Honor Blackman: Actor whose judo-throwing turns in The Avengers and Goldfinger made her a household name

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Honor Blackman shot to fame as the judo-throwing, black-leather-clad, kinky-boots-wearing Cathy Gale, putting fear into villains in The Avengers, which became the epitome of Sixties’ television fantasy series. The show’s creator, Sydney Newman, had reservations about Blackman, believing the “English rose” film roles she had previously taken courtesy of the Rank charm school were at odds with the Avengers character. open image in gallery Blackman in 2008: she enjoyed a long stage and screen career Honor Blackman was born in Plaistow, east London, in 1925 to Edith and Frederick, a civil service statistician. On television, between more one-off roles, Blackman was in the first two series of sitcom Never the Twain, playing Veronica Barton, the widow whose affections were sought by Donald Sinden’s and Windsor Davies’s rival antique dealers.