Jenny Agutter
Encyclopedia
Jennifer Ann "Jenny" Agutter (born 20 December 1952) is an English film and television actress. She began her career as a child actress in the mid 1960s, starring in the BBC television series The Railway Children and the film adaptation of the same book
, before moving on to adult roles and relocating to Hollywood.
She played Alex Price in An American Werewolf in London
, Jessica 6 in Logan's Run, Joanne Simpson in Child's Play 2
and Jill Mason in Equus
. Since the 1990s, she has worked in sound recording, and she is a patron of the Cystic Fibrosis Trust. After a break from acting she has appeared in several television series since 2000, including the British series Spooks.
Lynam) and Derek Brodie Agutter, a former British Army
officer and entertainment
organiser. As a child, she lived in Dhekelia (Cyprus
) and Kuala Lumpur
(Malaya). She was discovered at Elmhurst Ballet School
when a casting agent looked for a young English-speaking girl for a film. She did not get the part, but he recommended her to the producers of East of Sudan (1964).
. Kirsty was the daughter of the new managing director, but Agutter could appear only during school holidays and was listed in credits as Jennifer. Later she played Roberta in The Railway Children and played the same part in Lionel Jeffries
' 1970 film
of the book. Her ingenuousness led to a more serious role in the thriller I Start Counting
(1969). She also won an Emmy for her television role as Fritha in the Hallmark Hall of Fame production of The Snow Goose
(1971).
Agutter transitioned successfully to adult roles, beginning with Walkabout
(1971), playing a teenage schoolgirl lost with her younger brother in the Australia
n outback
. She auditioned for the role in 1967 but funding problems delayed filming until 1969. The delay meant Agutter was 16 at the time of filming, and the director took advantage of her coming of age
by including nude scenes
. Among them was a five-minute skinny-dipping scene, which was cut from the original US release. She said at the 2005 Bradford Film Festival at the National Media Museum that she was shocked by the film's explicitness but is on good terms with director Nicolas Roeg
.
Agutter moved to Hollywood at 21 and appeared in a number of films over the next decade, including The Eagle Has Landed
(1976), Logan's Run (1976), Equus
(1977), Sweet William
(1980), and An American Werewolf in London
(1981).
Since 1990, Agutter has brought up her son and her work has been in sound
recordings and supporting charities, notably the Cystic Fibrosis Trust
, of which she is a patron
(she is also a carrier of the disease). She was a guest in series 6 of Red Dwarf
, and appeared in the TV series TECX, The All New Alexei Sayle
Show, and And the Beat Goes On. In 2000, she made her third appearance in The Railway Children, produced by Carlton TV and this time playing the mother. In 2002, Agutter featured in the BBC
television series Spooks
and in 2007, she starred in the first episode of the new series of David Jason
's ITV television series Diamond Geezer
. In 2007, she also guest-starred in the Doctor Who
audio drama The Bride of Peladon
.
Agutter has stated that the innocence of the characters she played in early films, combined with the costumes and nudity in later adult roles such as Logan's Run (1976), Equus (1977) and An American Werewolf in London (1981), are "perfect fantasy fodder".
until 1989, when, at an arts festival in Bath, she met Johan Tham, a Swedish hotelier who was a director of Cliveden Hotel in Buckinghamshire
. They married on 4 August 1990. Their son Jonathan was born on 25 December 1990. They live in London. Agutter owns a second home in Cornwall
at the Lizard
(the most southerly point on the English mainland
).
The Railway Children (film)
The Railway Children is a 1970 British drama film based on the novel of the same name by E. Nesbit. The film was directed by Lionel Jeffries, and stars Dinah Sheridan, Jenny Agutter , Sally Thomsett and Bernard Cribbins in leading roles...
, before moving on to adult roles and relocating to Hollywood.
She played Alex Price in An American Werewolf in London
An American Werewolf in London
An American Werewolf in London is a 1981 British-American horror film, written and directed by John Landis. It stars David Naughton, Jenny Agutter, and Griffin Dunne....
, Jessica 6 in Logan's Run, Joanne Simpson in Child's Play 2
Child's Play 2
Child's Play 2 is a 1990 American horror film, the sequel to Child's Play, written by Don Mancini and directed by John Lafia . It was released on November 9, 1990. Veteran actors Gerrit Graham and Emmy and BAFTA-winner Jenny Agutter, star as Andy's foster parents...
and Jill Mason in Equus
Equus (film)
Equus is a 1977 British-American drama film directed by Sidney Lumet and starring Richard Burton. Peter Shaffer wrote the screenplay based on his play Equus...
. Since the 1990s, she has worked in sound recording, and she is a patron of the Cystic Fibrosis Trust. After a break from acting she has appeared in several television series since 2000, including the British series Spooks.
Early life
Agutter is the daughter of Catherine (néeMarried and maiden names
A married name is the family name adopted by a person upon marriage. When a person assumes the family name of her spouse, the new name replaces the maiden name....
Lynam) and Derek Brodie Agutter, a former British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
officer and entertainment
Entertainment
Entertainment consists of any activity which provides a diversion or permits people to amuse themselves in their leisure time. Entertainment is generally passive, such as watching opera or a movie. Active forms of amusement, such as sports, are more often considered to be recreation...
organiser. As a child, she lived in Dhekelia (Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
) and Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
(Malaya). She was discovered at Elmhurst Ballet School
Elmhurst School for Dance
Elmhurst School for Dance is one of the foremost classical ballet schools in the United Kingdom and is the official associate school of the Birmingham Royal Ballet. First established in Camberley, Surrey, the school is the oldest established vocational dance school in the United Kingdom and...
when a casting agent looked for a young English-speaking girl for a film. She did not get the part, but he recommended her to the producers of East of Sudan (1964).
Career
Agutter came to television audiences as Kirsty in the twice-weekly BBC series, The NewcomersThe Newcomers (TV series)
The Newcomers was a late 1960s BBC soap opera which dealt with the subject of a London family, the Coopers, who moved to a housing estate in the fictional country town of Angleton. It was broadcast in bi-weekly half hour episodes from 5 October 1965 until 28 November 1969...
. Kirsty was the daughter of the new managing director, but Agutter could appear only during school holidays and was listed in credits as Jennifer. Later she played Roberta in The Railway Children and played the same part in Lionel Jeffries
Lionel Jeffries
Lionel Charles Jeffries was an English actor, screenwriter and film director.-Early life and career:Jeffries attended the Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Wimborne Minster, Dorset. In 1945, he received a commission in the Oxford and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry...
' 1970 film
The Railway Children (film)
The Railway Children is a 1970 British drama film based on the novel of the same name by E. Nesbit. The film was directed by Lionel Jeffries, and stars Dinah Sheridan, Jenny Agutter , Sally Thomsett and Bernard Cribbins in leading roles...
of the book. Her ingenuousness led to a more serious role in the thriller I Start Counting
I Start Counting (film)
I Start Counting was a British film made in 1969 and starring Jenny Agutter in one of her first serious roles. It was based on the novel of the same name by Audrey Erskine Lindop....
(1969). She also won an Emmy for her television role as Fritha in the Hallmark Hall of Fame production of The Snow Goose
The Snow Goose
The Snow Goose: A Story of Dunkirk is a short novella by the American author Paul Gallico. It was first published in 1940 as a short story in The Saturday Evening Post, then he expanded it to create a short novella which was first published on April 7, 1941.The Snow Goose was one of the O. Henry...
(1971).
Agutter transitioned successfully to adult roles, beginning with Walkabout
Walkabout (film)
Walkabout is a 1971 film set in Australia, directed by Nicolas Roeg and starring Jenny Agutter, Luc Roeg and David Gulpilil. Edward Bond wrote the screenplay, which is loosely based on the novel Walkabout by James Vance Marshall...
(1971), playing a teenage schoolgirl lost with her younger brother in the Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n outback
Outback
The Outback is the vast, remote, arid area of Australia, term colloquially can refer to any lands outside the main urban areas. The term "the outback" is generally used to refer to locations that are comparatively more remote than those areas named "the bush".-Overview:The outback is home to a...
. She auditioned for the role in 1967 but funding problems delayed filming until 1969. The delay meant Agutter was 16 at the time of filming, and the director took advantage of her coming of age
Coming of age
Coming of age is a young person's transition from childhood to adulthood. The age at which this transition takes place varies in society, as does the nature of the transition. It can be a simple legal convention or can be part of a ritual, as practiced by many societies...
by including nude scenes
Nudity
Nudity is the state of wearing no clothing. The wearing of clothing is exclusively a human characteristic. The amount of clothing worn depends on functional considerations and social considerations...
. Among them was a five-minute skinny-dipping scene, which was cut from the original US release. She said at the 2005 Bradford Film Festival at the National Media Museum that she was shocked by the film's explicitness but is on good terms with director Nicolas Roeg
Nicolas Roeg
Nicolas Jack Roeg, CBE, BSC is an English film director and cinematographer.-Life and career:Roeg was born in London, the son of Mabel Gertrude and Jack Nicolas Roeg...
.
Agutter moved to Hollywood at 21 and appeared in a number of films over the next decade, including The Eagle Has Landed
The Eagle Has Landed (film)
The Eagle Has Landed is a 1976 film version of the novel The Eagle Has Landed by Jack Higgins. It was directed by John Sturges and starred Michael Caine, Donald Sutherland and Robert Duvall...
(1976), Logan's Run (1976), Equus
Equus (film)
Equus is a 1977 British-American drama film directed by Sidney Lumet and starring Richard Burton. Peter Shaffer wrote the screenplay based on his play Equus...
(1977), Sweet William
Sweet William (film)
Sweet William is a 1980 British drama film directed by Claude Whatham and starring Sam Waterston, Jenny Agutter, Geraldine James, Anna Massey, Arthur Lowe, Tim Pigott-Smith and Melvyn Bragg....
(1980), and An American Werewolf in London
An American Werewolf in London
An American Werewolf in London is a 1981 British-American horror film, written and directed by John Landis. It stars David Naughton, Jenny Agutter, and Griffin Dunne....
(1981).
Since 1990, Agutter has brought up her son and her work has been in sound
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
recordings and supporting charities, notably the Cystic Fibrosis Trust
Cystic Fibrosis Trust
The Cystic Fibrosis Trust, founded in 1964, is the United Kingdom’s only national charity dedicated to all aspects of cystic fibrosis . It funds research to treat and cure CF and aims to ensure appropriate clinical care and support for people with cystic fibrosis.-Objectives:Its objectives are:*To...
, of which she is a patron
Patrón
Patrón is a luxury brand of tequila produced in Mexico and sold in hand-blown, individually numbered bottles.Made entirely from Blue Agave "piñas" , Patrón comes in five varieties: Silver, Añejo, Reposado, Gran Patrón Platinum and Gran Patrón Burdeos. Patrón also sells a tequila-coffee blend known...
(she is also a carrier of the disease). She was a guest in series 6 of Red Dwarf
Red Dwarf
Red Dwarf is a British comedy franchise which primarily comprises eight series of a television science fiction sitcom that aired on BBC Two between 1988 and 1999 and Dave from 2009–present. It gained cult following. It was created by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, who also wrote the first six series...
, and appeared in the TV series TECX, The All New Alexei Sayle
Alexei Sayle
Alexei David Sayle is a British stand-up comedian, actor and author. He was a central part of the alternative comedy circuit in the early 1980s. He was voted the 18th greatest stand-up comic on Channel 4's 100 Greatest Stand-ups in 2007...
Show, and And the Beat Goes On. In 2000, she made her third appearance in The Railway Children, produced by Carlton TV and this time playing the mother. In 2002, Agutter featured in the BBC
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...
television series Spooks
Spooks
Spooks is a British television drama series that originally aired on BBC One from 13 May 2002 – 23 October 2011, consisting of 10 series. The title is a popular colloquialism for spies, as the series follows the work of a group of MI5 officers based at the service's Thames House headquarters, in a...
and in 2007, she starred in the first episode of the new series of David Jason
David Jason
Sir David John White, OBE , better known by his stage name David Jason, is an English BAFTA award-winning actor. He is best known as the main character Derek "Del Boy" Trotter on the BBC sit-com Only Fools and Horses from 1981, the voice of Mr Toad in The Wind In The Willows and as detective Jack...
's ITV television series Diamond Geezer
Diamond Geezer
Diamond Geezer is a British television comedy drama written by Caleb Ranson which stars David Jason as a jewel thief and professional con man.-Background:...
. In 2007, she also guest-starred in the Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
audio drama The Bride of Peladon
The Bride of Peladon
The Bride of Peladon is a Big Finish Productions audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.-Cast:*The Doctor — Peter Davison*Peri — Nicola Bryant*Erimem — Caroline Morris*Beldonia — Phyllida Law...
.
Agutter has stated that the innocence of the characters she played in early films, combined with the costumes and nudity in later adult roles such as Logan's Run (1976), Equus (1977) and An American Werewolf in London (1981), are "perfect fantasy fodder".
Personal life
Agutter remained single in Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
until 1989, when, at an arts festival in Bath, she met Johan Tham, a Swedish hotelier who was a director of Cliveden Hotel in Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
. They married on 4 August 1990. Their son Jonathan was born on 25 December 1990. They live in London. Agutter owns a second home in Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
at the Lizard
The Lizard
The Lizard is a peninsula in south Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The most southerly point of the British mainland is near Lizard Point at ....
(the most southerly point on the English mainland
Extreme points of the United Kingdom
This is a list of the extreme points of the United Kingdom: the points that are farther north, south, east or west than any other location. Traditionally the extent of the island of Great Britain has stretched "from Land's End to John o' Groats" .This article does not include references to the...
).
Selected filmography
| Year | Title | Role | | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | East of Sudan East of Sudan East of Sudan is a 1964 British action film directed by Nathan Juran and featuring Anthony Quayle, Sylvia Syms and Derek Fowlds. All of the action scenes were taken from the 1939 film The Four Feathers, and the 1956 films Odongo and Safari.... |
Asua | |
| 1966 | Linda Frazier | ||
| 1968 | Gates to Paradise | Maud | |
| 1968 | Star! Star! (film) Star! is a 1968 American musical film directed by Robert Wise. The screenplay by William Fairchild is based upon the life and career of British performer Gertrude Lawrence.-Plot:... |
Pamela Roper | |
| 1969 | I Start Counting I Start Counting (film) I Start Counting was a British film made in 1969 and starring Jenny Agutter in one of her first serious roles. It was based on the novel of the same name by Audrey Erskine Lindop.... |
Wynne | |
| 1970 | Bobbie Waterbury | ||
| 1970 | TV film | ||
| 1971 | Walkabout Walkabout (film) Walkabout is a 1971 film set in Australia, directed by Nicolas Roeg and starring Jenny Agutter, Luc Roeg and David Gulpilil. Edward Bond wrote the screenplay, which is loosely based on the novel Walkabout by James Vance Marshall... |
Girl | |
| 1971 | Frith | Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress – Miniseries or a Movie | |
| 1972 | Shelley | Mary Shelley | BBC series |
| 1976 | Logan's Run | Jessica 6 | |
| 1976 | Molly Prior | ||
| 1977 | Equus Equus (film) Equus is a 1977 British-American drama film directed by Sidney Lumet and starring Richard Burton. Peter Shaffer wrote the screenplay based on his play Equus... |
Jill Mason | BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role Best Actress in a Supporting Role is a British Academy Film award presented annually by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts to recognize an actress who has delivered an outstanding supporting performance in a film... |
| 1977 | The Man in the Iron Mask The Man in the Iron Mask (1977 film) The Man in the Iron Mask is a 1977 television film loosely adapted from The Vicomte de Bragelonne by Alexandre Dumas and presenting several plot similarities with the 1939 film version... |
Louise de la Vallière | TV film |
| 1977 | ("Deadly Countdown" episode, parts 1 & 2) | Dr. Leah Russell | |
| 1978 | China 9, Liberty 37 China 9, Liberty 37 China 9, Liberty 37 is an Italian-Spanish 1978 western film directed by Monte Hellman, starring Warren Oates, Jenny Agutter, and Fabio Testi. The film was shot in locations in Spain and Italy by cinematographer Giuseppe Rotunno. Pino Donaggio composed the musical score... |
Catherine Sebanek | |
| 1979 | Clara | ||
| 1980 | Sweet William Sweet William (film) Sweet William is a 1980 British drama film directed by Claude Whatham and starring Sam Waterston, Jenny Agutter, Geraldine James, Anna Massey, Arthur Lowe, Tim Pigott-Smith and Melvyn Bragg.... |
Ann Walton | |
| 1981 | Othello | Desdemona | |
| 1981 | Hobbs | Nominated—Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role The Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role is an award presented annually at the Australian Film Institute Awards. The award has been presented annually since 1971.-History:... |
|
| 1981 | Nurse Alex Price | Nominated—Saturn Award for Best Actress | |
| 1984 | Secret Places Secret Places (1984 film) Secret Places is a 1984 British drama film directed by Zelda Barron and starring Marie-Theres Relin, Tara MacGowran, Claudine Auger and Jenny Agutter.... |
Miss Lowrie | |
| 1985 | Love's Labour's Lost Love's Labour's Lost Love's Labour's Lost is one of William Shakespeare's early comedies, believed to have been written in the mid-1590s, and first published in 1598.-Title:... |
Rosaline | Television |
| 1985 | Magnum, P.I. Magnum, P.I. Magnum, P.I. is an American television series starring Tom Selleck as Thomas Magnum, a private investigator living on Oahu, Hawaii. The series ran from 1980 to 1988 in first-run broadcast on the American CBS television network.... |
Krista Villeroch | Television |
| 1987 | Dark Tower Dark Tower (1987 film) Dark Tower is a 1987 film directed by Freddie Francis and Ken Wiederhorn and starring Michael Moriarty, Jenny Agutter, Theodore Bikel, Carol Lynley, Kevin McCarthy and Anne Lockhart... |
Carolyn Page | |
| 1989 | King of the Wind King of the Wind (film) King of the Wind is a 1989 British adventure film directed by Peter Duffell and starring Richard Harris, Glenda Jackson and Frank Finlay. It is based on the novel King of the Wind by Marguerite Henry. The film depicts the life of an Arab colt in eighteenth century Britain.-Cast:* Richard Harris ...... |
Hannah Coke | |
| 1990 | Child's Play 2 Child's Play 2 Child's Play 2 is a 1990 American horror film, the sequel to Child's Play, written by Don Mancini and directed by John Lafia . It was released on November 9, 1990. Veteran actors Gerrit Graham and Emmy and BAFTA-winner Jenny Agutter, star as Andy's foster parents... |
Joanne Simpson | |
| 1990 | Darkman Darkman Darkman is a 1990 superhero action film directed by Sam Raimi. It is based on a short story Raimi wrote that paid homage to Universal's horror films of the 1930s... |
Burn Doctor | uncredited cameo |
| 1992 | Freddie as F.R.O.7 Freddie as F.R.O.7 Freddie as F.R.O.7 is a 1992 British animated film written and directed by Jon Acevski. It is a parody of James Bond. The film was inspired by bedtime stories Acevski told to his son about his favourite toy frog working as a secret agent. -Plot:... |
Daffers | |
| 1993 | Red Dwarf Red Dwarf Red Dwarf is a British comedy franchise which primarily comprises eight series of a television science fiction sitcom that aired on BBC Two between 1988 and 1999 and Dave from 2009–present. It gained cult following. It was created by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, who also wrote the first six series... ("Psirens Psirens "Psirens" is the first episode of science fiction sit-com Red Dwarf Series VI and the 31st in the series run. It was first broadcast on the British television channel BBC2 on 7 October 1993. Written by Rob Grant & Doug Naylor and directed by Andy de Emmony... " episode) |
Prof. Mamet | Television |
| 2000 | Mother | ITV | |
| 2001 | Victor's Wife | ||
| 2002 | At Dawning | Escaping woman | |
| 2002 | Spooks Spooks Spooks is a British television drama series that originally aired on BBC One from 13 May 2002 – 23 October 2011, consisting of 10 series. The title is a popular colloquialism for spies, as the series follows the work of a group of MI5 officers based at the service's Thames House headquarters, in a... |
Tessa Phillips Tessa Phillips Tessa Phillips is a character in the television drama series Spooks. She was played by actress Jenny AgutterTessa joined MI5 in the early 1980s and eventually headed her own counter-terrorism unit, known as Section K... |
Television |
| 2004 | Number One Longing, Number Two Regret | Kenosha | |
| 2004 | Jane Clark | BBC TV series | |
| 2005 | New Tricks (Series 2, episode 1) | Yvonne Barrie | BBC TV Series |
| 2007 | Diamond Geezer Diamond Geezer Diamond Geezer is a British television comedy drama written by Caleb Ranson which stars David Jason as a jewel thief and professional con man.-Background:... |
Vanessa | ITV series |
| 2007 | Irina Palm Irina Palm Irina Palm is a tragicomedy film starring Marianne Faithfull and Miki Manojlović. It is a co-production of five countries . The film premiered, to great acclaim, at the 2007 Berlin International Film Festival... |
Jane | |
| 2008 | Barbara Riley | BBC TV series | |
| 2009 | Monday Monday Monday Monday (TV series) Monday Monday is an ITV comedy drama. It stars Fay Ripley, Jenny Agutter, Neil Stuke, Holly Aird, Morven Christie, Tom Ellis and Miranda Hart.It is set in the head office of a supermarket that has fallen on hard times and had to re-locate its staff from London to Leeds... |
Jenny Mountfield | ITV1 TV series |
| 2009 | Glorious 39 | Maud Keyes | |
| 2011 | Outside Bet Outside Bet Outside Bet is an upcoming 2011 British drama film directed by Sacha Bennett and starring Bob Hoskins, Jenny Agutter and Philip Davis. It is due for release on 25 November 2011.-Partial cast:* Bob Hoskins - Percy 'Smudge' Smith... |
Shirley Baxter | |
| 2012 | The Avengers | Council member | |