She lived in Santa Monica with her pets, a dog and two cats, according to IMDb.COM. In terms of talent, Jean Simmons is so many heads and shoulders above most of her contemporaries, one wonders why she didn't become the great star she could have been." The brilliant picture was directed by Otto Preminger and photographed by the great veteran Harry Stradling. But in 1960, she married again, the writer-director Richard Brooks, and he immediately raised her horizons by casting her as the evangelist opposite Burt Lancaster in Elmer Gantry. "[11] And in a 1984 interview, given in Copenhagen at the time she was shooting the film Going Undercover (1988,[32][33] aka, Yellow Pages, completed 1985)[34] she elaborated slightly on her marriages, stating, It may be simplistic, but you could sum up my two marriages by saying that, when I wanted to be a wife, Jimmy (Stewart Granger) would say: "I just want you to be pretty." Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. It was a considerable financial success. 2023 Getty Images. See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays. The latter won her Primetime Emmy Awards. My mother would wrap every little, tiny [present], Kate recalls. Speaking ahead of her highly anticipated . Her favorite role, though , was Sister Sarah in the 1955, Singing with Marlon Brando and acting with, Frank Sinatra and Marlon Brando's Feud and 'Disdain' Started Over Role. My father was a gentle, softly spoken man. "Jean . She was also in the Daphne du Maurier tale of an Irish feud, Hungry Hill (1947); and she was suitably preyed upon by Derrick DeMarney in Uncle Silas, adapted from the Sheridan Le Fanu novel. "How to Make an American Quilt" with: Winona Ryder, Maya Angelou, Ellen Burstyn, Anne Baxter, and Alfre Woodard. [27] She and Granger became U.S. citizens in 1956;[28] in the same year, their daughter Tracy Granger was born. Sorry, we are unable to accept comments about this article at the moment. She attended the Telluride Film Festival, Colorado, in 2008 and she was interviewed at a Lean centenary celebration in Los Angeles where she was still as pretty, seductive and mischievous as she had been as Estella in Great Expectations. Born in London, Simmons started acting in films as a teenager and later moved to the United States to star in movies such as the 1955 musical Guys and Dolls with Marlon Brando and Frank Sinatra, and Stanley Kubricks Spartacus with Kirk Douglas in 1960. Open your image file to the full size using image processing software. Jean and Richard Brooks divorced in 1977 shortly after her lengthy London stage triumph in A Little Night Music. They divorced in 1960.[29]. In 1969, he cast her in the role of an alcoholic wife in his film, , a not so-subtle hint at his concern for her. She was in The Thorn Birds (1983); she did a TV version of Great Expectations where she was Miss Havisham (1989); was an admiral called in for an investigation in Star Trek: The Next Generation (1991); and was in How to Make an American Quilt (1995). One notable exception to this trend was Home Before Dark (1958), where Simmons was outstanding as a woman who has had a nervous breakdown. They remained in contact until his death in 1992 but she admitted that when the. her two cats and a dog. Some of the other series that she worked in are North and South (1985), Star Trek: The Next Generation (1991), Dark Shadows (1991) and In The Heat of the Night (1994). She also worked in many TV films like Inherit the Wind and A Small Killing and series like Star Trek: The Next Generation and The Thorn Birds. Simmons went over to 20th Century Fox to play the female lead in The Robe (1953), the first CinemaScope movie and an enormous financial success. It was Richard Brooks who saw what was wrong and tried to make me stand on my own two feet. By the 1980s, she mainly appeared in TV mini-series and won an Emmy for her role in The Thorn Birds in 1983. Simmons was born on 31 January 1929, in Islington, London,[4] to Charles Simmons, a bronze medalist in gymnastics at the 1912 Summer Olympics, and his wife, Winifred Ada (ne Loveland). She would make an additional picture for 20th Century Fox while RKO got the services of Victor Mature for one film.[24]. In 1969, he cast her in the role of an alcoholic wife in his film The Happy Ending, a not so-subtle hint at his concern for her. It was successful, as was Spartacus (1960), where she played Kirk Douglas' love interest. Suggest an alternative Share your comments about this record One can only say that it is a rare tribute to unrequited love. Kate Brooks (born 1977) is an American photojournalist who has covered the Middle East, Afghanistan, and Pakistan since September 11, 2001. Id whine: Im afraid. And hed say: Never be afraid to fail. She lived in Santa Monica with her pets, a . Her other notable performances during this period includes films like Black Narcissus and Uncle Silas in 1947; and The Blue Lagoon and Adam and Evelyne in 1949. Hughes acquired promising young beauties the way other people capture butterfies and pin them to a page. Catherine Burks-Brooks (born October 8, 1939) is an American civil rights movement activist, teacher, social worker, jewelry retailer, and newspaper editor. How far she understood the picture is unclear. Ive got some lovely memories, she told me. In 1961, their daughter Kate Brooks was born. Two of her later big-screen flicks were The Dawning (1988) starring along with Hugh Grant and Antony Hopkins and How to Make an American Quilt (1995) with Winona Ryder, Anne Bancroft and Ellen Burstyn. Simmons, who herself faced challenges and fought her own battle with alcohol addiction, never shied away from speaking publicly about her own ordeal due to the addiction. She is most remembered for Guys And Dolls. Find the right content for your market. In 1950, Simmons was voted the fourth-most popular star in Britain. [23] Simmons also agreed to make three more movies under the auspices of RKO, but not actually at that studioshe would be lent out. You've been trained to act so act!" Given the grand adventures of Jeans life its surprising she never wrote her memoirs. Internal Affairs first assistant editor 1990 Tango & Cash assistant film editor (as Tracy S. Granger) 1989 Alien Nation assistant editor 1988 Amazon Women on the Moon assistant editor 1987 The Lost Boys assistant editor 1987 The Money Pit assistant/apprentice editor (uncredited) 1986 Marie assistant editor 1985 Ghostbusters Personal life. In 2005, she signed a petition to British Prime Minister Tony Blair asking him not to upgrade cannabis from a class C drug to class B. The British-born actress got her start early, garnering international renown at just 17 for her portrayal of Estella in David Leans Great Expectations. Jean would seek treatment years later at the Betty Ford Center, quipping, All I can say is thank God for Mrs. Ford!, 'Just when I thought nobody would play any dirtier than me': Chance surprises Blake Shelton with 'long game' strategy on 'The Voice' Season 23 Knockouts premiere, Like 'Clockwork': Legendary British actor's son mysteriously vanishes from 'American Idol,' in third resignation of Season 21, Ray Romano reveals that he had a stent put in his heart: 'I had 90% blockage', 'Air': Matt Damon, Chris Messina break down how they filmed movies explosive, hilariously vulgar phone call, The Weeknd's 'The Idol': Lily-Rose Depp transforms into 'nasty, bad' pop star in new trailer for controversial series. In a career span of over six decades, she worked with many renowned directors like Val Guest, David Lean and Stanley Kubrick and starred opposite leading actors like Laurence Olivier, Marlon Brando and Richard Burton. More widely seen was Dsire (1954), where Simmons played Dsire Clary to Marlon Brando's Napoleon Bonaparte. Jean Simmons is UPDATE SOON. She was the most gentle, polite hero in my book a real lady. Jean would seek treatment years later at the Betty Ford Center, quipping, All I can say is thank God for Mrs. Ford!, After many decades in the spotlight, Jean began to embrace her solitude. They made it work for so long. In a 1984 interview, Jean said, It was Richard Brooks who tried to make me stand on my own two feet. British Actress Jean Simmons was born Jean Merilyn Simmons on 31st January, 1929 in Crouch Hill, London, UK and passed away on 22nd Jan 2010 Santa Monica, California, USA aged 80. She liked her privacy. Yet, even in her twilight years, Jeans values held strong. Listening to her it was clear she could see herself in Hannah. Jean Simmons obituary British-born film star known for her roles in Great Expectations and Spartacus David Thomson Sun 24 Jan 2010 13.39 EST Jean Simmons, who has died aged 80, had a. She began acting at the age of 14. As one of the glamour couples of the Fifties Jean and Stewart would regularly dine out with pals Elizabeth Taylor and her husband Michael Wilding and think nothing of jetting off to Las Vegas at the drop of a hat. In fact, the handsome Granger was 16 years her senior, and married once, having divorced Elspeth March in 1948. [12][6], Simmons was top-billed for the first time in the drama Uncle Silas (1947). Indeed, she might have done Jean Brodie. At the end of the day, family wins hands down for her. In 2003, she became a patron of Release, a British drug and human rights charity and the oldest independent drugs charity in the world. She also previously worked as a story liner on Hollyoaks and shows like A League of their Own. According to David Thomson, "If she had made only one filmAngel Faceshe might now be spoken of with the awe given to Louise Brooks. Jean and Richard Brooks divorced in 1977 shortly after her lengthy London stage triumph in A Little Night Music. The Fifties were a magical time for her career, singing with Marlon Brando and Frank Sinatra in Guys And Dolls, playing a widow who found romance with Paul Newman in Until They Sail, riding the Wild West with Charlton Heston and Gregory Peck in The Big Country and winning rave reviews for Home Before Dark as a housewife recovering from a mental breakdown. Thereafter, she sportingly played the female lead in Spartacus, and had some overlong, giggle-making love scenes with its star, Kirk Douglas "Put me down, Spartacus, I'm having a baby!". Simmons did Heidi (1968) for TV, then Brooks wrote and directed The Happy Ending (1969) for her, and she received her second Oscar nomination. Have something to tell us about this article? Who is Kate Brooks? Search for stock images, vectors and videos. And there were always hints that the lady might be very sexy. The pair wed in 1960 following Jeans decade-long marriage to the British actor Stewart Granger, with whom she had her first daughter, Sadly, busy work schedules drove Jean and Richard apart, and their marriage ended in 1980. Over the years she executed several roles with great success and lan in films like Angel Face (1952), The Robe (1953), The Egyptian (1954), Guys and Dolls (1955), Elmer Gantry (1960) and All the Way Home (1963). She performed in the musical for three years that include the shows production in the West End of London. Pascal saw potential in Simmons, and in 1945 he signed her to a seven-year contract to the J. Arthur Rank Organisation. Publishers have asked, she informed me. She starred with Granger in many films. Simmons had a small part as a harpist in the high-profile Caesar and Cleopatra (1945), produced by Gabriel Pascal, starring Vivien Leigh, and co-starring Simmons's future husband Stewart Granger. But I figured I'd just go off and get married and have children like my mother. Collect, curate and comment on your files. During 1944-45 she worked in several other British films doing small roles including the most expensive British Technicolor film of that time, Caesar and Cleopatra (1945), directed and produced by Gabriel Pascal. The marriage to Brooks came to an end in 1977, and there were stories that she was drinking too much. Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. M mike Old Hollywood Stars Hollywood Icons Hollywood Legends Hollywood Actor Classic Hollywood Old Movie Stars Tracy was quite extraordinary, she revealed. The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. Jean Simmons 1st September 1975: Actress Jean Simmons, with her daughters, Kate and Tracy, on a boat trip on the River Thames in London. Jean Simmons is remembered as a luminary of the silver screen, but, according to her daughter Kate Brooks, she played her most cherished role behind the scenes as a doting mother and. Her TV films include The Easter Promise (1975), A Small Killing (1981), Inherit the Wind (1988) and Shadows in the Sun (2009). Neither was particularly successful; but Simmons was then in a huge international hit, playing Ophelia in Laurence Olivier's Hamlet (1948), for which she received her first Oscar nomination. Reporting by Mohammad Zargham; Editing by Janet Lawrence. Simmons and Granger returned to England to make the thriller Footsteps in the Fog (1955). Her performance in the drama film The Happy Ending (1969) directed by her husband Richard Brooks fetched her second Academy Awards nomination. Jean Merilyn Simmons was a charming and captivating British actress, who became one of the prominent screen goddesses of the mid-twentieth century. If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page - we'd love to hear from you. See also Every time you get up in the morning, you are ahead.'. Singing with Marlon Brando and acting with Frank Sinatra you couldnt get better casting than that! Kate says. The pair wed in 1960 following Jeans decade-long marriage to the British actor Stewart Granger, with whom she had her first daughter, Tracy. I had had such a crush on him since Wuthering Heights and he did not disappoint in person. Though she lived and owned a home in New Milford, Connecticut in the late 1970s, later she settled for good in Santa Monica. But the couple fell deeply in love, married and would soon set out together for Hollywood as a kind of middleweight Olivier and Leigh. Initially she had. Her father had died when she was just 16, but she said: "They were really nothing like my father at all. By the 1970s, Simmons turned her focus to stage and television acting. According to Richard, there was hidden turmoil beneath the surface of their happy union Jeans struggle with alcohol. Despite her success and A-list status Jean was no diva, preferring to live quietly in Santa Monica with. According to her, this film changed her perception about filming, which till such time was only fun and games for her, and from that time onwards she seriously contemplated taking up acting as a career. The actress, who plays Vanessa Woodfield in the ITV soap, tied the knot with Emmerdale producer Kate at Elvis Presleys former mansion in Tennessee on Tuesday. Jean Simmons British . Jean Simmons and Stewart Granger, married 1950-1960. 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