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Kate O’Mara these days is primarily known as a popular actress in TV series and soap operas (Dynasty, Bad Girls). Her initial career, however, brought her quickly to the attention of Hammer Fans. Her first cinematic appearance was in Peter
Cushing’s most extreme horror movie, Corruption. She subsequently also appeared in Hammer’s The Vampire Lovers in which she plays the Governess in the household that Ingrid Pitt as Carmilla is visiting in search of new female victims, and The Horror of Frankenstein, Hammer’s failed attempt to revive the Frankenstein saga with Ralph Bates in the leading role.Her highly developed cheek bones gave O’Mara a very unique cat like beauty that helped her find employment in guest roles in a whole range of popular British TV series: She appeared three times in Roger Moore’s The Saint and can also be found in The Champions, Department S and Jason King.
Fans of genre TV series will remember her most of all as the Rani from a couple of episodes of BBC’s Doctor Who. She reprised that role at a later stage for an audio CD adaption, The Rani Reaps the Whirlwind.
Despite having the image of a high flying socialite with a string of younger lovers and husbands, Kate O’Mara’s early life was far from glamorous. She is a rape victim and had to give up a child for adoption.
Her main love is the theatre. She starred in many plays and also founded British Actors Theatre company in 1987. O’Mara is also an accomplished writer who has four books to her name.