Cassandra Harris

Cassandra Harris. Born Sandra Colleen Waites, she was an Australian actress best known for her work in film and television during the 1970s and 1980s. Her career included roles in international productions such as the James Bond film For Your Eyes Only and the miniseries The Last Days of Pompeii. Harris was also notable as the first wife of actor Pierce Brosnan, with whom she had a significant personal and professional partnership until her untimely death.

Early life and education

Born in Sydney, she was the daughter of an Australian Army officer and spent part of her childhood in Papua New Guinea. She attended the prestigious SCEGGS Darlinghurst school in Sydney before pursuing her interest in the performing arts. Harris later studied at the Independent Theatre in North Sydney, training under renowned Australian theatre director Doris Fitton. Her early stage work in Australia included performances with the Old Tote Theatre Company at the University of New South Wales.

Career

Harris began her professional acting career in Australian television, appearing in series such as Matlock Police and The Box. Her breakthrough role came in the 1975 ITC Entertainment adventure series The Adventurer, which was filmed in the United Kingdom. This led to further work in British television, including guest spots on popular programs like The Professionals. Her film career included roles in the horror film The Irishman, the heist film The Fifth Floor, and the swashbuckler The Island. She is perhaps most widely recognized for her role as Countess Lisl von Schlaf in the Eon Productions James Bond film For Your Eyes Only, starring Roger Moore.

Personal life

In 1970, she married Irish actor and film producer Dermot Harris, brother of actor Richard Harris; they had one son and divorced in 1978. While filming the miniseries The Manions of America in 1979, she met actor Pierce Brosnan; they married in 1980 at the Tara's Palace cultural center in County Wicklow, Ireland. The couple had two children together and were seen as a prominent couple in the Hollywood social scene, frequently attending events for organizations like the American Film Institute. Harris was instrumental in supporting Brosnan's early career, including his casting as Remington Steele on the NBC series of the same name.

Death and legacy

Harris was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 1987. She underwent treatment at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles but died from the disease on 28 December 1991, at her home in the Hollywood Hills. Her death occurred just months before Pierce Brosnan was formally announced as the new James Bond for GoldenEye. Her passing profoundly affected Brosnan, who later became a prominent advocate for cancer research, supporting charities like the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund. Harris is remembered for her elegance and talent in a variety of international film and television roles during a vibrant period for Australian actors abroad.

Filmography

A selection of her screen credits includes the television movie The Outsider, the miniseries The Last Days of Pompeii alongside Sir Laurence Olivier, and the Australian film The Return of Captain Invincible. Her final film role was in the comedy film Ferdydurke, a Polish-Australian co-production released posthumously.

Category:Australian film actresses Category:Australian television actresses Category:1948 births Category:1991 deaths