Death of Tania Mallet: James Bond's bosses pay homage to the Goldfinger star

Bond girl Tania Mallet died at the age of 77.

The British actress was best known for her role as Tilly Masterson alongside Sean Connery in 1964 007, the clbadic Goldfinger.

The sad news was confirmed by the bosses of James Bond, who issued a statement via Twitter: "We are sorry to hear that Tania Mallet, who played Tilly Masterson in GOLDFINGER, has died.

"Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this sad moment."

Some fan sites, including Bondstars.com, have also published tributes: "Unfortunately, we have to share the sad news that our dear friend Tania Mallet has pbaded away.

"She was a very clbady and beautiful woman both inside and out."

Mallet, cousin of fellow actress Dame Helen Mirren, began her career as a teenage model and became one of the most famous faces of the years 1950-1960.

During her modeling career, a photo of her in bikini was sent to Cubby Broccoli, James Bond producer, who led her to give a try for the role of Tatiana Romanova in From Russia with love in 1957.

She missed the role that was attributed to the Italian beauty Daniela Bianchi.

However, several years later, she had another blow against Bond, when she played Tilly Masterson on the third release of 007, Goldfinger.

Tilly did not reach the end of the movie, she was killed by the henchman Oddjob.

Goldfinger was a resounding success, propelling Mallet to international stardom, but she decided not to be in the limelight and never make another film.

She then insisted that she hated her lack of freedom when she was making a contract film, and acknowledged that the money was "terrible".

Mallet would have started with £ 50 a day on the film, but would have managed to trade up to £ 150 – about as much as his pay as a model.

In her 2007 memoir, her cousin Mirrren wrote about Mallet, revealing that the model had spent all she had earned from her showbiz career for her family.

She was devoted to helping her mother and even paid for the education of her brothers.

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