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British actress Kate O’Mara, who was known to many Americans during the 1980s as Joan Collins’ sister Cassandra Morell on ABC‘s Dynasty, died in Sussex, England this morning. She was 74. A TV vet since the 1960s with credits that included such cult British shows as The Saint and The Avengers, O’Mara was coveted for her portrayal of alluring, pungent personalities, such as The Rani in Doctor Who from 1985-86 and the ruthless businesswoman Laura Wilde in the BBC drama Howards’ Way. Born in Leicester, UK, O’Mara was the daughter of actress Hazel Bainbridge (The Family Way) and John Carroll. Originally, O’Mara pursued a career as a speech therapist, but she caught the acting bug and made her stage debut at 24 in a production of The Merchant of Venice. After breaking in TV, O’Mara caught the attention of Hammer Studios which cast her in the...

Born in Leicester on August 10, 1939, Frances M Carroll would go on to become a screen idol under her chosen stage name of Kate O'Mara.

The daughter of actress Hazel Bainbridge and Raf flying instructor John F Carroll, O'Mara followed a stint at boarding school with enrolment at art school, before achieving her goal of becoming a full-time actress.

Making her stage debut in a production of Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice in 1963, O'Mara soon moved into the popular world of television. Throughout the '60s, she appeared in such iconic series as Danger Man, The Champions, The Saint, The Avengers and Z-Cars.

Moving into the 1970s, O'Mara also found success on the big screen – starring in two Hammer Horror outings, The Vampire Lovers and The Horror of Frankenstein – but it was a return to television for BBC drama The Brothers that made her a household name.

Playing the leading role of tough businesswoman Jane Maxwell,...