Lena Rivera
In the 1964 James Bond film Goldfinger, Shirley Eaton played Jill Masterson, Goldfinger's secretary and Bond girl. Eaton's character is famously killed by being painted with gold, which, according to Bond, causes her to die of skin suffocation. Eaton's gold-painted body was featured on the cover of Life magazine, and she gained recognition for her performance. However, rumours circulated that she had died during filming due to the gold paint, which were debunked in a 2003 episode of MythBusters. Another actress, Margaret Nolan, who played the gold-painted model in the title sequence of the film, also faced similar rumours about her death, which were also untrue.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of actress painted gold in the film Goldfinger | Shirley Eaton |
| Role in the film | Jill Masterson, a Bond girl and Goldfinger's aide-de-camp |
| Year of the film's release | 1964 |
| Eaton's date of birth | 12 January 1937 |
| Other films Eaton was part of | Three Men in a Boat (1956), Date with Disaster (1957), The Belles of St Trinian's (1954), two of the "Doctor" film series, three early Carry On films, Life Is a Circus (1958), The Naked Truth (1957), The Girl Hunters (1963), The Million Eyes of Sumuru (1967), The Girl from Rio (1969) |
| Retirement year | 1969 |
| Autobiography | Golden Girl |
| Myth related to the gold-painted scene | Eaton died during filming after being painted gold |
| Other actresses in the film Goldfinger | Margaret Nolan |
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What You'll Learn
- Shirley Eaton played Jill Masterson, Goldfinger's secretary
- Eaton retired from acting in 1969 to focus on her family
- Eaton's gold-painted body was featured on the cover of Life magazine
- Eaton's character is killed by being painted gold, causing skin suffocation
- Eaton's death in the film sparked an urban myth that she died during filming
Shirley Eaton played Jill Masterson, Goldfinger's secretary
Eaton achieved the most recognition for her performance as Jill Masterson, a Bond girl and Goldfinger's aide-de-camp. She is famously killed in the film by being painted with gold, which, according to Bond, causes her to die of "skin suffocation". This scene, though entirely fictional, led to an urban myth that Eaton had died during filming. In reality, Eaton made a few more films before retiring from acting in 1969 to devote herself to her family.
Eaton's character, Jill Masterson, is Goldfinger's employee, who helps him cheat at a high-stakes gin rummy game. However, she later turns the tables on her boss and betrays him, only to be killed by him. The iconic image of Eaton painted gold appeared on the cover of Life magazine in 1964, and the film was the first Bond film to win an Academy Award, grossing over $120 million worldwide.
Throughout her career, Eaton appeared in several British films and worked with many top British comedy stars, including Jimmy Edwards, Bob Monkhouse, and Arthur Askey. Her early roles include Three Men in a Boat (1956) and Date with Disaster (1957). She also appeared in three early Carry On films and worked with the Crazy Gang in Life Is a Circus (1958).
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Eaton retired from acting in 1969 to focus on her family
The actress who was painted gold in the 1964 film Goldfinger was Shirley Eaton. Eaton played Jill Masterson, a Bond girl and Goldfinger's aide-de-camp, who was killed by being painted gold, according to Bond, from "skin suffocation". Eaton achieved the most recognition for her performance in this film and appeared on the cover of Life magazine in her gold-painted persona.
Eaton was married to Colin Lenton Rowe from 1957 until his death in 1994. The couple had two sons, Grant and Jason. In 1969, she retired from acting to focus on her family. She later commented in a 1999 interview: "A career is a career, but you're a mother until you die". She repeated this statement in an interview in 2008, adding: "The most important thing for me was being a woman and having a family more than being a very famous glamorous actress".
Eaton published an autobiography in 1999 titled Golden Girl, which was a bestseller. She has released three more books, including Golden Girl Shirley Eaton: Her Reflections, a picture book of her film photos, and Shirley Eaton, Bond's Golden Girl; Her Own Art Gallery, which features her paintings and sculptures.
In addition to her role in Goldfinger, Eaton appeared regularly in British films throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Her early roles include Three Men in a Boat (1956) and Date with Disaster (1957), in which she co-starred with Tom Drake. She also appeared in The Belles of St Trinian's (1954), two of the "Doctor" film series, and three early Carry On films. She worked with many top British comedy stars of the period, including Jimmy Edwards, Max Bygraves, Bob Monkhouse, Arthur Askey, Thora Hird, and Dora Bryan.
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Eaton's gold-painted body was featured on the cover of Life magazine
The actress Shirley Eaton portrayed Jill Masterson, a Bond girl and Goldfinger's aide-de-camp, in the 1964 James Bond film Goldfinger. Eaton gained widespread recognition for her performance, particularly for the scene in which her character is covered head to toe in gold paint, leading to her death from "skin suffocation". This iconic scene sparked an urban myth that Eaton herself had died during filming, which she later debunked in a 2003 episode of MythBusters.
The decision to feature Eaton's gold-painted body on the cover of Life magazine was a significant one. It not only capitalised on the film's visual motifs and the impact of the "gold corpse" scene but also tapped into the public's fascination with the urban myth surrounding Eaton's alleged death. The cover, released on November 6, 1964, became a sought-after collector's item, with Eaton's golden persona captivating audiences and solidifying her bombshell status.
The process of painting Eaton's body gold was a meticulous one. It took an hour and a half to apply the paint, ensuring a consistent and striking golden hue. Additionally, the scene and the Life cover challenged societal norms of the time. While Eaton wore a G-string and had a six-inch square of skin left unpainted on her abdomen to allow her skin to "breathe," these precautions bowed to the beliefs of the era.
The image of Eaton's gold-painted body on the Life cover not only captivated audiences but also sparked conversations about art, glamour, and the impact of visual media. The cover, along with the film scene, challenged societal beliefs about beauty, sensuality, and the limits of artistic expression. Eaton's portrayal of Masterson, though a small part, left an indelible mark on popular culture, with her golden persona becoming synonymous with the film and its enduring appeal.
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Eaton's character is killed by being painted gold, causing skin suffocation
In the 1964 James Bond film *Goldfinger*, Shirley Eaton portrayed Jill Masterson, the titular villain's secretary and aide-de-camp. Eaton's character is killed by being painted gold, supposedly causing skin suffocation.
Masterson, Goldfinger's henchwoman, betrays her boss by helping Bond catch him cheating at a card game. In response, Goldfinger has Masterson killed by painting her entire body gold. When Bond finds her, he explains that covering a person with paint will cause death because the body "breathes" through the skin.
Masterson's death by "skin suffocation" is entirely fictional. However, the iconic scene caused many people to accept it as a medical fact, leading to an urban legend that an actress died during filming. Eaton appeared on the cover of *Life* magazine in her gold-painted persona, further contributing to the misconception.
In reality, Eaton did not die or even become ill as a result of her experience. In fact, she had a few doctors standing by to ensure her safety during the filming of the scene. Additionally, a six-inch square of skin on her abdomen was left unpainted to allow her skin to "breathe," adhering to the beliefs of the time.
The image of Eaton's gold-painted body became one of the most memorable visuals in film history. The actress herself gained widespread recognition for her performance, achieving bombshell status. She retired from acting in 1969 to devote herself to her family.
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Eaton's death in the film sparked an urban myth that she died during filming
The 1964 James Bond film Goldfinger features a memorable scene in which Bond discovers the body of Auric Goldfinger's secretary, Jill Masterson, painted entirely in gold. As Bond explains, the cause of death was "skin suffocation". This fictional cause of death, along with the iconic image of the gold-painted corpse, sparked an urban myth that the actress who played Masterson, Shirley Eaton, had died during filming.
In the film, Eaton's character is killed by the titular villain, Goldfinger, for betraying him. The method of execution is painting her body gold, which Bond explains will cause death by "skin suffocation". Although it was widely believed at the time that skin suffocation was a real medical phenomenon, it is entirely fictional. Despite this, the scene was so impactful that many people accepted it as fact, and the rumour that Eaton had died during filming began to circulate. This urban legend was further fuelled by Eaton's relative absence from the public eye after retiring from acting in 1969 to focus on raising her family.
In reality, Eaton did not die or even become ill as a result of her experience filming the "gold corpse" scene. In fact, she had a team of doctors on standby to ensure her safety and took precautions such as leaving a small patch of skin unpainted to allow her skin to "breathe". Eaton went on to appear in several more films, including Rhino! (1964), Around the World Under the Sea (1966), and The Million Eyes of Sumuru (1967), before retiring from acting to devote herself to her family.
The myth surrounding Eaton's death was debunked on the TV show MythBusters, on which Eaton appeared as a guest in 2003. Despite this, the urban legend remains a testament to the enduring impact of the gold-painted corpse scene in Goldfinger, which has left an indelible mark on popular culture.
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Frequently asked questions
The actress painted gold in the film Goldfinger was Shirley Eaton.
Eaton played Jill Masterson, a Bond girl and Goldfinger's aide-de-camp.
In the film, her character is killed by being painted with gold, which Bond says causes her to die of "skin suffocation".
No, Eaton did not die or even become ill as a result of the gold paint. She made a few more films before retiring from acting to spend more time with her family.
No, but there was a rumour that the actress who was painted gold had died.
