A Life in Limelight: Honoring Samantha Eggar
The acting world bids farewell to Samantha Eggar, a versatile British star celebrated for her dynamic performances across comedies, dramas, and horror films. Best remembered for her captivating, Oscar-nominated role in the chilling thriller ‘The Collector,’ where she played a young art student held captive by a psychopath, Eggar passed away on October 15th at her Sherman Oaks, California, residence at the age of 86.
Her daughter, Jenna Stern, confirmed that the cause of death was chronic lymphocytic leukemia, a condition Ms. Eggar had bravely battled for 22 years.
The Role That Defined a Career: ‘The Collector’
Before her breakthrough in ‘The Collector’ (1965), Ms. Eggar had already established herself on stage and in several smaller film roles. In the psychological thriller that would define a part of her legacy, she portrayed a woman relentlessly stalked and then abducted by a charming yet disturbed butterfly collector, Terence Stamp. Imprisoned in his isolated English country home, her character endured his erratic shifts between unsettling kindness and outright brutality.
The filming of ‘The Collector’ was a notoriously intense experience for Eggar. She recounted that Terence Stamp, an old acting school colleague, remained in character even off-screen, contributing to a constant tension. Director William Wyler was known for his demanding methods, reportedly dousing her with cold water if her performance didn’t meet his exact vision. To further immerse her in the role, Wyler isolated her, preventing her from leaving the set during the day or dining with the rest of the cast.
Terence Stamp himself acknowledged the challenge, stating that Wyler aimed for a ‘constant state of terror’ from her, which is ‘really very difficult to act.’ Eggar echoed this sentiment, telling The Daily Mirror in 1965 that the three months on ‘The Collector’ set were ‘the hardest of her life,’ resulting in a significant weight loss of 14 pounds.
A Defining Role: ‘The Collector’
A pivotal moment in Samantha Eggar’s career was her performance in ‘The Collector’ (1965). The film, which earned her an Oscar nomination and Best Actress award at Cannes, saw her alongside Terence Stamp. Critics praised her ability to convey a profound range of emotions under extreme duress.
Image: Terence Stamp and Samantha Eggar in ‘The Collector’ (1965). Credit: Columbia Pictures.
Image: Samantha Eggar in a scene from ‘The Collector.’ Credit: Columbia Pictures.
Bosley Crowther of The New York Times lauded Ms. Eggar’s performance, commending her for masterfully showcasing a spectrum of emotions. He noted how ‘the feelings of fear, indignation, anxiety, puzzlement, shock and eventually dismal melancholy and terrifying despair’ imbued her youthful and vibrant character with profound clarity.
While the Oscar ultimately went to fellow British actress Julie Christie for ‘Darling,’ Eggar’s exceptional work was recognized with the Best Actress award at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival.
Versatility Across Genres
Just two years later, Eggar embraced a vastly different role in the musical ‘Doctor Dolittle,’ starring alongside Rex Harrison, who played an eccentric veterinarian with a unique ability to talk to animals. She portrayed his cook during an adventurous ocean journey to discover the mythical Great Pink Sea Snail.
Despite the film’s unfortunate box-office performance, Eggar found joy in the role. ‘I danced, and I sang,’ she reminisced, describing the experience as ‘bliss,’ even though some of her vocals were later dubbed by Diana Lee.
From Terror to Bliss: ‘Doctor Dolittle’
Following the demanding shoot of ‘The Collector,’ ‘Doctor Dolittle’ (1967) offered Samantha Eggar a refreshing change of pace. She remembered the musical fondly, stating, ‘I danced, and I sang… That was bliss.’
Image: Samantha Eggar with Rex Harrison in ‘Doctor Doolittle’ (1967). Credit: Bettmann/Getty Images.
Her diverse filmography from that era also includes the 1966 romantic comedy ‘Walk, Don’t Run.’ Set against the backdrop of the 1964 Tokyo Summer Olympics, she portrayed a woman who unwittingly sublets her small apartment to a businessman, played by the legendary Cary Grant in his final film appearance, and an American athlete, Jim Hutton.
She also graced the screen in ‘The Molly Maguires’ (1970), a drama set in 19th-century Pennsylvania. Here, she starred as the daughter of an injured coal miner, caught between Sean Connery’s character, a passionate miner advocating for workers’ rights, and Richard Harris’s portrayal of a company spy who boards with her family and develops feelings for her.
Film critic Bernard Drew of the Gannett newspaper chain praised Ms. Eggar, noting her ability to ‘radiate beauty and intelligence as the pious girl beset by conflicts.’
Critically Acclaimed Performances
In ‘The Molly Maguires’ (1970), Samantha Eggar’s performance was lauded for its blend of beauty and intellect. A reviewer noted her captivating portrayal of a conflicted, pious character.
Image: Samantha Eggar with Richard Harris in ‘The Molly Maguires’ (1970). Credit: Associated Press.
Her striking beauty also captivated audiences in a memorable 1976 commercial for the RCA ColorTrak television.
In the commercial, she famously declared, ‘My eyes are green, my hair is auburn and my dress is vivid red,’ directly addressing the camera. She explained that RCA chose her to showcase the true colors rendered by their ‘exclusive ColorTrak system.’
Early Life and Path to Acting
Born Victoria Louise Samantha Marie Elizabeth Therese Eggar on March 5, 1939, in London’s Hampstead, her early life was marked by her father Ralph’s career as a British Army brigadier and her mother Muriel Olga’s wartime service as an ambulance driver, followed by her later venture into pub ownership.
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Samantha Eggar’s mother initially harbored reservations about her pursuing an acting career, deeming it ‘unladylike.’ This led Eggar to first explore art and fashion design before ultimately finding her calling in acting.
Image: Samantha Eggar early in her career. Credit: Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images.
During the tumultuous Blitz, her parents sought her safety in the Buckinghamshire countryside with friends. Later, she spent 11 years at St. Mary’s Providence Convent in Surrey, where her passion for acting first ignited. Despite her mother’s initial disapproval, who considered acting ‘unladylike’ and encouraged her to pursue art, Eggar initially studied fashion design for two years at the Thanet School of Art in Kent.
Her path ultimately led her to acting when she discovered an interview opportunity at the prestigious Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art (now the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama) in London. She was accepted into the program, graduating in 1962.
Her stage performances, including a notable turn as Titania in Shakespeare’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ in London, paved the way for a rapidly ascending film and television career. In 1970, she co-starred with Oliver Reed in the psychological thriller ‘The Lady in the Car With Glasses and a Gun,’ portraying a woman whose impulsive drive to the Riviera in her boss’s car takes a dark turn, leading to an attack at a gas station and the discovery of a corpse in the trunk.
Roger Greenspun, reviewing for The Times, praised her portrayal as ‘beautiful, intelligent and tough enough to be fascinatingly vulnerable.’
A Legacy of Performance
Later in her career, after a successful journey through film and television, Samantha Eggar returned to her roots in Britain, gracing the stage with her talent once more.
Image: Samantha Eggar in 2019. Credit: David Livingston/Getty Images.
Following her 1971 divorce from actor Tom Stern, Ms. Eggar skillfully managed her acting career while raising her two children, Jenna and Nicolas. Her daughter, Jenna Stern, fondly remembered her as a dedicated ‘working actor’ who infused ‘talent and class into anything and everything she did.’
In 1972, she embraced the role of a British governess tasked with educating the 12-year-old heir of the King of Siam (now Thailand) in the CBS television series ‘Anna and the King.’ This adaptation of the 1956 musical film ‘The King and I’ notably featured Yul Brynner reprising his iconic Broadway role as the king, though without the musical numbers.
Eggar also made her mark in the horror genre during the 1970s and early 1980s, including a chilling performance in David Cronenberg’s ‘The Brood’ (1979), where she portrayed a deeply traumatized woman who biologically produces murderous, childlike entities.
Family Life Amidst a Thriving Career
Samantha Eggar, seen here with her then-husband, actor Tom Stern, and their newborn son, Nicolas, in 1965. After their divorce, she dedicated herself to balancing her vibrant acting career with the responsibilities of raising her two children.
Image: Samantha Eggar and husband, the actor Tom Stern, with their newborn son, Nicolas, in 1965. Credit: Associated Press.
Her television appearances were extensive, featuring guest roles in beloved series such as ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation,’ ‘Murder, She Wrote,’ ‘Matlock,’ and ‘Magnum, P.I.’ The 1980s saw her return to the British stage, performing in Arthur Schnitzler’s ‘The Lonely Road’ as the mistress of a painter (played by Anthony Hopkins), and in Anton Chekhov’s ‘The Seagull,’ where she embodied the conceited actress Arkadina opposite John Hurt’s Trigorin.
Beyond her acclaimed career, Ms. Eggar leaves behind a loving family: her daughter, Jenna Stern (an actress and photographer), her son Nicolas (a film and TV producer), three sisters—Margaret Barron, Toni Maricic, and Vivien Thursby—and three grandchildren. Though she never remarried after her divorce, she maintained relationships with notable figures such as artist Edward Ruscha and the versatile singer, songwriter, and actor Kris Kristofferson.
From the 1990s onward, Ms. Eggar lent her voice to numerous productions for the California Artists Radio Theater, bringing to life characters from the works of literary giants like Shakespeare, Chekhov, Ibsen, and Ray Bradbury.
Peggy Webber, founder, producer, and director of the radio theater, lauded Eggar’s unique presence, stating, ‘She had a dignity and greatness about her that was more than American audiences were used to. She was able to play roles that she probably wouldn’t have had a chance to do otherwise.’