She began her professional career in a repertory company, presenting a different play each week at the Grand Theatre, Croydon in 1948.

Born in Gourock, Scotland as Melissa Stribling Smith, she started out in 1945 as a member of the Ealing Studios Amateur Dramatic Society,[3] turning professional in 1948 and appearing that year with repertory companies at Croydon, Worthing and Windsor.

[2] In the 1960s and 1970s, she guest-starred in the TV series Benny Hill (1963), ITV Play of the Week, The Avengers, The Persuaders!, The Dick Emery Show, Crown Court (TV series) ('Safe as Houses'), and The New Avengers.

[9]Jonathan Rigby complimented her performance in his book English Gothic: A Century of Horror Cinema, saying that she is "a terrific female lead throughout" the film.

[12] After Basil Dearden's death in 1971, she was briefly married to film producer Richard du Vivier.