut Template:Sfn[60]

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Title of work Result Ref.
1965 Cannes Film Festival Best Actress The Collector Won [61]
Laurel Awards New Faces, Female 4th place [62]Template:Better source needed
1966 Dramatic Performance, Female The Collector Nominated [63]
Female Star 14th place [64]Template:Better source needed
Golden Globe Awards Best Actress, Drama The Collector Won [65]
Academy Awards Best Actress Nominated [66]Template:Sfn
Template:Sfn
Sant Jordi Awards Best Performance in a Foreign Film Won Template:Sfn
1980 Genie Awards Best Performance by a Foreign Actress The Brood Nominated [67][68]

References

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  2. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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  4. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  5. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  6. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  7. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  8. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  9. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  10. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  11. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  12. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  13. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  14. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  15. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  16. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  17. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  18. ↑ a b c d e f g Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  19. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  20. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  21. ↑ a b c Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  22. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  23. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  24. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  25. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  26. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  27. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  28. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  29. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  30. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  31. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  32. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  33. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  34. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  35. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  36. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  37. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  38. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  39. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  40. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  41. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  42. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  43. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  44. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  45. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  46. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  47. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  48. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  49. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  50. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  51. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  52. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  53. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  54. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  55. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  56. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  57. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  58. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  59. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  60. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  61. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  62. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  63. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  64. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  65. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  66. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  67. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  68. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".

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Sources

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External links

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