A History Of Liverpool Thespians - Dolores Mantez

 

Dolores Brenda Harding (née Mantey), known professionally as Dolores Mantez, was born on the 17th of October, 1936 in Liverpool to a Ghanaian father from Mozambique and an Irish mother. She created a more exotic sounding name for herself by the simple expedient of changing the last letter of her birth surname of Mantey by one letter and initially followed a career as a seamstress in a dress shop. Starting to sing semi-professionally, this occupation became a full-time job when she joined a group that appeared in cabaret. However, while she was visiting her agent, she happened to meet an actor's agent who believed that her exotic physical appearance was exactly what was needed for a role as a student mulatto girl in Basil Dearden’s groundbreaking 1959 drama 'Sapphire' set among London’s growing Afro-Caribbean community. At the time she had no acting experience, but as black actors with screen experience were relatively few in number on the British film and television scene at the time, more offers soon arrived. These included such high-profile projects as the 1960s film 'The Angry Silence' starring Richard Attenborough, in which she played a small role as a nurse, a small part in TV series 'Shadow Squad', and 'The Avengers' episode 'The Yellow Needle' opposite Ian Henry and Patrick Macnee (1961). Her career was boosted when she acted alongside Patrick McGoohan several times firstly in the film 'Life For Ruth' (1962) and later in episodes of 'Danger Man', 'Loyalty Always Pays' and 'The Man On The Beach'.

in 'Angry Silence'

 

Dolores also maintained a stage career including a part in the fascinating theatrical oddity 'The Perils Of Scobie Prilt' which ran very briefly in June 1963. This was a James Bond-inspired science fiction space musical with music by Monty Norman and which starred Michael Sarne, Nyree Dawn Porter and Nigel Davenport. The sets were so large and complex that the play’s opening night had to be put back by a day and when the show did open Nyree Dawn Porter was hospitalised with a back injury after only a single performance. After four nights the producers admitted defeat and closed the show down. Happily, this was not her only appearance on the West End stage, and Dolores could be seen the following year in both the London and touring production of 'Every Other Evening', starring Margaret Lockwood. She appeared as artist Rita Bell in an episode of the ABC series 'The Human Jungle' (1964) and in television series such as 'Z Cars' (1967), in which she also sang. 'Rainbow City' was a groundbreaking BBC drama series from 1967 about the experience of the West Indian community living in and around Birmingham, in which she played a teacher and featured Errol John in the lead role, then in 1969 she had a guest part in the pilot episode of the ITC series 'Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)'.

as Nina Barry in UFO

She toured Europe, once appearing in 'Porgy And Bess' in East Berlin but may be best known for her portrayal of Lieutenant Nina Barry (frequently sporting a purple wig as did all female staff on Moonbase), in the science-fiction TV series 'UFO' broadcast in 1970 and 1971, staying with the series virtually until the end, with her character eventually being promoted to controller of SHADO’s Moonbase. She was especially notable in the episode 'Sub-Smash', which allowed her to give her most sustained dramatic screen performance and hinted at a past between Nina Barry and Ed Straker. In 1972 she returned to the musical stage on London’s West End in the Mercury Theatre’s production 'Cowardy Custard', a stage review of songs by Noel Coward. Her final acting role was as Indigo Jones, a mixed-race lady of means, in the episode of the BBC series 'The Onedin Line', 'Fetch and Carry' (1972).

In the mid-1970s she met businessman Robert Harding in a pub during a power cut and they were married soon afterwards in 1976. After their son Robert Jr. ('Robbie') was born, Dolores gave up acting, making South Croydon her home for nearly 40 years. Overcoming her natural shyness, Dolores became a popular guest at conventions, including Fanderson’s The Secret Service Convention (her first appearance at a fan event) plus Space City, UFORIA, Fanderson 91 and Danger Zone events, and UFO conventions in Italy.
Dolores died of cancer aged 76 following a short illness, on the 30th of November, 2012 in Sydenham, London and is survived by her son Rob. 

see also :- http://www.thefootballvoice.com/2023/09/a-history-of-liverpool-thespians-tom.html