Sabrina Not Typical:
'Minky' not 'Tweedy'

Winnipeg Free Press
Monday 14 Dec 1959

By Joe Hyams

HOLLYWOOD — Over the years I've heard much about a British girl named Sabrina who is to English television what Dagmar was to ours.

The other day I learned that Sabrina — real name Norma Skyes — was in Hollywood scouting movie and television offers after a year in Australia where she did stage shows.

When I called to arrange for an interview with Sabrina, her manager couldn't have been more pleased. "You'll find Sabrina unlike anything you've imagined," be promised.

I don't know what he imagines I imagined, but Sabrina lived up to even the greatest of expectations.— perhaps blondest blonde I've ever seen if quality of hair is any criterion. Her hair was in a bundle like a wash basket on top of her head. She was wearing an ankle-length Chinese red dress with matching fingernails.

When I asked Sabrina if she would mind describing herself to me, since I felt inadequate to do her justice she answered promptly,"41½ – 18, sometimes 17 – 36"

Beats Jayne

That seemed to be about as fair a description of Sabrina as anyone could want, but I was curious why added the extra half-inch on the "41."

Jayne Mansfield is 41," said Sabrina, making it quite plain she doesn't intend to let anyone get even half-an-inch up on her.

Do you consider yourself a typical English girl, I asked, hating myself for such a question, but knowing that if you ask a silly question you're likely to get a silly answer and I did.

"No," said Sabrina. "the typical English girl is tweedy and I'm minky. They're reserved, but I've learned to keep my reserve in the bank."

I had the feeling that our interview — or one like it — had been conducted dozens of times in other places by Sabrina, but I was as game as she was. So I asked the next standard question. "Do you plan to get ahead ahead on your — ah — physical appearance or talents?"

Her Talent

"Talent," snapped Sabrina. "Generally speaking my figure has been overplayed in the press." Sabrina stretched a little like a tiger in a cage so I was aware of how much of her figure there was to be overplayed.

"That kind of publicity has gone too far. I don't want to get publicity that way anymore. The figure is secondary . . . Mind you, I don't know what I would do without it. It's a kind of package deal — but don't write about my figure, please. Write about the fact that I'm in America, a land I've dreamed of visiting ever since I was a little girt. I want to own home and a swimming pool, the works. But I find Los Angeles is rather like the Barrow Boys in England who put all the best food in front of the cart."

"If a good front is all that's required in Hollywood, it seems to me you've found home," I remarked.

"That's why I mentioned It," said Sabrina sweetly. I thought maybe you'd get the parallel and you did, didn't you? You American newsmen are so bright."