Dutch actress Sylvia Kristel, best known for her roles in soft-porn films in the 1970s, particularly the French hit Emmanuelle, has died in Amsterdam at the age of 60, according to her agent.

Over a 30-year career, Kristel starred in more than 50 international feature films.

But she shot to fame in 1974 with Emmanuelle, an erotic story set in Bangkok about a bored housewife, her husband, and their many companions.

That was followed by work with directors including Alain Robbe-Grillet, Claude Chabrol and Roger Vadim.

Later films included The Nude Bomb (1980) and Private Lessons (1981).

She also starred in a 1981 film version of the DH Lawrence novel Lady Chatterley's Lover.

"She was known for her erotic work, but she could do a lot more than that," her agent Marieke Verharen said.

"She is the most famous Dutch actress ever."

Before falling ill recently, she had been preparing for a role in an Amsterdam theatre production of the Tim Firth play Calendar Girls.

Her last film role was in a 2010 Italian television production about a trio of Dutch female singers who were popular in inter-war Italy.

Kristel is survived by her son Arthur, from her relationship with the Belgian novelist Hugo Claus.

AFP

__________________
Calm, quiet, smooth, devastating