From Venice to Humberston Fitties - world-famous film actress fell in love with Humberston chalet park

It was while making Don't Look Now that Julie Christie became friendly with a Fitties chalet owner

AT the age of 83 , it is inevitable that the career of actress Julie Christie is now winding down and, these days,  she is seldom in the news.

But time was, particularly in the '60s and '70s,  when she was a leading light in showbiz, starring in such films as Dr Zhivago, Far From The Madding Crowd, Shampoo and The Go-Between.

She had also been in the running to play the female lead in the first James Bond movie, Dr No, starring Sean Connery, but reportedly missed out to Ursula Andress because the producer did not deem her figure to be sufficiently voluptuous.

It was in Venice during the making of another film, Don't Look Now, that Ms Christie became friendly with one of the movie's editing team, Alfreda 'Freddie' Ellidge.

After filming was complete, the friendship continued, resulting in the actress staying as a guest at a chalet owned by Ms Ellidge, who is also an illustrator and pop lyricist, on the  Fitties.  

Evidently Ms Christie was enchanted by the place as a cutting from the Grimsby Evening Telegraph (January 8, 1996) confirms.

She found it "full of originality and ingenuity" and wrote a letter to say as much.

The two inevitable questions are: On what dates  did Julie

make her visit and in which chalet did she stay?

And, to be fanciful, here is another.

Has Julie changed her name, returned to the Fitties and bought a chalet where she is now living as a recluse? 

* Don't Look Now is being screened on BBC-2 TV at 11.5pm tomorrow, Monday October 9.