IMOGEN HASSALL was a stunning-looking actress who appeared in TV shows such as The SAINT and The AVENGERS, as well as various movies throughout her acting career. I was shocked to discover only recently that she committed suicide in 1980, aged 38. I'd assumed, whenever I saw her in anything on TV, that she was still 'out there', acting away to her heart's content.
Funny how we become so familiar with some thespians through seeing their movies and shows constantly repeated on telly, that, even though (unknown to us) they may be long dead, we consider them still contemporary with our own lives, and feel like we're welcoming an old friend into our living-room whenever they pop up in some old film or other on that box in the corner (or flat screen on the wall).
Some actors make us smile on sight of them, so deeply are they ingrained in the memories of our youth, and we once again enjoy their company for however long their performance lasts in some old movie or repeated TV show. There's a sad side to that though, when the realisation eventually dawns on us that they took their last bow and exited stage left, and that the final curtain came down for them many years ago.
Alas, poor Imogen. I'll look for you on TV.
