Patricia Haines (Sheila Boyd in The Dummy)

Born in Sheffield, Yorkshire on 3^rd February 1932 the statuesque (she was 5’ 10’’) Patricia Ann Haines is best known outside of her cult TV roles for being the first wife of actor Michael Caine before he rose to stardom.

It was whilst she was working in local repertory theatre that she first met Caine at the Arcadia Theatre in Lowestoft, Suffolk. They married on 3rd April 1954 and had one daughter, Dominique (sometimes known as Nikki), born in 1958. The couple separated in 1962. In his autobiography What’s It All About Caine stated that it was his immaturity that led to the split, which was deeply acrimonious resulting in Caine never seeing her again. In 1963 Haines married the actor Bernard Kay and the couple remained in wedlock until her death from lung cancer in 1977. A heavy smoker, she was aged just forty five.

Haines was a successful repertory actress with the East Anglian based company The Standard Players from 1953 onwards and broke into television in 1959 playing an airport announcer in two episodes of the BBC series Garry Halliday. Following her TV debut she continued in the field of theatre which included playing the role of Mary Magdalene in a production of R F Delderfield’s Spark in Judea and a tour of The Tunnel of Love which took in Morecambe Winter Gardens and the Nottingham Royal amongst many other venues during May and June 1959.

Her cinema debut came with The Shakedown (1960), a British crime film, with an uncredited role as a modelling student. The rest of her work for the year was in small roles on a variety of television series; playing a hotel receptionist in 'Film Festival' (20th April 1960), an episode of forgotten ITV sitcom about a jazz musician, The Love of Mike, Polly Harwood in 'Summer Theatre: June Evening' (10th July 1960) an episode of the BBC Sunday Night Play and playing Deidre in 'Annual Outing' (30th August 1960), a one off comedy drama from the BBC written by Willis Hall. She finished the year by appearing in three episodes of the medical soap opera Emergency Ward Ten as Miss Spinks during October and November 1960.

BBC espionage drama The World of Tim Frazer, starring Jack Hedley as the eponymous character, provided Haines with the regular role of Barbara Day in seven episodes transmitted between 27th December 1960 and 7th February 1961. This was her biggest role to date and it was followed by Three Live Wires, an Associated-Rediffusion sitcom starring Michael Medwin. Haines had an untitled appearance in the episode 'Stranger than Fiction' (22nd May 1961). Magnolia Street (16th June – 21st July 1961) was a six part BBC drama series depicting the lives of Jewish and Gentile residents of a Manchester street between 1910 and 1926. The cast included Edward Woodward and Peter Bowles and Haines had the regular role of Jessie Edelman, the young daughter of one of the streets residents. Flower of Evil (11th October – 15th November 1961) was a six episode mystery thriller headlined by William Lucas as Scotland Yard policeman Detective Inspector Mitchell who becomes embroiled in a conspiracy surrounding plundered World War Two Nazi gold. Haines appeared as the character Erika across all six episodes.

After ending the previous year with regular work Haines was cast in an episode of Studio 4, a BBC drama anthology of plays filmed at BBC Televisions centre’s newly built Studio Four. Haines appeared in the episode 'The Second Curtain' (29th January 1962) in the role of Sarah Freeman. More regular work came with the BBC series Six Proud Walkers as Gloria when she appeared in six episodes transmitted between 28th April and 2nd June 1962. Next was the single drama The Wrong Way Back (13th July 1962) for the BBC.

Haines then undertook the role of Cathy Speed in the Dixon of Dock Green episode 'The Moonlighter' (17th November 1962) and played Caroline Deedes in 'Death of a Sportsman' (26th January 1963), a second season episode of crime series Ghost Squad. Next she guest starred as Dorothia, a potential girlfriend for Harold, in the Steptoe and Son episode 'Is That Your Horse Outside' (14th February 1963). She was cast as Ruth in the ATV drama 'The Hooded Terror' (July 1963), part of the anthology series Drama 63, and appeared in The Hooded Terror (25th August 1963) a single drama from ATV also featuring Jennie Linden and John Wood. For the anthology series Suspense she appeared as Penny Chase in the episode 'Scissors' (16th September 1963) and guest starred as Janet Pearce in 'All Part of the Job' (7th October 1963), an instalment of the business drama The Plane Makers. Also during the same year she made the first of three appearances in the series The Avengers playing Laura in the episode 'The Nutshell'.

She began 1964 with 'The Death of Marie Vetier' (13th January 1964) playing the eponymous character in an episode of the adventure series Crane. Stage work was still an important source of employment and she featured in a touring production of The Death is Announced during the months of June and July. At the end of the year she was introduced to viewers of the BBC soap Compact as the new regular character Vivien Ames, a role she would play for forty episodes between December 1963 and May 1964 appearing on occasion opposite her second husband Bernard Kay. Following her departure from Compact Haines appeared as Claire Carr in 'The Case of the Hero’s Return' (6th June 1964), an episode of the Victorian era detective series Sergeant Cork, and ventured into sitcoms with a guest appearance in the Richard Briers starring Marriage Lines playing Mrs Blackley in the episode 'The Ladies Man' (2nd February 1965). 'And A Very Fine Fiddle He Has' (13th March 1965) saw Haines portray the character Judith Spainer in a case for inquiry agent Frank Marker in the series Public Eye.

BBC drama thriller Reluctant Bandit (15th February – 15th March 1965) cast Haines as Diana opposite William Dexter as an ex-Army officer who becomes involved in the mafia. She then appeared in two episodes of the BBC drama The Flying Swan – 'Double Trouble' (10th April 1965) and 'Love and Marriage' (17th April 1965). She made two appearances in the series Danger Man, playing different roles; Lady Blanchard in the episode 'The Black Book' and as Nora Cazalet in the episode 'The Outcast'. Her only film role for the year was in the British science fiction thriller The Night Caller (1965), retitled as Blood Beast from Outer Space for its American release.

Into 1966 and Haines found herself in demand as a popular guest star appearing in shows that included The Baron playing Helga Sorenson in the episode 'Epitaph For A Hero', portraying Arlette Maylam opposite her husband Bernard Kay, in The Rat Catchers episode 'Operation Lost Souls' (13th April 1966), Kathy in 'The Tax Man Cometh' (21st November 1966), an episode of Blackmail, and as Sandra Webb in the Adam Adamant Lives! episode 'Death By Appointment Only' (8th September 1966). This role earned her complimentary review in The Stage; “Patricia Haines, as the charming escort who gave her companion a goodnight bullet in lieu of a kiss, oozed sultry sensuality without losing the hint of cold bloodedness that left no doubt that she would shoot down anyone who got in her way.[1]” Stage work for the year took in Noel Coward’s Suite in Three Keys at the New Theatre, Bromley during October 1966.

'The Master Minds' marked Haines second appearance in the series The Avengers and her third and final appearance in the series came with the episode 'Who’s Who???' in 1967 playing the role of Lola. Her remaining appearances for the year of 1967 covered guest roles in episodes of No Hiding Place, Softly Softly and Rainbow City. Her only film or television credit for 1968 was in the drama anthology City 68. She appears as Sheila Cuf in the episode 'The System: Them Down There' (24th September 1968) with a cast the also boasted future Beasts and Murrain actors Martin Shaw and Bernard Lee.

The following year was busier. A trio of ITC adventure series were graced with her presence with roles in episodes of The Champions – 'The Mission' (29th January 1969), The Saint – 'The World Beater' (9th February 1969) and Department S – 'The Trojan Tanker' (16th March 1969). The Department S story saw her appear on screen with her fellow 'The Dummy' co-star Simon Oates who has her killed after she has double crossed him. She also guest starred in an episode of the London Weekend Television drama The Inside Man – 'The Case of the Abandoned Wife' (28th March 1969). She made two film appearance during the year – Anne Nordeck in the thriller The Last Shot You Hear (1969), which also featured her future 'The Dummy' co-star Thorley Walters, and psychological thriller Walk A Crooked Path (1969) as Nancy Coleman. Before the year ended there was time for one more appearance in an ITC series with Haines playing Martha in 'Somebody Just Walked over My Grave', an episode of Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased).

The new decade saw her appear opposite Frankie Howerd in the second season of the Roman Empire set sitcom Up Pompeii. 'Secret Agents Jamus Bondus' (28th September 1970) was a broad spy spoof with Haines appearing as the character Pussus Galoria! She was part of an assortment of ancient gods discovered in a volcano in 'The Quick and the Dead' (27th November 1970), an episode of the short lived science fiction sitcom The Adventures of Don Quick. Haines was seen as Aphrodite opposite Graham Crowden as Zeus and series regulars Ronald Lacey and Ian Hendry as the eponymous Don Quick.

'Motel' (21st March 1971) was an episode of the detective drama Paul Temple which starred Francis Matthews. Haines guest starred as the character Mrs Sandford. This was followed by more comedy work with an appearance on The Dick Emery Show transmitted 2nd April 1971. Her next film credit is possibly her most famous role in the medium. Virgin Witch (1972) was a British horror film directed by ex-stuntman Ray Austin from a script by Crossroads co-creator Hazel Adair under the pseudonym of Klaus Vogel. Haines plays Sybil Waite, the boss of a modelling agency, which is actually a cover for a witch’s coven. Buxom twins Vicki and Ann Michelle took lead roles over a cast that also included Peter Halliday who would feature in the Beasts episode 'Buddyboy'. Her next film credit was in the low budget crime drama The Fast Kill (1972), the latest opus from cult director Lindsay Shonteff. Haines plays Victoria Leach and Peter Halliday also pops up as Fred Chalmers.

Haines was next seen on television as Madame Anderson in 'Bagman' (28th September 1973), an episode of The Protectors scripted by Daleks creator Terry Nation. After this came 'To Suffer a Witch' (17th October – 19th October 1973), a case for the daytime legal drama Crown Court. Haines played the accused, Adelaide Vincent, the head of a witch’s coven who is accused of murder. ITC used her dramatic abilities once more when she was cast as series regular in the children’s drama and adventure series Ski-Boy which ran for one season of fourteen episodes starting in January 1974. The series was transmitted sporadically and did not attain the following of ITC’s previous series and now mainly forgotten. Between February 1973 and January 1974 she played the regular role of Laura Verney in the rural soap opera Emmerdale.

After leaving the regular work of Emmerdale she had a small guest role in the fourth season of the police drama Special Branch playing Mrs Lane in the episode 'Something About A Soldier' (14th March 1974). She then appeared in the Within These Walls episode 'Remand Wing' (17th January 1975) as Stella Kyprianou. The remaining roles for 1975 were all within comedy. Haines was cast as Melody Wilkinson in 'The Melody Lingers On' (30th September 1975), an episode of the sitcom The Growing Pains of PC Penrose, appeared as Anita in 'Fred' (9th November 1975), an episode of the sitcom Don’t Drink The Water, and portrayed Countess Pelligrini in the one off comedy play A Touch of the Casanovas (31st December 1975) which reunited Haines with Frankie Howerd.

1976 was her final year of credits, all on television. She guest starred as Elizabeth Paterson in 'Time Out' (7th May 1976), a fourth season episode of Hadleigh which starred Gerald Harper whom she had appeared opposite in Adam Adamant Lives! back in 1967. Murder was three part anthology crime drama series from Yorkshire Television. Haines appeared in the episode 'Nobody’s Conscience' (13th June 1976) which also starred Anthony Bate who would shortly star in the Beasts episode 'During Barty’s Party'. Her final broadcast role was as Sheila Boyd in 'The Dummy'. She was diagnosed with cancer shortly afterwards and passed away on 2th February 1977 in Northampton. Her husband Bernard Kay was devastated by her death and never came to terms with her early demise. 

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[1] No Sturdy Stem of Its Own by Marjorie Norris, The Stage, Thursday September 15^th 1966, page 12