Monica "Nikki" van der Zyl (27 April 1935 – 6 March 2021) was a German actress based in the United Kingdom, known for her dubbing work on the James Bond film franchise.

Nikki van der Zyl
Van der Zyl in 2013
Born
Monica van der Zyl

(1935-04-27)27 April 1935
Died6 March 2021(2021-03-06) (aged 85)
London, England
OccupationActress
Years active1956–1980

Early life

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Nikki van der Zyl was born on 27 April 1935 in Berlin, the daughter of Anneliese and Rabbi Dr. Werner van der Zyl.[1]

Career

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As a voice-over artist, she provided the voice of the character of Honey Ryder (Ursula Andress) as well as several other minor female characters, in Dr. No.[2] Van der Zyl also provided dialogue coaching to Gert Fröbe, whose English was limited, for the movie Goldfinger and continued to work as a voice-over artist for the series until Moonraker. She worked as an artist, poet and public speaker.

In January 2013, van der Zyl published her book, For Your Ears Only, which was translated into German for a 2015 release in Germany. In November 2013, an exhibition called "Night Flight to Berlin"[3] opened in the Museum Pankow in Berlin and ran until April 2014. The exhibition highlighted stages in van der Zyl's life from her childhood days to the Bond films and her work as a barrister and political correspondent in London.[citation needed]

On 20 September 2014, she was a special guest star at a 50th anniversary screening of Goldfinger in Braunschweig, Germany where she was awarded honorary membership of the James Bond Club Deutschland e.V. for her contribution to the James Bond film series.[4]

Death

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Van der Zyl died following a stroke in London, on 6 March 2021, at the age of 85.[5]

Filmography

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James Bond films

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Other films

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References

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  1. ^ Raposo, Maria. "For your ears only". Magazine. Kids of Dada. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
  2. ^ Roberts, Andrew (11 October 2015). "Nikki van der Zyl: The Bond girl you've never seen who voiced some of the films' best known heroines". The Independent. Archived from the original on 21 June 2022. Retrieved 2 December 2017.
  3. ^ "Night Flight to Berlin" Exhibition Opening with Nikki van der Zyl; The Bond Bulletin". thebondbulletin.blogspot.de. Archived from the original on 25 April 2015. Retrieved 12 November 2013.
  4. ^ "GOLDFINGER Screening in Braunschweig – A glamorous Anniversary Event; The Bond Bulletin". thebondbulletin.blogspot.de. Archived from the original on 25 April 2015. Retrieved 21 September 2014.
  5. ^ Field, Matthew (7 March 2021). "Nikki van der Zyl (1935–2021)". Retrieved 22 September 2021.
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