Ursula Andress

Ursula Andress as Honey Ryder, Dr. No, 1962

Rising from the sea in a white bikini, Honey was a Playboy centerfold in smooth motion. This first film in the series set the Bond-girl standard, as spectacularly embodied by Andress, the coolly carnal Swiss miss

Whether Ursula Andress made it to the Hollywood mainstream or not is a non-issue because many people who lived in the 60s era recognize her as one of the more memorable personalities of that time. The Swiss-born starlet, who was a 1936 baby, had a very colorful life. Andress tried to elope with her French boyfriend at 17, an occurrence that was highly opposed by her parents and eventually, took her to the movies. She chanced upon Marlon Brando once and soon was launched as a full-blown actress. On top of making movies, Andress also starred in some of the juicier gossips that linked her to fellow actors like James Dean. Apparently, she was with Dean when he purchased the car that ended his life. Oh yeah, this European actress is the original Bond girl. She played Honeychile Ryder in Dr. No, the father of all of James Bond's adventures

My Andress collection is simply not big enough in order to be able to create anything remotely looking like a complete overview over everything that’s been written about her. Besides: In her heyday she was the gossip columns’ favourite star, so if you come across society, TV or women’s magazines of the 1960s and 70s, chances are great that you’re bound to find *something* on Andress in a good number of them. Never mind the myriad magazines, books and articles dedicated to James Bond and her appearance in Dr. No.

So let’s cut to the chase. Here’s a list of the really important stuff, her most notable appearances in Playboy magazine:

Playboy 06/65: This edition was used to promote the release of Hammer’s SHE. It’s a 12 page spread of nude photos taken by her then husband John Derek. According to the blurb on the cover these are the first published nude pictures of Andress ever. 

Playboy 08/65: 7 Andress pictures to promote What’s New, Pussycat? Woody Allen topless. Seriously!

Playboy 07/66: 8 pages, some of them also showing Jean-Paul Belmondo

Playboy 11/73: 8 pages again taken by John Derek

Playboy 04/76: The pictorial inside is titled “Incomparably Ursula”. On the cover it says: “Andress Undressed – The triumphant return of Ursula”. Was that the origin of the Ursula Undress joke or does that date earlier?