Simmons, Jean (1929–)

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Simmons, Jean (1929–)

English actress. Born Jean Merilyn Simmons, Jan 31, 1929, in Crouch Hill, London, England; dau. of Charles Simmons (physical education teacher) and Winifred Ada (Loveland) Simmons; m. Stewart Granger (actor), Dec 20, 1950 (div. 1960); m. Richard Brooks (director), Nov 1, 1960 (div. 1977); children: (1st m.) Tracy Granger; (2nd m.) Kate Brooks.

At 15, made film debut in Give Us the Moon (1944); at 16, played Estella in Great Expectations (1946); appeared as Ophelia in Laurence Olivier's film of Hamlet (1948), for which she won Best Actress at Venice Festival and was nominated for Academy Award; made US film debut in Androcles and the Lion (1953); made 3 other films in 1953—The Actress, Young Bess and The Robe—all considered to be among her best; appeared in historical dramas The Egyptian and Desiree (both 1954); became US citizen (1956); made Elmer Gantry (1960), one of her most memorable films, followed by All the Way Home (1963); received 2nd Oscar nomination for The Happy Ending (1969); toured in musical A Little Night Music (1970s); other films include Black Narcissus (1947), Guys and Dolls (1955), Hilda Crane (1956), This Could Be the Night (1957), Until They Sail (1957), Spartacus (1960) and The Grass Is Greener (1960).

See also Women in World History.

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