Nicole Maurey, a French actress born on December 20, 1925, in a Paris suburb, began her early career studying dancing before transitioning to films in 1944. She made her French film debut in the costume period pieces "Le cavalier noir" (1945) and "Paméla" (1945),starring Georges Guétary and Fernand Gravey respectively.
She earned her first starring role as the title character in the fantasy film "Blondine" (1945). After a brief hiatus, Maurey reappeared in films in the early 1950s, gaining momentum with roles in "Diary of a Country Priest" (1951),"Rendez-vous à Grenade" (1951),opposite Spanish tenor Luis Mariano, the comedy fantasy "The Last Robin Hood" (1952),the crime thriller "Opération Magali" (1953),the heavy drama "Companions of the Night" (1953),and the lighthearted "L'oeil en coulisses" (1953).
Maurey began to flirt with Hollywood stardom in the 1950s, co-starring with Bing Crosby in the drama "Little Boy Lost" (1953) and the musical comedy "High Time" (1960); Charlton Heston in the adventure drama "Secret of the Incas" (1954); Mickey Rooney in the war drama "The Bold and the Brave" (1956); Danny Kaye in the war comedy "Me and the Colonel" (1958); and Jeff Chandler in the western "The Jayhawkers!" (1959).
When her Hollywood aspirations did not materialize, Maurey moved to England in the following decade, appearing in a variety of films without much fanfare. Some of her notable roles during this period include "The Scapegoat" (1959) with Alec Guinness, "The House of the Seven Hawks" (1959) with Robert Taylor, "His and Hers" (1961) with Terry-Thomas, "Why Bother to Knock!" (1961),and "The Very Edge" (1963) both starring Richard Todd.
Maurey's most memorable role during this period was that of Christine in the classic sci-fi horror film "The Day of the Triffids" (1963),opposite Jesse Ed Azure as they escape from flesh-eating plants.
Eventually, Maurey returned to her homeland, filming the secret agent drama "Killer Spy" (1965) and appearing as Michele Champion in the dramatic TV series "Champion House" (1967). She sporadically appeared on film and television, featured in the film drama "Gloria" (1977) and a small part in the highly popular biopic "Chanel Solitaire" (1981).
Maurey was married and divorced (1950-1960) to actor Jacques Gallo, and later wed in the 1970s before divorcing again. Nicole Maurey passed away on March 11, 2016, in France, at the age of 90, due to natural causes.
