Jessica Benton
Encyclopedia
Jessica Benton is a British actress, mainly known for her role in the BBC
series The Onedin Line
.
She had some minor roles on TV such as Z-Cars
in 1970, and The Juggler of Notre Dame (1970). She also appeared in Upstairs, Downstairs
(1971) as Lady Cynthia in the episode "The Path of Duty", The Duchess of Duke Street
(1976) as Eleanor Prentice in the episode "A Lesson in Manners", and Thomas & Sarah
(1979) playing Grace Laughton in the episode "Birds of a Feather".
This led her to the starring role in The Onedin Line playing Elizabeth Onedin / Frazer / Lady Fogarty. For nearly a decade, from 1971 to 1980, Jessica was one of the best known actresses in the UK.
With the conclusion of The Onedin Line Benton's career as a television actor largely ended. There was one last foray into bustles and corsets in a drama-documentary shot in Austria
in which she played Queen Anne. Benton also did a selection of plays at Salisbury Playhouse but decided to leave the acting profession to concentrate on her family and the many animals she has at home. Benton has worked as a full time alcohol and drugs counsellor.
She lives in the English countryside and is married to the renowned British landscape photographer Charlie Waite. They have a daughter Ella, who is the founder and manager of an independent production company www.environmentfilms.org and is married to Director of Photography, Ben Todd.
Anne Stallybrass
and Peter Gilmore
, with whom she co-starred in The Onedin Line, have remained life-long friends and Stallybrass is Ella's godmother.
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
series The Onedin Line
The Onedin Line
The Onedin Line is a BBC television drama series which ran from 1971 to 1980. The series was created by Cyril Abraham.The series is set in Liverpool from 1860 to 1886 and deals with the rise of a shipping line, the Onedin Line, named after its owner James Onedin...
.
She had some minor roles on TV such as Z-Cars
Z-Cars
Z-Cars is a British television drama series centred on the work of mobile uniformed police in the fictional town of Newtown, based on Kirkby in the outskirts of Liverpool in Merseyside. Produced by the BBC, it debuted in January 1962 and ran until September 1978.-Origins:The series was developed by...
in 1970, and The Juggler of Notre Dame (1970). She also appeared in Upstairs, Downstairs
Upstairs, Downstairs
Upstairs, Downstairs is a British drama television series originally produced by London Weekend Television and revived by the BBC. It ran on ITV in 68 episodes divided into five series from 1971 to 1975, and a sixth series shown on the BBC on three consecutive nights, 26–28 December 2010.Set in a...
(1971) as Lady Cynthia in the episode "The Path of Duty", The Duchess of Duke Street
The Duchess of Duke Street
The Duchess Of Duke Street is a BBC television drama series set in London between 1900 and 1935. It was created by John Hawkesworth, the former producer of the highly successful ITV period drama Upstairs, Downstairs...
(1976) as Eleanor Prentice in the episode "A Lesson in Manners", and Thomas & Sarah
Thomas & Sarah
Thomas & Sarah is a British drama series that aired on ITV in 1979. The only spin-off from the BAFTA Award-winning series Upstairs, Downstairs, it stars John Alderton and Pauline Collins reprising their Upstairs, Downstairs roles.-Background:...
(1979) playing Grace Laughton in the episode "Birds of a Feather".
This led her to the starring role in The Onedin Line playing Elizabeth Onedin / Frazer / Lady Fogarty. For nearly a decade, from 1971 to 1980, Jessica was one of the best known actresses in the UK.
With the conclusion of The Onedin Line Benton's career as a television actor largely ended. There was one last foray into bustles and corsets in a drama-documentary shot in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
in which she played Queen Anne. Benton also did a selection of plays at Salisbury Playhouse but decided to leave the acting profession to concentrate on her family and the many animals she has at home. Benton has worked as a full time alcohol and drugs counsellor.
She lives in the English countryside and is married to the renowned British landscape photographer Charlie Waite. They have a daughter Ella, who is the founder and manager of an independent production company www.environmentfilms.org and is married to Director of Photography, Ben Todd.
Anne Stallybrass
Anne Stallybrass
Anne Stallybrass is a British actress who trained at the Royal Academy of Music in London.She was born in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex...
and Peter Gilmore
Peter Gilmore
Peter Gilmore is a British actor, perhaps best known for his portrayal of Captain James Onedin in the BBC Television period drama The Onedin Line. He also had roles in eleven Carry On films, and played the heroic lead in the adventure film Warlords of Atlantis...
, with whom she co-starred in The Onedin Line, have remained life-long friends and Stallybrass is Ella's godmother.