María Silva(1941-2023)

Exotic Spanish leading lady, latterly seen in episodic television, but best known internationally for her many roles in peplum, horror and spaghetti westerns. She began her screen career under the stage moniker Mara Silva in a 1959 Portuguese romantic comedy. One of her initial leading roles was in the Jesús Franco cult horror The Awful Dr. Orlof (1962), in which she was billed for international consumption as 'Mary Silvers'. Maria's strapping physique subsequently helped her obtain robust leads and second leads in sword and sandal epics (The Last Days of Pompeii (1959)), spy thrillers (O.K. Yevtushenko (1967)) and European westerns (Zorro the Avenger (1962), Shoot to Kill (1965), Cavalry Charge (1965), and many others), often opposite fading American stars like Steve Reeves, Frank Latimore or Edmund Purdom. One of her most prominent roles was as the feminine interest in the comedy western Sartana Kills Them All (1970), in which her character proves to be the smartest member of a down-at-heel gang of outlaws. Silva also frequently attended the horror genre, often in icy or predatory roles, possibly seen to best advantage in the zombie flic Tombs of the Blind Dead (1972), in The Mummy's Revenge (1975) and (as the infamous Countess Elizabeth Báthory) in Curse of the Devil (1973).

During the early 70s, Maria ventured onto the stage, acting in plays by, among others, Jean Anouilh and Noël Coward. Concentrating on television, she made her final appearance in 1992. Maria Silva was married to the Spanish writer and director José Grañena.