Biography

young_valValerie Leon made her West End debut in FUNNY GIRL with Barbra Streisand at London’s Prince of Wales Theatre.

This was followed by many TV appearances which include THE SAINT and THE PERSUADERS both with Roger Moore, THE BARON, RANDALL AND HOPKIRK DECEASED, THE AVENGERS, UP POMPEII, NOBODY IS NORMAN WISDOM, THE GOODIES, ROY’S RAIDERS and THE MORECAMBE AND WISE SHOW.

After various pantomimes and summer seasons she appeared in six of the now   classic comedy CARRY ON FILMS, notably as ‘Leda’ the leader of an all women tribe desperately seeking men in CARRY ON UP THE JUNGLE and as a frumpy secretary who turns into a glamour girl in CARRY ON GIRLS. Other film roles include THE MAN WHO HAD POWER OVER WOMEN, ALL THE WAY UP with Warren Mitchell, THE RISE AND RISE OF MICHAEL RIMMER with the late Peter Cook, THE ITALIAN JOB with Michael Caine, NO SEX PLEASE, WE’RE BRITISH with Ronnie Corbett, QUEEN KONG and a dual starring role in a Hammer Horror entitled BLOOD FROM THE MUMMY’S TOMB – this has now become a cult movie. She also appeared with Peter Sellers as ‘Tanya The Lotus Eater’ in THE REVENGE OF THE PINK PANTHER and with Roger Moore in THE WILD GEESE.

Valerie has appeared in two Bond movies THE SPY WHO LOVED ME with Roger Moore and as ‘The Lady In The Bahamas’ in NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN with Sean Connery.

In the Theatre she has appeared in SHE’S DONE IT AGAIN with Brian Rix, PLAY IT AGAIN SAM, DON’T TELL THE WIFE with the late great Les Dawson, DARLING MR. LONDON with David Jason, Agatha Christie’s BLACK COFFEE,
ON THE TWENTIETH CENTURY at Her Majesty’s Theatre and DRACULA at the Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith.

Valerie has also made several TV commercials but is best remembered for the famous Hai Karate After Shave commercial which ran every Christmas for about seven years. Her most recent commercial was filmed in South Africa for Right Guard.

Other work includes a singing role as The Madam called ‘Mother Goose’ in Stravinsky’s opera THE RAKE’S PROGRESS at Spittlefield’s Market Opera, a film called GAS based on a unpublishd short story by Hitchcock , an episode of LAST OF THE SUMMER WINE and a short film called A NEUTRAL CORNER, winner of the Special Kodak Short Film Award. In addition she has taken part in many chat shows and made personal appearances throughout Europe.

In 2009 she put together an illustrated talk about her life and career which she premiered in Almeria, Spain, and continues to perform it not only in Spain but in the UK and also on cruise ships.