Monday, May 2, 2011

Jacqueline Bisset



























































Jacqueline Bisset (born 13 September 1944) is an English actress. She has been nominated for four Golden Globe Awards and an Emmy Award. She is known for her roles in the films Bullitt (1968), Airport (1970), The Deep (1977), Class (1983), and the TV series Nip/Tuck in 2006. She has also appeared in several French productions and was nominated for a César Award for La cérémonie (1995). She was awarded the Légion d'honneur in 2010.

Early life and family

Bisset was born Winifred Jacqueline Fraser Bisset in Weybridge, Surrey, England, the daughter of Arlette Alexander, a lawyer turned homemaker, and Max Fraser Bisset, a general practitioner. She was brought up in Tilehurst, Berkshire. Her father was Scottish and her mother was of French and English descent; Bisset's mother cycled from Paris and boarded a British troop transport to escape the Germans during World War II. Bisset has a brother, Max. Her mother taught her to speak French fluently, and she was educated at the Lycée Français Charles de Gaulle in London. She had taken ballet lessons as a child and began taking acting lessons and fashion modeling to pay for them. When Bisset was a teenager, her mother was diagnosed with disseminating sclerosis. In the following years while Bisset was working as an actress in Hollywood, she made frequent trips back home in order to care for her mother, which she says got in the way of her personal relationships.
Bisset's parents divorced in 1968, after 28 years of marriage. Her father died aged 71 of a brain tumour in 1982. Her mother died in 1999.

Career

Bisset at the 1989 Academy Awards
Bisset made her screen debut with a bit part in The Knack ...and How to Get It (1965). Her first speaking role was in the 1966 film Cul-de-sac, starring Donald Pleasence and directed by Roman Polanski. She was cast in the romance film Two for the Road (1967) starring Audrey Hepburn, and played her first lead role opposite James Brolin in The Cape Town Affair (1967). She participated in the 1966 James Bond satire, Casino Royale, as Miss Goodthighs. In 1968, she replaced Mia Farrow to star opposite Frank Sinatra in The Detective; Farrow and Sinatra had split shortly before production began and the role was given to Bisset, who received special billing in the film's credits.
Bisset's breakout role was as Steve McQueen's girlfriend in the hit action film Bullitt, also released in 1968. The following year she received her first Golden Globe nomination as New Star of the Year for her performance in The Sweet Ride, and played her first sexy "older woman" (at 25) in The First Time (1969). She was one of the many stars in the blockbuster disaster film Airport (1970), a Best Picture nominee in which she acted opposite Dean Martin and Helen Hayes. She co-starred with Sean Connery in Murder on the Orient Express (1974).
Bisset made strides towards becoming a better-known entertainer in America with The Deep (1977), co-starring Robert Shaw and Nick Nolte and directed by Peter Yates, who had previously directed her in Bullitt. A scene of her swimming underwater wearing only a thin, white T-shirt and bikini bottom helped make the film a box office success, leading the producer Peter Guber to say, "That T-shirt made me a rich man".At the time, Newsweek declared her "the most beautiful film actress of all time." About that time, a small film Bisset had made six years earlier was re-released in the United States under the title Secrets. That movie featured the only extensive nude scenes of Bisset's career and the producers cashed in on her fame. She earned a Golden Globe nomination for the comedy Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe? (1978).
Soon thereafter, she starred in the movies Rich and Famous (1981) with Candice Bergen, Class (1983) (playing a woman who seduces her son's best friend) co-starring Rob Lowe and Andrew McCarthy, and Under the Volcano (1984), for which she earned her a second Golden Globe nomination. Bisset often appeared with her leading men in more than one film. She was cast as Paul Newman's daughter in The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean, then as his girlfriend in When Time Ran Out. Bisset has also worked with Albert Finney, Mickey Rourke, Anthony Perkins, and Michael York on multiple occasions. Bisset has worked with such directors as François Truffaut, John Huston, Stanley Donen, Sidney Lumet and George Cukor. Several of her older movies are French or Italian productions.
Bisset has appeared in many made-for-TV and independent films, especially in recent years. In 1996, she was nominated for a César Award, for her role in La Cérémonie. She received Golden Globe and Emmy Award nominations for the 1999 miniseries Joan of Arc. Other notable projects include the acclaimed Biblical epics Jesus (1999) and In the Beginning (2000) with Martin Landau. She made guest appearances on Ally McBeal during 2001–2002, and Law and Order: Special Victims Unit in 2003. One of her later TV movies, in 2003, was America's Prince: The John F. Kennedy Jr. Story, in which she portrayed Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis. In 2005, she appeared in the action movie Domino with Keira Knightley. Bisset's most recent television work was a recurring role as the mysterious James, during the fourth season of the FX series Nip/Tuck in 2006. Later she starred in an An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving, which premiered on the Hallmark Channel on November 22, 2008. In the same year she also garnered acclaim for her role in the Holocaust drama, Death in Love. She recently finished filming The Last Film Festival, which will be the final screen appearance of Dennis Hopper.

Personal life

Bisset in September 2007
Bisset is godmother to actress Angelina Jolie. She appeared with Jolie in the film Mr. and Mrs. Smith (2005); however, their scenes together were deleted during postproduction.
Unlike many actresses of her generation who have difficulty finding work after 40, Bisset has made a seamless transition from leading lady to character actor. She remains in demand in Hollywood and Europe. She told a Bermuda newspaper in 2004:
This film business, perhaps more so in America than in Europe, has always been about young sexuality. It's not true of theatre, but in America, film audiences are young and they go to the cinema to see the sort of romance or adventure that appeals to them. It's not an intellectual cinema in America. But one mustn't be too greedy. One wants to be stimulated by the work as long as there is something to give. I think you have to be as flexible as possible. Perhaps you don't get handed the big American productions, but, quite honestly, who would want to be in a lot of them? Many of them are just puerile teenage filler, and they're not fascinating to be in. To be used in a part without depth is a frustrating feeling, when you know you have something to give, and the camera just sort of brushes past you, and doesn't get what you have to give. Most actresses I know are frustrated, but you have to adapt to the reality. I go and find a small part in something I find interesting, or find an independent film"
Bisset has never married though she has had several lengthy romances. These include a relationship with the actor Michael Sarrazin that lasted over 10 years and with the Russian-American dancer and actor Alexander Godunov. “I feel like I was married to them because I was very dedicated to them,” she said in a 2008 interview. “But I also used to feel claustrophobic. Like many people who don’t easily commit, I think I had a fear of being known; I was not sure there was anybody inside there.”
She divides her time between homes in England and Beverly Hills, California.

Filmography

Film
Year↓ Title↓ Role↓ Notes
1965 The Knack ...and How to Get It Extra Uncredited
1966 Cul-de-sac Jacqueline
1966 Drop Dead Darling Dancer
1966 Casino Royale Miss Goodthighs
1967 The Cape Town Affair Candy
1967 Two for the Road Jackie
1968 The Detective Norma Maclver
1968 The Sweet Ride Vickie Cartwright Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Newcomer – Female
1968 Bullitt Cathy
1968 The First Time Anna
1969 The Grasshopper Christine Adams Nominated—Laurel Award for Best Female Dramatic Performance
1969 Secret World Wendy Sinclair Original title: L'échelle blanche
1970 Airport Gwen Meighen
1971 The Mephisto Waltz Paula Clarkson
1971 Believe in Me Pamela
1971 Secrets Jenny
1972 Stand Up and Be Counted Sheila Hammond
1972 The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean Rose Bean
1973 The Thief Who Came to Dinner Laura
1973 Day for Night Julie Original title: La nuit américaine
1973 Le Magnifique Tatiana/Christine AKA How to Destroy the Reputation of the Greatest Secret Agent...
1974 Murder on the Orient Express Countess Andreyni
1975 The Spiral Staircase Helen Mallory
1975 End of the Game Anna Crawley Original title: Der Richter und sein Henker
1975 The Sunday Woman Anna Carlo Dosio Original title: La donna della domenica
1976 St. Ives Janet Whistler
1977 The Deep Gail Berke
1978 The Greek Tycoon Liz Cassidy
1978 Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe? Natasha O'Brien Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
1979 Amo non amo Louise AKA Together ?
1980 When Time Ran Out Kay Kirby
1981 Inchon Barbara Hallsworth
1981 Rich and Famous Liz Hamilton
1983 Class Ellen Burroughs
1984 Under the Volcano Yvonne Firmin Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture
1984 Forbidden Nina von Halder Nominated—CableACE Award for Actress in a Movie or Miniseries
1985 Anna Karenina Anna Karenina TV movie
1986 Choices Marisa Granger TV movie
1987 High Season Katherine Shaw
1987 Napoleon and Josephine: A Love Story Josephine de Beauharnais TV mini-series
1988 La maison de Jade Jane Lambert
1989 Scenes from the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills Clare Lipkin
1989 Wild Orchid Jackie
1991 The Maid Nicole Chantrelle TV film, original title: Un amour de banquier
1991 Rossini! Rossini! Isabella Colbran
1993 Hoffman's Hunger Marian Hoffman Original title: Hoffman's Honger
1993 Corrupt Justice Holly McPhee AKA CrimeBroker
1993 Les marmottes Frédérique
1994 Leave of Absence Nell TV movie
1995 La Cérémonie Catherine Lelievre Nominated—César Award for Best Supporting Actress
1996 September Pandora TV movie
1996 Once You Meet a Stranger Sheila Gaines TV movie
1997 End of Summer Christine Van Buren
1998 Dangerous Beauty Paola Franco
1999 Let the Devil Wear Black Helen Lyne
1999 Witch Hunt Barbara Thomas
1999 Joan of Arc Isabelle d'Arc TV mini-series
Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress – Miniseries or a Movie
Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film
1999 Hey Arnold! Madame Parvenu Episode: "Grudge Match/Polishing Rhonda"
1999 Jesus Mary TV movie
2000 Britannic Lady Lewis TV movie
2000 Les gens qui s'aiment Angie
2000 Sex & Mrs. X Madame Simone TV movie
2000 In the Beginning Sarah TV movie
2001 The Sleepy Time Gal Frances Nominated—Chlotrudis Award for Best Actress
2001 New Years Day Geraldine
2001–
2002
Ally McBeal Frances Shaw 2 episodes
2002 Dancing at the Harvest Moon Maggie Webber TV movie
2003 America's Prince: The John F. Kennedy Jr. Story Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis TV movie
2003 Latter Days Lila
2003 Swing Christine / Mrs. DeLuca
2003 Law & Order: SVU Juliet Barclay Episode: "Control"
2004 The Survivors Club Carol Rosen TV movie
2004 Fascination Maureen Doherty Co-star James Naughton
2005 The Fine Art of Love: Mine Ha-Ha' Headmistress
2005 Domino Sophie Wynn
2005 Summer Solstice Alexia TV movie
2006 Save the Last Dance 2 Monique
2006 Nip/Tuck James LeBeau 7 episodes
2007 Carolina Moon Margaret Lavelle TV movie
2008 Death in Love Mother Boston Film Festival Best Actress
Ibiza International Film Festival – Best Actress
2008 An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving Isabella Nominated—Satellite Award for Best Actress in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television
2009 The Eastmans Emma Eastman CBS pilot
2010 The Last Film Festival Claudia Benvenuti
2010 An Old Fashioned Christmas Isabella To air on 11 December 2010
2011 Vivaldi The Countess Pre-production

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