Valerie Van Ost: Movies & Filmography

Valerie Van Ost (25 July 1944 – 10 September 2019) was an English actress whose career spanned both film and television during the 1960s and 1970s. Born in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, England, she discovered her passion for performing at a young age, becoming the youngest adult dancer at the London Palladium while still attending school. This early exposure to professional theatre laid the foundation for her transition into acting, and by the age of 18, she had moved into films and television, quickly establishing herself as a recognizable presence on British screens. Van Ost became particularly well-known for her appearances in four beloved Carry On films: Carry On Cabby (1963), Carry On Don't Lose Your Head (1967), Carry On Doctor (also 1967), and Carry On Again Doctor (1969). Beyond the Carry On franchise, she built an impressive filmography with roles in The Beauty Jungle (1964), Mister Ten Per Cent (1967), the James Bond parody Casino Royale (1967), Corruption (1968), The Smashing Bird I Used to Know (1969), Incense for the Damned (1971), and the iconic Hammer horror production The Satanic Rites of Dracula (1973), in which she appeared alongside the legendary Christopher Lee. On television, she portrayed the dim-witted character Penny in The Avengers episode Dead Man's Treasure (1967) and was notably considered as a potential replacement for Diana Rigg as Steed's sidekick. She also appeared in the special The Case of the Missing Corpse (1966), filmed in colour to advertise the show's transition from black and white, as well as in Mrs Thursday (1966) as Sandra Willing. In 1982, Van Ost retired from performing to co-found a casting company with her husband, Andrew Millington. She passed away on 10 September 2019 from liver cancer at the age of 75, leaving behind a lasting legacy in British cinema.