Mary Millington (born Mary Ruth Quilter; 30 November 1945 – 19 August 1979) was a British glamour model and adult film actress who rose to fame in the 1970s as one of the most recognizable faces of British softcore cinema. Her life was marked by both personal struggle and public notoriety, making her one of the most tragic yet influential figures in the history of British adult entertainment.
Mary was born in Willesden, London, out of wedlock—a fact that would significantly shape her early experiences. Her mother, Joan Quilter, raised her as a single parent, and the absence of a father figure in her life led to Mary being labeled “illegitimate” by peers and society. This stigma, combined with emotional neglect and bullying at school, contributed to deep-rooted insecurities and a persistent battle with low self-esteem that would follow her into adulthood.
In 1959, when Mary was 13 years old, she and her mother relocated to the village of Mid Holmwood near Dorking in Surrey. The move provided little relief from the emotional burdens she carried, and by the time she left school at age 15 in 1961, she had already experienced more hardship than many of her peers. Seeking stability, she married Robert Maxted in 1964 at the age of 18. However, her personal responsibilities only grew, as she soon found herself caring full-time for her mother, who had developed a terminal illness. Mary would shoulder this burden for more than a decade, with little financial or emotional support.
To pay for her mother’s mounting medical bills and living expenses, Mary began working in the adult entertainment industry. Although she had long aspired to be a fashion model, her petite frame—standing at just 4 feet 11 inches—made her unsuitable for mainstream modeling. Undeterred, she turned to glamour modeling in the late 1960s, where her striking features and uninhibited personality quickly gained attention. She began posing for magazines and gradually moved into adult films, becoming a prominent figure in Britain’s risqué cinematic landscape.
Mary Millington’s rise in the adult industry coincided with a period of liberalization in British attitudes toward sex and censorship, and she became a household name through her appearances in publications such as Penthouse and Mayfair, as well as films like Come Play With Me (1977). Though her fame brought her material success and public recognition, her private life remained deeply troubled—marked by anxiety, legal harassment, and growing dependency on drugs. Her untimely death at age 33 shocked the nation and highlighted the darker side of fame and exploitation in the adult film world.