Jill St. John (born August 19, 1940) is an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
filmFilm encompasses individual motion pictures, the field of film as an art form, and the motion picture industry. Films are produced by recording images from the world with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects....
and
televisionTelevision is a widely used telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images, either monochromatic or color, usually accompanied by sound. "Television" may also refer specifically to a television set, television programming or television transmission...
actressAn actor or actress is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
. She is perhaps best known for her role as
Tiffany CaseTiffany Case is a fictional character in the James Bond novel and film Diamonds Are Forever. For the 1971 film she was portrayed by Jill St. John...
, the lead
Bond girlA Bond girl is a character or actress portraying a love interest of James Bond in a film, novel, or video game. They occasionally have names that are double entendres, such as "Pussy Galore," "Mary Goodnight," "Plenty O'Toole," "May Day," "Xenia Onatopp," and "Holly Goodhead."Bond Girls are often...
in
Diamonds Are ForeverDiamonds Are Forever may refer to:In literature;* Diamonds Are Forever , the fourth novel in Ian Fleming's James Bond series* Diamonds Are Forever, a 2004 short novel by Ryk E...
.
St. John was born
Jill Arlyn Oppenheim in
Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles is the largest city in the state of California and the second largest in the United States. Often abbreviated as L.A. and nicknamed The City of Angels, Los Angeles has an estimated population of 3.8 million and spans over in Southern California...
, daughter of Betty Lou Oppenheim.
St. John's TV debut was in a production of
A Christmas CarolA Christmas Carol is a novella by English author Charles Dickens about a curmudgeon and his secular conversion and redemption after being visited by three ghosts on Christmas Eve...
. At age 11 she appeared in two episodes of the
The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show and several other TV shows, which led
Universal PicturesThis is a partial listing of films produced and/or distributed by Universal Pictures, the main motion picture production/distribution arm of Universal Studios, a subsidiary of NBC Universal.-1920:* White Youth* The Flaming Disc...
to sign her to a contract when she was 16.
Jill St. John (born August 19, 1940) is an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
filmFilm encompasses individual motion pictures, the field of film as an art form, and the motion picture industry. Films are produced by recording images from the world with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects....
and
televisionTelevision is a widely used telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images, either monochromatic or color, usually accompanied by sound. "Television" may also refer specifically to a television set, television programming or television transmission...
actressAn actor or actress is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
. She is perhaps best known for her role as
Tiffany CaseTiffany Case is a fictional character in the James Bond novel and film Diamonds Are Forever. For the 1971 film she was portrayed by Jill St. John...
, the lead
Bond girlA Bond girl is a character or actress portraying a love interest of James Bond in a film, novel, or video game. They occasionally have names that are double entendres, such as "Pussy Galore," "Mary Goodnight," "Plenty O'Toole," "May Day," "Xenia Onatopp," and "Holly Goodhead."Bond Girls are often...
in
Diamonds Are ForeverDiamonds Are Forever may refer to:In literature;* Diamonds Are Forever , the fourth novel in Ian Fleming's James Bond series* Diamonds Are Forever, a 2004 short novel by Ryk E...
.
St. John was born
Jill Arlyn Oppenheim in
Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles is the largest city in the state of California and the second largest in the United States. Often abbreviated as L.A. and nicknamed The City of Angels, Los Angeles has an estimated population of 3.8 million and spans over in Southern California...
, daughter of Betty Lou Oppenheim.
Career
St. John's TV debut was in a production of
A Christmas CarolA Christmas Carol is a novella by English author Charles Dickens about a curmudgeon and his secular conversion and redemption after being visited by three ghosts on Christmas Eve...
. At age 11 she appeared in two episodes of the
The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show and several other TV shows, which led
Universal PicturesThis is a partial listing of films produced and/or distributed by Universal Pictures, the main motion picture production/distribution arm of Universal Studios, a subsidiary of NBC Universal.-1920:* White Youth* The Flaming Disc...
to sign her to a contract when she was 16. Her major studio film debut was in
Summer LoveSummer love is a term that means a relationship that lasts over summer.Summer Love may also refer to three songs:* "Summer Love" , a 2007 song by Justin Timberlake* "Summer Love" , a 1975 song by Sherbet...
(1958) starring
John Saxon* John Saxon , motion picture actor, specializing in action films* John Saxon , known for developing a new system of mathematics education...
. She went on to appear in
The Remarkable Mr. Pennypacker (1959),
Holiday for Lovers (1959),
Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed?Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed? is a 1963 movie comedy starring Dean Martin, Elizabeth Montgomery, and Carol Burnett, and directed by Daniel Mann.-Cast:*Dean Martin ... Jason Steel*Elizabeth Montgomery ... Mellisa Morris*Carol Burnett ... Stella...
(1963),
Who's Minding the Store?Who's Minding the Store? is a comedy film directed by Frank Tashlin and starring Jerry Lewis. It was released on November 28, 1963 by Paramount Pictures.-Plot:Mrs. Tuttle is upset that her daughter Barbara Who's Minding the Store? is a comedy film directed by Frank Tashlin and starring Jerry...
(1963) and
Honeymoon HotelHoneymoon Hotel is an animated cartoon short subject in the Leon Schlesinger/Warner Bros. Merrie Melodies series, released February 17, 1934....
(1964).
St. John received a Golden Globe nomination for
Come Blow Your HornCome Blow Your Horn was Neil Simon's first play, which premiered in the United States in 1961 and had a London production in 1962 at the Prince of Wales Theatre.-Act Summaries:Time: The Present...
(1963). played her major film roles during the 1960s and early 1970s, including, " Jennifer Jones" in
The Lost WorldThe Lost World is a 1960 science fiction adventure film based on the novel of the same name by Arthur Conan Doyle and directed by Irwin Allen...
(1960). as "Barbara Tuttle," in
Jerry LewisJerry Lewis is an American comedian, actor, film producer, writer, film director, singer and humanitarian. He is best-known for his slapstick humor in stage, screen, television, radio, recording and is also known for his charity fund-raising telethons and position as national chairman for the...
's
Who's Minding the Store?Who's Minding the Store? is a comedy film directed by Frank Tashlin and starring Jerry Lewis. It was released on November 28, 1963 by Paramount Pictures.-Plot:Mrs. Tuttle is upset that her daughter Barbara Who's Minding the Store? is a comedy film directed by Frank Tashlin and starring Jerry...
and a turn as
Bond girlA Bond girl is a character or actress portraying a love interest of James Bond in a film, novel, or video game. They occasionally have names that are double entendres, such as "Pussy Galore," "Mary Goodnight," "Plenty O'Toole," "May Day," "Xenia Onatopp," and "Holly Goodhead."Bond Girls are often...
Tiffany CaseTiffany Case is a fictional character in the James Bond novel and film Diamonds Are Forever. For the 1971 film she was portrayed by Jill St. John...
opposite
Sean ConnerySir Thomas Sean Connery , best known as Sean Connery, is an Academy Award, Golden Globe, and BAFTA Award winning Scottish actor and producer....
, in the 1971
James BondJames Bond 007 is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. The character has also been used in the longest running and most financially successful English language film franchise to date, starting in 1962 with Dr...
film,
Diamonds Are ForeverDiamonds Are Forever is the seventh spy film in the James Bond series, and the sixth to star Sean Connery as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. The film is based on Ian Fleming's 1956 novel of the same name, and is the second of four James Bond films directed by Guy Hamilton...
. In 1964, she guest starred with
Lauren BacallLauren Bacall is an American film and stage actress and model, known for her husky voice and sultry looks....
and Bacall's then husband, Jason Robards, Jr., in the episode "Take a Walk Through the Cemetery" of
Craig StevensCraig Stevens was an American motion picture and television actor.-Biography:Born Gail Shikles, Jr. in Liberty, Missouri, he studied dentistry at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, from which he received a bachelor's degree in 1936...
's
CBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is an American television network, one of television's original "big three", which also include NBC and ABC. Like NBC, CBS started out as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System...
drama series,
Mr. BroadwayMr. Broadway was a 13-episode CBS adventure and drama television series starring Craig Stevens , formerly of Peter Gunn, as New York City public relations specialist Mike Bell. The program aired at 9 p.m. Eastern time Saturdays from September 26 to December 26, 1964...
.
In 1983-1984, she starred with
Dennis WeaverDennis Weaver was an American actor, best known for his work in television, including roles on Gunsmoke, as Marshal Sam McCloud on the NBC police drama McCloud and the Motion Picture Flim Duel in 1971....
on the short-lived CBS soap opera,
Emerald Point N.A.S.Emerald Point N.A.S is an American television drama starring Dennis Weaver that premiered on CBS on Monday, September 26, 1983. It was cancelled in 1984 after twenty-two weeks, its final episode airing March 12, 1984....
, in which she played, "Deanna Kinkaid," "Thomas Mallory's" conniving former sister-in-law.
To get away from her bikini clad image, St. John starred in the 1982 movie,
The Concrete Jungle , where she played Warden Fletcher at an all-girl prison.
St. John continues to act. Her roles in the 1990s and 2000s have primarily been for television sitcoms and made-for-TV movies. In 1997, St. John had a guest appearance on the
SeinfeldSeinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. The eponymous series was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, with the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
episode, "
The Yada Yada"The Yada Yada" is the 153rd episode of the American NBC sitcom Seinfeld. The 19th episode of the 8th season, it aired on April 24, 1997.-Plot:...
", alongside her husband. She portrayed, "Mary Oakley," in
The Trip, in 2002.
St. John has worked on five movies with her husband
Robert WagnerRobert John Wagner is an American film and television actor of stage and screen, who starred in movies, soap operas and television...
:
BanningBanning may refer to:People*Émile Banning , a Belgian civil servant*Henry B. Banning , general in the American Civil War and congressional representative from Ohio*Joanne Banning , Australian field hockey player...
,
How I Spent My Summer VacationHow I Spent My Summer Vacation is the fifth studio album by New Jersey punk band The Bouncing Souls. It was released on May 22, 2001. This was the first album to feature new drummer Michael McDermott, formerly of Murphy's Law and Skinnerbox...
,
Something to Believe In-Track listing:# “Love Me, Love Me Now”# “Never Let Me Go”# “Tripping Out”# “People Never Give Up”# “It's All Right”# “Something to Believe In”# “Never Stop Loving Me”-Personnel:*Drums - Wendell Stewart*Guitar - Ross Traut, Tom Ferrone...
,
The PlayerThe Player is a satirical film directed by Robert Altman from a screenplay by Michael Tolkin based on his own 1988 novel of the same name...
and
Around the World in 80 DaysAround the World in 80 Days is a 1989 three-part television miniseries. The teleplay by John Gay is based on the Jules Verne novel of the same title. It stars Pierce Brosnan as Phileas Fogg, Eric Idle as Passpartout, Julia Nickson-Soul as Princess Aouda, and Peter Ustinov as Detective Fix...
with
Pierce BrosnanPierce Brendan Brosnan is an Irish actor, film producer and environmentalist, who holds both Irish and American citizenship. After leaving school at 16, Brosnan began training in commercial illustration, but trained at the Drama Centre in London for three years...
. She also appeared in the pilot episode for his television series
Hart to HartHart to Hart is an American television series starring Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers. The series was created by writer Sidney Sheldon and produced by Aaron Spelling and Leonard Goldberg. It ran from 1979 to 1984 on the ABC Television Network....
as "Sylvia Maxwell."
She is also the author of
The Jill St. John Cookbook (1987).
Personal life
St. John has been married a total of four times, all childless unions:
- Neil Durbin - (May 23, 1957 - June 3, 1958) when she was 16 years old (divorced)
- Lance Reventlow
Lance Reventlow, born Lawrence Graf von Haugwitz-Hardenberg-Reventlow was a wealthy playboy, entrepreneur, and racing driver....
, Woolworth heirThe F. W. Woolworth Company was a retail company that was one of the original American five-and-dime stores. The first Woolworth's store was founded, with a loan of $300, in 1878 by Frank Winfield Woolworth...
- (March 24, 1960 - October 30, 1963) (divorced)
- Jack Jones
Jack Jones is an American jazz and pop singer. He was one of the most popular vocalists of the 1960s.-Overview:He was rated highly by Frank Sinatra, Mel Tormé and Tony Bennett and a major influence on Scott Walker...
- (October 14, 1967 - 1969) (divorced)
- Robert Wagner
Robert John Wagner is an American film and television actor of stage and screen, who starred in movies, soap operas and television...
- (May 26, 1990 - present) they first met when she was 18 years old and have been a couple since 1982
She has three stepdaughters:
- Katie Wagner
Katherine Wagner is a television personality and Hollywood reporter. She was named after actress and family friend Katharine Hepburn. Her parents are actress Marion Marshall and veteran actor Robert Wagner...
(born 1964, Wagner's oldest child from his marriage to Marion MarshallMarion Marshall may refer to:*Marion Marshall , born 1929, actress*Marion Marshall , author of historical romance novels...
),
- Natasha Gregson (born in 1970, daughter of Richard Gregson and Natalie Wood
Natalie Wood was an American actress....
; adopted by Wagner after her mother's death)
- Courtney Wagner (born in 1974, Wagner's only child with Wood).
Her stepdaughter, Katie, was the maid of honor at her wedding in 1990. Her matron of honor was Robert Wagner's sister, Mary.
After the death of her second husband
Lance ReventlowLance Reventlow, born Lawrence Graf von Haugwitz-Hardenberg-Reventlow was a wealthy playboy, entrepreneur, and racing driver....
, she dedicated her cookbook to his memory. Despite their divorce and his subsequent re-marriage, St. John refers to Reventlow as "my late husband" in interviews.