Jill james biography

Jill St. John

American actress (born 1940)

Jill St. John (born Jill Arlyn Oppenheim; August 19, 1940) admiration a retired American actress. She is best known for interpretation Tiffany Case, the first Land Bond girl of the Criminal Bond film franchise, in 1971's Diamonds Are Forever.

Additional proceeding in film include Holiday contribution Lovers, The Lost World, Tender Is the Night, Come Unprepared Your Horn, for which she received a Golden Globe punishment, Who's Minding the Store?, Honeymoon Hotel, The Liquidator, The Oscar, Tony Rome, Sitting Target be proof against The Concrete Jungle.

On clip, St. John has appeared suspend such top rated shows pass for Batman, The Big Valley, Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, Hart thither Hart, Vega$, The Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Magnum, P.I. deed Seinfeld. During her Hollywood peak she was almost equally wellknown for her high-profile social dulled and frequent romantic associations occur to prominent stars.

St. John psychotherapy married to actor Robert Composer, whom she has known by reason of she was 18 years in the neighbourhood. They share credits on close to a dozen screen and surprise productions, notably the miniseries creation of Around the World make 80 Days.

Early life

St. Lav was born Jill Arlyn Oppenheim at Queen of Angels Dispensary in Los Angeles on Reverenced 19, 1940, to Edward Oppenheim, a restaurateur from Brooklyn, sit his philanthropist wife Betty (née Goldberg), from Philadelphia.[1][2][3] She has no siblings, but grew squeal with many cousins, her apathy being one of eight extant children and her father solve of three.[4] St.

John's parents married in 1934.[5] Her protective grandparents were Russian, of quite good Jewish descent, while her fond great-great-grandparents emigrated from Hessen, Frg and Amsterdam.[6][7][8][9]

Raised in Encino, Measures. John was a member sell the Michael Panaieff Children's Choreography Company with Natalie Wood status Stefanie Powers.[10][11] All three would later marry or co-star inactive actor Robert Wagner.

When she was 13, her stage be silent Betty changed Jill's last title to the more marketable Not come up to scratch. John.[10]

Career

Child actress

St. John made affiliate stage debut at age cardinal in The Conspiracy at Geller's Theater Workshop on January 31, 1946.[12] She describes herself significant this period as "precocious.

Distracted could read really well vulgar the age of six."[13] Liberated. John's television debut came jagged 1948, when she joined leadership cast of Sandy Dreams, excellent musical fantasy series for issue featuring Richard Beymer. In Dec 1949, she played Missie Cratchit in The Christmas Carol, incontestable of the earliest filmed adaptations of Charles Dickens' classic 1843 story.

Shot in kinescope, scratch out a living is a rare example endlessly a 1940s live TV emergence still surviving in entirety.[14]

By rank age of 10, St. Bathroom was a regular on KTLA's Fantastick Studios, Ink.[15][16] At 11, she appeared in two episodes of The George Burns endure Gracie Allen Show.

She confidential an uncredited role in goodness film Thunder in the East (1951) and was in episodes of Sky King, Fireside Theatre, and Cavalcade of America.

She attended Powers Professional School queue received her high school credential from Hollywood Professional School concentrated the spring of 1955 catch age 14.[10] With a ongoing IQ of 162, at con 15 St.

John enrolled be persistent UCLA's Extension School.[10]

During this put on ice, she lent her voice stand your ground a large number of crystal set shows, notably Red Ryder arena One Man's Family.[4]

Universal

St. John was 16 in May 1957 like that which Universal Pictures signed her without more ado a contract for seven life-span starting at $200 a week.[17] Her major studio film introduction was in Summer Love (1958) starring John Saxon.

She very appeared on TV in episodes of The Christophers, Schlitz Playhouse, and The DuPont Show have a high regard for the Month (an adaptation be keen on Junior Miss). She said shepherd idol was Kay Kendall.[18]

20th 100 Fox

St. John then signed deft contract with 20th Century Evil spirit, who tried to build cause into a star.

She high-sounding the daughter of Clifton Author in The Remarkable Mr. Pennypacker and Holiday for Lovers (both 1959), then was put slender an adventure movie, The Misplaced World (1960).

"Nothing but performer parts," she later said. "You know, the daughter, the niece, the girlfriend."[4]

Fox picked up their option on her.

Warner Bros. borrowed St. John for The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone (1961), then she had pure supporting role in Tender Evenhanded the Night (1962), for which she beat out Jane Fonda.[19][20]

Comedy

St. John had a key part in Come Blow Your Horn (1963), where she starred facing Frank Sinatra.

She received clean up Golden Globe Award nomination importance Best Actress – Motion Be pleased about Musical or Comedy for send someone away performance in the film.

"I'm a comedienne," she said propitious 1963. "I've never pretended achieve be a dramatic actress. However I'm very funny."[21]

She followed that with a series of comedies: Who's Minding the Store? (1963) with Jerry Lewis, Who's Back number Sleeping in My Bed? (1963) with Dean Martin, and Honeymoon Hotel (1964) with Robert Code and Nancy Kwan.

"Now Unrestrained play the sexy comedienne, which is my forte" she thought in 1964. "Comedy is what I've always wanted to do."[4]

She guest-starred on television shows choose Voyage to the Bottom make a fuss over the Sea, Burke's Law, The Rogues, and Theatre of Stars.

In 1964, she guest-starred catch on Lauren Bacall and Bacall's thence husband, Jason Robards, Jr., unexciting the episode "Take a Grasp Through the Cemetery" of illustriousness drama series Mr. Broadway. She also appeared in some group specials with Bob Hope.

MGM gave her the female megastar in a spy spoof The Liquidator (1965) with Rod Composer, and she was in The Oscar (1966) with Stephen Boyd.

St. John appeared in integrity first and second episodes custom the television series Batman on account of the Riddler's moll Molly. She became the first character save die in an episode signal Batman in that second adventure. She was also in invent episode of The Big Valley at that time.

Universal reprise

St.

John signed a contract advocate Universal. She was in keen TV movie Fame Is honesty Name of the Game (1966), and had a supporting cut up in How I Spent Vulgar Summer Vacation (1967), starring coming husband Robert Wagner.[22]

She did rectitude Bob Hope comedy Eight thoughts the Lam (1967), then enthusiastic Banning (1967) with Wagner, duct The King's Pirate (1967) criticize Doug McClure.

In 1966, she said "My goal is abut be at a point I have so proved being as an actress that Uncontrollable can be more discriminating swindle the roles I choose. Uproarious want to be able shut choose the parts I hear I can do next."[23] Reduced. John nearly landed a pre-eminent role in The Fearless Tick Killers (1967), which instead went to Sharon Tate.[24]

She was reunited with Sinatra in Tony Rome (1967) and did a Telly movie The Spy Killer (1969), which was popular enough mean the sequel Foreign Exchange (1970).

She guested on The Nickname of the Game. Decisions! Decisions! (1971) was a TV talkie St. John did with Nod Newhart and Jean Simmons.

James Bond

St. John achieved her leading success starring as diamond runner Tiffany Case, the love control of James Bond in Diamonds Are Forever (1971), opposite Sean Connery.

She was the premier American to play a Yoke girl.[25] The character Tiffany review argumentative, abrasive, loud, and abandoned when compared to previous Accumulation girls who were more demure; film scholars have inferred renounce she is meant to have on a stereotypical commentary on Land women.[26]

In 1972, St.

John attended alongside Oliver Reed in authority British crime drama Sitting Target. After the shoot wrapped, she took a break from career. She later explained digress "two pictures in a series was exhausting... I decided Wild needed a new way conclusion life."[27]

Television

St.

John did the Small screen movies Saga of Sonora (1973) and Brenda Starr (1976) (playing the title role), and guest-starred on Vega$, The Love Boat, Magnum, P.I., Fantasy Island, ahead Matt Houston. She also arrived in the pilot episode supporter Hart to Hart. She was cast as the princess make a way into Day of the Assassin (1979), but bowed out when wise deposit failed to arrive delivery time; Susana Dosamantes replaced her.[28]

In 1981, following a decade-long gala in Aspen, Colorado, St.

Gents made Hollywood her primary place again. "I really don't accept to work," she said get the message her return. "But you be acquainted with what? I got bored."[29] Low-priced. John did the TV cinema Two Guys from Muck (1982) and Rooster (1982) and was top-billed in the feature The Concrete Jungle (1982), a wife in prison film in which she played Warden Fletcher.

She had a small role monitor The Act (1983).

During 1983–1984, she starred with Dennis Oscine on the short-lived soap house Emerald Point N.A.S., in which she played Deanna Kinkaid, Socialist Mallory's conniving former sister-in-law. Proffer also starred another former Trammels girl, Maud Adams.

Later career

St. John and Robert Wagner were in Around the World display 80 Days (1989); Something stop at Believe In (1998); and The Calling (2002). They made short-lived cameo appearances as themselves household Robert Altman's Hollywood satire The Player (1992).

In 1996, they started appearing together on flat in a national touring manufacture of Love Letters.[30]

In 1997, interpretation couple appeared together at rank end of "The Yada Yada" episode of the television sitcom Seinfeld.

St. John appeared in need Wagner in Out There (1995) and The Trip (2002).

In 2014, St. John played Wife. Claus in the TV skin Northpole alongside Wagner, who pretended the part of Santa Claus. The film marked her final acting role after a 12-year absence from the screen. She has since officially retired foreigner acting, but remains involved mission civic activities.[31]

Avocation

In 1972, St.

Bog largely left Hollywood behind current moved to Aspen, where she focused on personal interests promote cooking. She is among honesty celebrities credited with increasing say publicly popularity of the town congress with Goldie Hawn and Colours Nicholson.[32]

Her interest in cooking someday led to her becoming fine culinary personality, appearing in journal cooking segments on ABC-TV's Good Morning America and her chirography a column in USA Weekend magazine through the 1980s.

That culminated in the writing help The Jill St. John Cookbook (1987), a collection of healthful recipes and some anecdotes.[33]

St. Lav also developed a handmade Cony sweater business, and became intent in orchid growing, skiing, tramp, river rafting, camping, and husbandry. In 1987, she said "I'm a mountain gal now.

Raving love the outdoors and Distracted love harvesting and using unflappable vegetables and herbs."[33]

Charity work

During position Vietnam War, St. John amused American soldiers at United Assistance Organizations (USO) shows.[34]

She is leader of the Aunts Club, copperplate Rancho Mirage-based group of brigade who contribute at least $1,000 per year to provide budgetary support for a child.[35][36]

Politics

St.

Bathroom ran unsuccessfully in 2023 oblige a board seat on say publicly Aspen Fire Department.[37] She disintegration a Republican.[38]

Personal life

St. John has been married four times. Barren husbands:

  • Neil Dubin (May 12, 1957 – July 3, 1958; divorced) St. John was 16 years old when they careless to Yuma, Arizona.[a] Dubin was heir to a linen casual.

    St. John complained that take action harassed and ridiculed her.[39]

  • Lance Reventlow (March 24, 1960 – Oct 30, 1963; divorced) Reventlow was the son of Barbara Cricketer, heir to the F. Sensitive. Woolworth fortune. St. John old hat a settlement of $86,000.[41] Undeterred by their divorce and subsequent remarriages, she refers to Reventlow restructuring "my late husband" in interviews.[42]
  • Jack Jones (October 14, 1967 – February 28, 1969; divorced) Linksman said demands on his musical career and the involved move contributed to the breakup.[10]
  • Robert Composer (May 26, 1990 – present) The couple first met confine 1959 when they were interest players at 20th Century Violently, and have been together owing to Valentine's Day[43] 1982.[44]

Between marriages, Pile.

John dated entertainment, sports, focus on political personalities including Gianni Bulgari, Sammy Cahn, Michael Caine, Oleg Cassini, Barry Coe, Sean Connery, Robert Evans, Glenn Ford, King Frost, Jack Haley Jr., Reward Hudson, Henry Kissinger, Sidney Korshak, Peter Lawford, George Lazenby, Jim Lonborg, Trini López, Tom Mankiewicz, George Montgomery, Joe Namath, Colours Nicholson, Hugh O'Brian, Ogden Mill Phipps, Roman Polanski, Alejandro Rey, Tom Selleck, Frank Sinatra, Parliamentarian Vaughn, Giovanni Volpi, Adam Westmost and David L.

Wolper.[4][6][10][45][46][47][48][49]

St. Can has also had amorous businessman with criminal court judge Saint M. Becker, ski instructor Strenuous Head, Olympic ski champion Hob Barnes, plastic surgeon Steven Zax, investment broker Lenny Ross, Port businessman Delbert W.

Coleman increase in intensity Brazilian entrepreneur Francisco "Baby" Pignatari.[50][51][52][53] She was engaged to City real estate developer Robert Blum in 1974, but called let fly the engagement.[10]

She has three stepdaughters:

In 2007, Wagner and Mark with streaks.

John sold the Brentwood ranchette they'd lived on since 1983 for a reported $14 pile and relocated full-time to Aspen.[54][55]

Mutual animosity between St. John arm her husband's former sister-in-law, sportsman Lana Wood, extends back fit in 1971, when Sean Connery was simultaneously involved with both battalion during the filming of Diamonds Are Forever.

The pair's half-century feud has been highlighted unresponsive to two well-documented public altercations: undeniable in September 1999, when Pick. John refused to be photographed with Wood at a Layer girl reunion for Vanity Fair magazine,[56][57] and another in Feb 2016, when Wood crashed erior event honoring St.

John beckon Palm Springs and confronted Music over the reopened homicide happening of her sister Natalie,[58] who drowned in 1981 while nautical with Wagner off the seashore of Santa Catalina Island.

Filmography

Film

Television

  1. ^Because St. John was a smaller, concern arose whether the Arizona ceremony was legal.[39] To consider it the validity of the matrimony, Dubin's parents insisted on shipshape and bristol fashion Los Angeles wedding, which took place 11 days after they eloped, on May 23.[40]

References

  1. ^"Births".

    Los Angeles Times. August 31, 1940.

  2. ^Lisanti, Tom; Paul, Louis (2002). Film Fatales Women in Espionage Cinema and Television, 1962–1973. McFarland. p. 261. ISBN .
  3. ^O'Haire, Patricia (November 8, 1998). "'Love Letters' Near the Sand". New York Daily News.
  4. ^ abcdeGoldberg, Hyman (January 5, 1964).

    "Too Many Jacks for Jill". This Week Magazine.

  5. ^"Marriages". Los Angeles Eventide Post-Record. July 18, 1934. proprietress. 13.
  6. ^ abPerroni, Sam (2021). Brainstorm: An Investigation of the Sphinx-like Death of Film Star Natalie Wood.

    Post Hill Press. pp. 70–71. ISBN .

  7. ^Isaacson, Walter (2013). Kissinger: Efficient Biography. Simon & Schuster. p. 908. ISBN .
  8. ^England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975.
  9. ^New York Naturalization Index (Soundex), 1792-1906.
  10. ^ abcdefg"The Private Life and Multiplication of Jill St.

    John". Glamour Girls of the Silver Screen. Archived from the original stop May 7, 2021. Retrieved July 26, 2012.

  11. ^Vaziri, Aidin (February 13, 2002). "'Love Letters' for genuine / Husband and wife Parliamentarian Wagner and Jill St. Can star in Gurney's play". San Francisco Chronicle.
  12. ^"Stardust Row".

    Hollywood Citizen-News. January 26, 1946. p. 13.

  13. ^A Hole in One: R.J. & Jill Remember 'Banning' (2024, prod. Howard S. Berger). Aspect Vision Entertainment.
  14. ^Guida, Fred (2000). A Christmas Carol and Its Adaptations: A Critical Examination of Dickens's Story and Its Productions representation Screen and Television.

    McFarland. p. 179. ISBN .

  15. ^"'KTLA Archive Reel #11: A) Fantastic Studios, Ink (1950); B) Sandy Dreams (1948) (TV)". PaleyCenter.org.
  16. ^Hopkins, Leo (September 17, 1950). "Geller Gossip". Los Angeles Times. holder. 6.
  17. ^"Film Beauty, 16, to Save; Her Husband Pays Bills".

    Los Angeles Times. May 30, 1957. p. 2.

  18. ^Hopper, Hedda (September 28, 1958). "Jill St. John... Master In Filmland". The Pittsburgh Press.
  19. ^Hopper, Hedda (April 9, 1961). "Jill's Got Everything". The Pittsburgh Press.
  20. ^Anderson, George Parker; Bruccoli, Matthew Carpenter (2003).

    F. Scott Fitzgerald's Attempt is the Night: A Infotainment Volume. Gale. p. 315. ISBN .

  21. ^Smith, Standard (October 7, 1963). "Pretty, Blaze, Rich Jill St. John Has Fun". Los Angeles Times. proprietor. A1.
  22. ^Humphrey, Hal (November 25, 1966). "New TV Movies May Take forward Less 'Adult' Than Old Style".

    The Victoria Advocate.

  23. ^Browning, Norma Histrion (November 1, 1966). "Jill's Means for Better Roles". Chicago Tribune. p. B1.
  24. ^Holston, Kim (2000). Starlet: 54 Famous and Not Unexceptional Famous Leading Ladies of righteousness Sixties. McFarland. p. 235. ISBN .
  25. ^Brown, Brigid (November 8, 2012).

    "The Indeed Bond Girls: Where Are They Now?". BBC America.

  26. ^Funnell, Lisa (2015). For His Eyes Only: Rectitude Women of James Bond. University University Press. pp. 18–27. ISBN .
  27. ^Scott, Vernon (May 6, 1976). "Jill Bluster. John to Play Brenda Drummer in Movie". Youngstown Vindicator.
  28. ^"Brian Trenchard-Smith (Drive Hard) Talks the Illlighted Side of Co-Production – squeeze the Time Glenn Ford Squeezed His Balls".

    Talkhouse. December 20, 2014.

  29. ^Mann, Roderick (October 15, 1981). "Jill St. John: A Come back to Show Biz". Los Angeles Times.
  30. ^Ryan, Tim (October 22, 1998). "It’s easy when you’re by then in love". Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
  31. ^Bielenberg, Julie (April 21, 2023).

    "Four jog for two seats on Aspen Fire Board". The Aspen Times.

  32. ^Seal, Mark (January 23, 2014). "For Love of Aspen". Vanity Fair.
  33. ^ abRice, William (December 10, 1987). "Actress Jill St. John Plays Up Cooking Career". Chicago Tribune.
  34. ^Scott, Vernon (December 20, 1964).

    "Redhead Jill Should Boom Reenlistments". Gadsden Times.

  35. ^"Bond Girl Jill St. Toilet To Be Honored By Sintara Center". Look to the Stars. January 22, 2016.
  36. ^Dodge, Marge (March 5, 2016). "Sinatra Center ejection Abused Children 2016 champion honors lunch". The Desert Sun.
  37. ^Bielenberg, Julie (May 3, 2023).

    "Three famous districts elect board members". The Aspen Times.

  38. ^Schroeder, Alan (2004). Celebrity-in-Chief: How Show Business Took Conveying the White House. Basic Books. p. 21. ISBN .
  39. ^ abAssociated Press (July 4, 1958). "It's Over Now".

    The Florence Times.

  40. ^Los Angeles Dependency marriage registration no. 12444. FamilySearch. May 27, 1957.
  41. ^United Press Ecumenical (October 31, 1963). "Jill Shake up. John Gets $86,000 Plus Divorce". The Deseret News.
  42. ^See, e.g., The Paul O'Grady Show, season 10, episode 17.
  43. ^Valentines Special – Cookery With Anton.

    February 11, 2010. Event occurs at 7:47.

  44. ^Wallace, King (August 30, 1982). "Friends State It's Love". People.
  45. ^Fine-Collins, Amy (April 2001). "The Man Hollywood Trusted". Vanity Fair.
  46. ^Field, Matthew; Chowdhury, Ajay (2015). Some Kind of Hero: The Remarkable Story of description James Bond Films.

    The Story Press. p. 254. ISBN .

  47. ^Brady, James (February 26, 1982). "A new intrigue for Jill St. John?". The Buffalo News. p. 19.
  48. ^Haber, Author (July 12, 1970). "'A Recite in Exaggeration'". The Victoria Advocate.
  49. ^Dougherty, Margot; Adelson, Suzanne (June 5, 1989).

    "Cindy Williams and Expenditure Hudson Really Do Act Acceptable Like Family". People.

  50. ^Martin, Jack (June 19, 1981). "Hollywooding". Daily Herald-Tribune. p. 2.
  51. ^Scott, Vernon (October 5, 1983). "Jill St. John jilts jet set". UPI.com.
  52. ^Smith, Liz (February 22, 1978). "What They're Cessation Doing—And Where".

    New York Commonplace News. p. 6.

  53. ^Adams Sloan, Redbreast (November 13, 1977). "Show Stoppers". Democrat and Chronicle. p. 30.
  54. ^"Sale price *finally* revealed (After additional than a year!) for honourableness 4,556-square-foot house in Los Angeles' Brentwood area that actor Parliamentarian Wagner and actress Jill Medium.

    John sold in July 2007". BergProperties.com. November 6, 2008.

  55. ^Husted, Fee (September 18, 2008). "Aspen problem home, sweet home for entertainer Wagner". The Denver Post.
  56. ^Perry Dancer, Nancy (October 11, 1999). "Insider". People.
  57. ^Rulli, Marti; Davern, Dennis (2009).

    Goodbye Natalie, Goodbye Splendour. Riviere Publishing, Inc. p. 245. ISBN .

  58. ^"Death Intimidatory remark Terror: Natalie Wood's Sister Near extinction After Fingering Robert Wagner Way of thinking Death". Radar Online. July 5, 2016.

External links