Remember HAI KARATE aftershave
back in the 1970s? The voluptuous goddess
in the TV adverts was VALERIE LEON, who
appeared in quite a few movies and TV shows.
We're not interested in her acting CV though,
we only want to admire her stunning and
intoxicating looks - so admire away.
I well remember those aftershave adverts - Kid, you must be the only man in Britain who still has a bottle of that aftershave, is there anything you DON'T save or collect?! I can only recall Valerie Leon in 2 films - "Blood From The Mummy's Tomb" and "Carry On Girls" - in the latter she spends the first part of the film with her hair in a bun and wearing specs trying to look dull and ordinary but of course she's the type who can't ever look dull and ordinary whatever she's wearing !
ReplyDeleteI don't save my belly-fluff or other bodily-wastes, Col. Valerie also appeared in Never Say Never Again, and TV programmes like The Saint.
ReplyDeleteI actually tried a bottle of this to see if it would have the same effect on me and let me tell you it's a CON! - It DOES N'T work!!
ReplyDeleteOne of the advantages of having an older brother was that when he went to the pictures in the 70's he would bring back one or other of the two film magazines that were on sale at the time - either Photoplay or Film Review - and usually they would contain a good few photos of the actresses that were appearing in British horror and comedy films. Valerie Leon was a regular in them, of course, along with Julie Ege, Britt Ekland, and the awesome (to my 12-year-old eyes) Madeleine Smith. (Just as I typed this, I realised that all those actresses appeared in James Bond films.)
ReplyDeleteThose Hai Karate ads were indeed memorable. I certainly preferred watching Valerie Leon to Henry Cooper or Kevin Keegan.
JP, one of the reasons I've still got a nearly full bottle is because I never needed it - women used to fall at my feet. (I should've changed my socks more often.)
ReplyDelete******
GB, now you're talking - Madeleine Smith. WOW! Valerie actually appeared in a spoof ad mocking Hai Karate in the Goodies TV show - it was very funny.
Oh I did like Madeleine Smith and had a bit of a crush on her as a kid. The Hai Karate ad brings back a lot of memories wasn't the strap line "be careful how you use it " I always recall the Denim ads with the girl trying to put her down the man's (denim) shirt only for him to grab it and the ad line "Denim,the mark of a man" I don't think many of the old aftershaves are still on sale now and of those I have seen I would only pick up Old Spice (ok I still do from time to time. )There used to be loads of these on sale like Brut, Denim, Tabac, Censored, Bay Rum, English Leather, Burley , Pagan Man, Jovan & Blue Stratos think some are still on sale , mind you some of them stank to high heaven. Nice change of pace post, I liked that wee memory jogger
ReplyDeleteI believe that was indeed the line, McScotty - I seem to hear it in William Franklin's voice (the Schweppes man), but I could just be imagining that. I used to use Brut at one time, but I quite liked Blue Stratos and didn't mind Old Spice. Now I don't bother with anything.
ReplyDeleteSchhh!
ReplyDeleteYou know who!
ReplyDeleteIIRC, Valerie was in a couple of "Carry On" films, and was a semi-regular on Morecambe & Wise.
ReplyDeleteShe also played the S&M dominatrix in "Revenge of the Pink Panther," in the sequence when Inspector Clouseau (who has been missing and presumed dead) returns to his apartment and finds that his valet has turned the place into a house of ill repute.
And she was also in Never Say Never Again. She sure gets around, TC.
ReplyDelete