There is no denying the obvious visual talents of the beautiful Pamela Green, one of the most popular of all the Harrison Marks models, but she was also a very talented artist.
Her actual modelling career started in 1948 through a booking mistake as a figure model for the life class at St. Martin's School of Art in London where she was a student on a three year course Fashion Drawing. At the time she only posed for the Costume and Fashion classes for which she was paid the princely sum of 4/6 (23p!) an hour.She recalls - The day of my initiation into nude work happened by accident. I was called at short notice to fill in for a class where the model had failed to show up. The master was waiting impatiently. "Hurry up and get undressed, we're late". This was a life class. A quick look around the room showed me that the students were unknown to me as was the master. I thought "Well, there has got to be a first time". I undressed behind the screen, and slipping on my coat walked to the rostrum. The master took my coat, helped me up and asked me to strike a pose. I stood facing the class, legs slightly apart with my weight on one hip. I have never felt quite so naked standing in front of about 20 students. After about 15 minutes I began to relax a little, everyone was concentrating on their drawing and by the end of the class it seemed the most natural thing to do. I collected my money from the office and discovered that I was paid more; five shillings instead of 4/6. I decided to begin modelling for the life classes and joined a small band of very young models who were all posing for the necessities in life, like their next meal. I was the eldest of the group at seventeen.*1
Pamela Green first met George Harrison Marks in the summer of 1953. George was a theatrical photographer and they met in connection with Pamela’s role in Bernard Delfont’s Folies Bergere which was running at the Prince of Wales Theatre at the time.
It was Pamela who persuaded George to try his hand at nude photography. Between them, they created the famous glamour model, Rita Landre, who no-one guessed was actually Pamela in disguise. It was clear that George and Pamela were an excellent professional team. G Harrison Marks Limited was formed, George’s photographic expertise perfectly complemented by Pamela’s skilled costume and set design – a skill informed by her studies as a fine artist, at St Martin’s School of Art.*2
Real Name: Phyllis Pamela Green
Modelling Aliases: Rita Landre, Princess Sonmar Harricks
Date of Birth: March 28, 1929 Died: May 7, 2010 (aged 81)
Modelling Aliases: Rita Landre, Princess Sonmar Harricks
Date of Birth: March 28, 1929 Died: May 7, 2010 (aged 81)
Measurements: 39-23-36
Hair Colour (Natural): Blonde
Hair Colour (Dyed): None, but wore redhead and dark wigs for her aliases.
Significant Dates from 1929 until 1963
Hair Colour (Natural): Blonde
Hair Colour (Dyed): None, but wore redhead and dark wigs for her aliases.
Significant Dates from 1929 until 1963
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Magazines:
Album Eldorado
Bandit
Bounce
British Figure
Carnival Annual, 1956
Champagne Vol.1 No.3 (1967)
Études Moderne
Eve Vol.1 No.4 (Cover as Rita Landre)
Feline Vol.1 No.4 (Cover as Princess Sonmar H'Arriks)
Femme No.2, 4 & 8 (As Herself) No.3 (As Rita Landre)
Femme Fatales Vol.5 No.1
Fiesta, October 1956, May 1957
Fiesta Special Collectors Edition: Top Glamour Models of the 50's
Film & TV Parade No.14 (Cover)
Fotag No.6 (Cover)
Foto No.1 (Cover), 13 & 23 (Cover)
Grace & Beauty No.2
Gypsy Vol.1 No.1 (Cover as Sonmar Harricks)
Harrison Marks Kamera Glamour Guide 1
Health & Efficiency Oct 1953 & Feb 1955 (Covers)
Helen. (Harrison Marks reprints)
In Focus No.3 & 11 (Covers)
Just Pamela Green (Nostalgia Publications. Harrison Marks reprints)
Kamera No.5, 8, 9, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 26, 27, 30, 31, 35, 38, 40, 41, 44, 45, 47, 50, 51, 58, 64 & 74
Kamera Backstage
Kamera Classics 4. (Nostalgia Publications. Harrison Marks reprints)
Kamera Classics 1. (Nostalgia Publications. Harrison Marks reprints)
Kamera Special No 2
Lilliput Sept 1952 & Dec 1952
Men Only Magazine, Vol.39 No.5 (Interview May 1974)
Milkcow No.4 (2009) - Interview
Model Studier No 72. (Harrison Marks reprints)
Night & Day, Dec 1959 (Rita Landre Cover)
Nude Studies for the Student (Cover)
On Location Classics 2. (Nostalgia Publications. Harrison Marks reprints)
Pagan 12. (Harrison Marks reprints)
Pamela Green in 3D
Photo Studio 1
Pose & Poise (Cover)
Practical Photography, August 1961 (Cover & Article About HM)
Sarah. (Harrison Marks reprints)
She
Show No.10 and No.15 (Covers)
Solo No.13 (As Rita Landre) & Solo No.20
Sun Bathing Review Spring & Summer Editions 1955 (Covers)
Water Babies (Cover as Princess Sonmar H'Arriks)
Filmography:
Peeping Tom (1960)
Witches Brew (1960)
The Window Dresser (1961)
Naked as Nature Intended (1961)
The Day the Earth Caught Fire (1961)
The Chimney Sweeps (1963)
The Naked World of Harrison Marks (1966)
Legend of the Werewolf (1975) (uncredited)
Art for Art's Sake (1960)
Gypsy Fire (1961)
Xcitement (1960)
Other Publications:
Harrison Marks Slides
Pamela A Portrait in 58 Studies (1955) - Hardback book by Harrison Marks
Kamera on Location (1958)
She Walks in Beauty (1966) - Hardback book of Harrison Marks Studies
Kamera Calendars 1959, 1960, 61, 62, 63, and 1964
*1 (Source: 60'sGlam Database)
*2 (Source: Pamela Green Official Website)
Why are there no recent pictures of "The Divine Pamela' appearing on your website ???
ReplyDeleteWhat do you mean why are there no recent pictures of Pam? I've published loads of her through-out her career and a few of her later in her life. She passed away in 2010 at the age 81, but there weren't many of her later in her life.
DeleteMy apologies Wonder68.I am afraid that I meant to say that other than the picture from the 1960 calendar,there haven't been any pictures of "The Divine Pamela" for a few days.Sorry once again for any misunderstanding
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