Birth name Phylis Flora Isley NationalityUSA Birth 2 march 1919 at Tulsa (USA) Death 17 december 2009 (at 90 years) at Malibu (USA) Awards Academy Award for Best Actress
Jennifer Jones (March 2, 1919 – December 17, 2009), also known as Jennifer Jones Simon, was an American actress during the Hollywood golden years. Jones, who won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in The Song of Bernadette (1943), was also Academy Award-nominated for her performances in four other films. She married three times, most notably to film producer David O. Selznick.
Jones starred in more than twenty films over a thirty-year career, going into semi-retirement following Selznick's death in 1965. In 1980, she founded the Jennifer Jones Simon Foundation For Mental Health And Education after her daughter's suicide. In later life, Jones withdrew from public life to live in quiet retirement with her son and his family in Malibu, California.
Biography
Jones had two sons of her first marriage: Robert Walker, Jr. (born April 15, 1940; the only one of Jones' children who would not predecease her), and Michael Walker (March 13, 1941 – December 27, 2007). Both later became actors. Jones had an affair with film producer David O. Selznick; she separated from Walker in November 1943 and divorced him in June 1945.
Jones married Selznick on July 13, 1949, a union which lasted until his death June 22, 1965. After his death, she semi-retired from acting. According to media reports, Jones attempted suicide in November 1967 after hearing of the death of close friend Charles Bickford. She was found unconscious at the base of a cliff overlooking Malibu Beach; she was hospitalized in a coma before eventually recovering.
Jones' daughter with Selznick, Mary Jennifer Selznick (1954–1976), committed suicide by jumping from a 20th-floor window in Los Angeles on May 11, 1976. This led to Jones' interest in mental health issues. In 1980, she founded the Jennifer Jones Simon Foundation For Mental Health And Education. The Foundation pledged $400,000 to be used exclusively for the world-renowned Mary Jennifer Selznick Workshop Program, named in honor of Jones's late daughter.
On May 29, 1971, Jones married her third husband, multi-millionaire industrialist, art collector and philanthropist Norton Simon, whose son Robert had committed suicide in 1969. The marriage took place aboard a tugboat 5 miles off the English coast, and was conducted by Unitarian minister Eirion Phillips. Years before, Simon had attempted to buy the portrait of her used in the film Portrait of Jennie. Simon later met Jones at a party hosted by fellow industrialist and art collector Walter Annenberg.
Four years before his death in June 1993, Simon resigned as President of Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena and Jennifer Jones-Simon was appointed Chairman of the Board of Trustees, President and Executive Officer. In 1996, she began working with architect Frank Gehry and landscape designer Nancy Goslee Power on renovating the museum and gardens. She remained active as the director of the Norton Simon Museum until 2003, when she was given emeritus status.
Jones was a breast cancer survivor. Actress Susan Strasberg, who would die of the disease in 1999 and was then married to actor Christopher Jones, named her own daughter Jennifer Robin Jones in the older actress's honor.
, 1h54 Directed byStig Björkman GenresDocumentary, Historical ThemesDocumentary films about business, Documentary films about the film industry ActorsAlicia Vikander, Isabella Rossellini, Roberto Rossellini, Ingrid Bergman, Liv Ullmann, Sigourney Weaver Roles Self (archive footage) Rating73% Nommée sept fois aux Oscars, Ingrid Bergman y fut récompensée trois fois. Elle fut une des actrices les plus talentueuses de l’âge d’or du cinéma hollywoodien et ses rôles dans des films comme CASABLANCA (1942), HANTISE (1944) et SONATE D’AUTOMNE (1978) sont inoubliables. En partant d’archives privées et d’interviews de ses enfants, ce film dresse un portrait personnel et offre aux spectateurs un aperçu de la vie exceptionnelle d’une jeune Suédoise qui devint l’une des plus célèbres actrices des États-Unis et du monde.
, 1h33 OriginUSA GenresDrama, Crime ActorsJennifer Jones, Roddy McDowall, Charles Aidman, Jordan Christopher, Lou Rawls, Holly Near Roles Astrid Steele Rating43% The emotionally troubled daughter (Holly Near) of an affluent but brittle Hollywood couple gets caught up with a charismatic rock singer (Jordan Christopher) and his friends. The singer proceeds to seduce and manipulate her entire family.
, 2h32 Directed byJohn Huston, Charles Vidor, Andrew Marton OriginUSA GenresDrama, War, Romance ThemesPolitical films, Children's films ActorsRock Hudson, Jennifer Jones, Vittorio De Sica, Elaine Stritch, Oskar Homolka, Mercedes McCambridge Roles Catherine Barkley Rating58% Frederick Henry (Rock Hudson) is an American officer serving in an ambulance unit for the Italian Army during World War I. While recovering from a wound in a British base hospital in northern Italy, he is cared for by Catherine Barkley (Jennifer Jones), a Red Cross nurse he had met earlier, near the front, and they engage in an affair. Frederick's friend, the doctor, convinces the army that Frederick's knee is more severely wounded than it actually is and the two continue their romance but never get married.
, 1h45 Directed bySidney Franklin OriginUSA GenresDrama, Biography, Historical, Romance ThemesFilms about families ActorsJohn Gielgud, Jennifer Jones, Bill Travers, Virginia McKenna, Susan Stephen, Jean Anderson Roles Elizabeth Barrett Rating64% Elizabeth Barrett (Jennifer Jones) is the disabled grown-up daughter of Edward Moulton-Barrett (John Gielgud) of Wimpole Street, and has an intense interest in poetry. However, she lives under the obsessive rule of her father, and this severely limits her ability to develop her love of rhyme amongst her peers. Edward in fact shows clear incestuous tendencies towards her, and discourages close contact with any males. When the poet Robert Browning (Bill Travers) enters her life, though, matters are brought to a head, through the intervention of Browning. Edward finds that his control over Elizabeth, and her younger sister Henrietta (Virginia McKenna), is far from complete.
, 2h33 Directed byNunnally Johnson OriginUSA GenresDrama ThemesChildren's films ActorsGregory Peck, Jennifer Jones, Fredric March, Ann Harding, Keenan Wynn, Marisa Pavan Roles Betsy Rath Rating70% Tom and Betsy Rath live in a rundown house in Westport, Connecticut around 1953 (1955 in the movie). They have three television-addicted children (two girls and a boy) and have money problems. Tom is 33 years old, a Harvard graduate. He barely survived as an Army paratroop officer during World War II, having fought in both the European and Pacific combat theaters, during which he had an extramarital affair.
, 1h47 Directed byHenry Koster OriginUSA GenresDrama, Comedy ThemesFilms about education, Children's films ActorsJennifer Jones, Robert Stack, Kipp Hamilton, Robert Douglas, Peggy Knudsen, Mary Wickes Roles Miss Dove Rating69% Miss Dove (Jennifer Jones), commonly referred to as "the terrible Miss Dove," is a prim and proper geography teacher who governs her classroom with strict disciplinary rules, dependable habits and a common-sense approach to life's everyday challenges. To the citizens and former pupils of Liberty Hill, she is regarded as the epitome of gentility and wisdom.
, 1h42 Directed byHenry King OriginUSA GenresDrama, War, Romance ThemesFilms about writers, Films about journalists, Political films, Children's films ActorsJennifer Jones, William Holden, Keye Luke, Torin Thatcher, Isobel Elsom, Richard Loo Roles Dr. Han Suyin Rating63% The widowed Eurasian doctor Han Suyin (Jones) falls in love with the married-but-separated American correspondent Mark Elliott (Holden) in Hong Kong, during the period of China's Civil War in the late 1940s. Although they briefly find happiness together, she is ostracized by the greater Chinese community. After losing her position at the hospital, Suyin and her adopted daughter go to live with a friend while Mark is on an assignment during the Korean War. They write to each other constantly.
, 1h30 Directed byVittorio De Sica OriginUSA GenresDrama, Romance ThemesTransport films, Rail transport films ActorsMontgomery Clift, Jennifer Jones, Richard Beymer, Gino Cervi, Paolo Stoppa, Nando Bruno Roles Mary Forbes Rating61% Une Américaine mariée, en visite chez des parents à Rome, a entretenu durant son séjour une liaison avec un homme. Elle décide qu'il est temps d'y mettre un terme, et commence à envisager son retour aux États-Unis, auprès de son mari. Mais elle se rend compte rapidement qu'elle n'est pas sûre de ce qu'elle veut, de ce qu'elle doit faire, et ne cesse de se tourmenter.
, 1h29 Directed byJohn Huston OriginUSA GenresDrama, Comedy, Action, Adventure, Crime, Romance ActorsHumphrey Bogart, Jennifer Jones, Gina Lollobrigida, Peter Lorre, Robert Morley, Edward Underdown Roles Gwendolen Chelm Rating63% Billy Dannreuther (Humphrey Bogart) is a formerly-wealthy American who has fallen on hard times. He is reluctantly working with four crooks: Peterson (Robert Morley), ex-Nazi Julius O'Hara (Peter Lorre), Major Jack Ross (Ivor Barnard) and Ravello, who are trying to acquire uranium-rich land in British East Africa. Billy suspects that Major Ross has murdered a British Colonial officer who had threatened to expose their plan. While waiting in Italy for passage to Africa, Billy and his wife Maria (Gina Lollobrigida) make the acquaintance of a British couple: Harry (Edward Underdown) and Gwendolen Chelm (Jennifer Jones), who are planning to travel on the same ship. Harry is a very proper and traditional Englishman, while Gwendolen is flighty and fanciful and a compulsive liar. Billy and Gwendolen have an affair, while Maria flirts with Harry. Peterson becomes suspicious that the Chelms may be attempting to acquire the uranium themselves. His suspicians are unfounded, but they seem to him to be confirmed by Gwendolen, who lies about her husband and exaggerates his importance.
, 1h58 Directed byWilliam Wyler OriginUSA GenresDrama, Thriller, Action, Romance ActorsLaurence Olivier, Jennifer Jones, Miriam Hopkins, Eddie Albert, Ray Teal, Barry Kelley Roles Carrie Meeber Rating72% Carrie Meeber (Jennifer Jones) leaves her family in a small rural town and heads to Chicago. On the train to Chicago, Charles Drouet (Eddie Albert) approaches her. Although Carrie is reluctant to speak to him, the salesman persists and the two chat until they reach Chicago. Carrie gets off in South Chicago, the slums as Charles Drouet points out, after taking Drouet's business card.