Jill Gascoine facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jill Gascoine
Born	Jill Viola Gascoine (1937-04-11)11 April 1937 Lambeth, London, England
Died	28 April 2020(2020-04-28) (aged 83) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actress, novelist
Years active	1958–2009
Spouse(s)	Bill Keith ​ ​ (m. 1965; div. 1972)​ Alfred Molina ​ (m. 1986)​
Children	2

Jill Viola Gascoine (born April 11, 1937 – died April 28, 2020) was an English actress and writer. She was best known for playing Detective Inspector Maggie Forbes in the TV shows The Gentle Touch and C.A.T.S. Eyes in the 1980s. Later, in the 1990s, she also wrote three books.

Early Life and School Days

Jill Gascoine was born in Lambeth, London. Her father, Francis Gascoine, helped manage building costs for construction projects. Jill went to a boarding school, which she found very difficult. After finishing school in the 1950s, she performed in a show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Acting Career Highlights

Starting Out in Theatre and TV

In the 1950s, Jill began her acting journey. She toured Great Britain with a comedy group called the Crazy Gang Show. She also danced in a Christmas show in Dublin. By 1959, she was performing in a British tour of Expresso Bongo.

In 1960, Jill appeared in the film The Pure Hell of St Trinian's. Even though she was in her twenties, she played one of the schoolgirls! In 1963, she joined the Dundee Repertory Theatre. From 1970 onwards, Jill started appearing on television. She was in popular shows like Z-Cars, General Hospital, and Dixon of Dock Green. She also had a regular role as Letty Gaunt in the BBC drama The Onedin Line from 1976 to 1979.

Becoming a TV Star

Jill became very famous in 1980 when she got the main role in the ITV drama series The Gentle Touch. She played Detective Inspector Maggie Forbes. This was a big deal because it was the first British TV drama to focus on a female police officer. The Gentle Touch was a huge hit and ran for five seasons until 1984.

Jill continued to play Maggie Forbes in a spin-off show called C.A.T.S. Eyes from 1985 to 1987. After that, she appeared in the sitcom Home to Roost and made guest appearances on other British TV shows. She also acted in the film King of the Wind (1990).

Stage Work and Moving to the US

Jill also performed on stage. She played Dorothy Brock in the musical 42nd Street in London. She also starred in the musical Destry.

In the 1990s, Jill and her second husband, actor Alfred Molina, moved to Los Angeles, USA. There, she appeared in American TV shows like Northern Exposure and Touched by an Angel. She also performed a lot in theatre. In 2008, she returned to the UK to perform in a play at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

In 2009, it was announced that Jill would join the BBC soap opera EastEnders. She was meant to play Glenda Mitchell. However, she decided not to continue with the role because she felt it wasn't the right fit for her.

Writing Books

In the 1990s, Jill Gascoine started a new career as a writer. She published three novels:

• Addicted (1994)
• Lilian (1995)
• Just Like A Woman (1997)

Personal Life and Later Years

Jill Gascoine was married twice. Her first husband was Bill Keith, and they had two sons. Their marriage ended in 1972.

In 1982, she met actor Alfred Molina while they were working on a play together. They married in London in 1986.

Jill faced health challenges throughout her life. She had a long struggle with sadness, which she believed started from her difficult time at boarding school. In 1997, she was diagnosed with kidney cancer, but it was found early, and she fully recovered.

In 2013, Jill shared that she had Alzheimer's disease, a condition that affects memory. By 2016, her husband, Alfred Molina, said that her condition was very advanced. Jill passed away on April 28, 2020, in Los Angeles, at the age of 83.

Film and TV Roles

Film

Television