This 16th "James Bond girl" followed in the spike-heeled footsteps of female actors as diverse as Ursula Andress, Jill St John, Jane Seymour and Joanna Lumley (as well as more than a few whose names are long-forgotten). A geologist's daughter, the New York-born Lowell grew up in Libya, Holland, Virginia and Texas. By the time she was a fine-featured high school graduate, she had been signed by the Ford modeling agency and was posing for Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein while attending college.

After some experience at New York's Neighborhood Playhouse, Lowell opted out of modeling. She played