Jill St. John facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jill St. John
St. John, around the 1970s
Born	Jill Arlyn Oppenheim (1940-08-19) August 19, 1940 (age 84) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Education	Hollywood Professional School
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1946–2014
Spouse(s)	Neil Dubin ​ ​ (m. 1957; div. 1958)​ Lance Reventlow ​ ​ (m. 1960; div. 1963)​ Jack Jones ​ ​ (m. 1967; div. 1969)​ Robert Wagner ​ (m. 1990)​
Relatives	Katie Wagner (stepdaughter) Natasha Gregson (stepdaughter)

Jill St. John (born Jill Arlyn Oppenheim; August 19, 1940) is an American actress who is now retired. She is most famous for playing Tiffany Case in the 1971 James Bond film Diamonds Are Forever. Tiffany Case was the first American Bond girl in the movie series. Jill St. John also appeared in many other films. These include Holiday for Lovers, The Lost World, and Come Blow Your Horn. For Come Blow Your Horn, she was nominated for a Golden Globe award.

On television, St. John was in popular shows like Batman, The Big Valley, and Seinfeld. She was also well-known for her active social life in Hollywood. Jill St. John is married to actor Robert Wagner. They have known each other since she was 18 years old. They have worked together in many movies and plays. One notable project was the TV miniseries Around the World in 80 Days.

Early Life and Education

Jill St. John was born Jill Arlyn Oppenheim in Los Angeles, California. Her father, Edward Oppenheim, owned a successful restaurant. Her mother, Betty, became her manager for her acting career. Jill does not have any brothers or sisters.

As a young girl, Jill was part of the Children's Ballet Company. She danced with Natalie Wood and Stefanie Powers. Later, all three actresses would either marry or work with actor Robert Wagner. Jill's mother changed her last name to St. John when Jill was a teenager.

Starting as a Child Actress

Jill St. John began acting on stage at age five. Her first play was The Conspiracy in 1946. She said she was "precocious" and could read very well by age six. Her first TV appearance was in 1948 in Sandy Dreams, a musical show for kids. In 1949, she played Missie Cratchit in The Christmas Carol. This was one of the first TV versions of Charles Dickens' famous 1843 story.

By age 10, St. John was a regular on KTLA's Fantastick Studios, Ink. At 11, she was in two episodes of The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show. She also had a small, uncredited role in the movie Thunder in the East (1951). She appeared in TV shows like Sky King and Fireside Theatre.

She finished high school at Hollywood Professional School in 1955 when she was 14. She was very smart, with a reported IQ of 162. At 15, she started classes at UCLA's Extension School. During this time, she also lent her voice to many radio shows. These included Red Ryder and One Man's Family.

Working with Major Studios

Jill St. John with John Saxon, Shelley Fabares, and John Wilder in Summer Love (1958)

In May 1957, when Jill St. John was 16, Universal Pictures signed her to a seven-year contract. Her first big movie with a major studio was Summer Love (1958). She also appeared on TV in shows like The Christophers and Schlitz Playhouse.

St. John then signed a contract with 20th Century Fox. The studio aimed to make her a big star. She played the daughter of Clifton Webb in The Remarkable Mr. Pennypacker and Holiday for Lovers (both 1959). She then starred in the adventure movie The Lost World (1960). She later said these were "starlet parts," meaning roles like the daughter or girlfriend.

Fox continued her contract. Warner Bros. borrowed St. John for The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone (1961). She then had a supporting role in Tender Is the Night (1962).

Becoming a Comedy Star

Jill St. John with Robert Wagner in 1959

Jill St. John had an important role in Come Blow Your Horn (1963). In this movie, she starred alongside Frank Sinatra. Her performance earned her a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy.

In 1963, she said, "I'm a comedienne. I've never pretended to be a dramatic actress. But I'm very funny." She then appeared in several comedies. These included Who's Minding the Store? (1963) with Jerry Lewis and Honeymoon Hotel (1964).

Jill St. John with comedian Bob Hope at LAX in 1964

She also made guest appearances on TV shows. These included Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea and Burke's Law. In 1964, she was a guest star with Lauren Bacall in an episode of Mr. Broadway. She also appeared in some TV specials with Bob Hope.

MGM gave her the main female role in a spy comedy called The Liquidator (1965). She also appeared in The Oscar (1966).

St. John was in the first two episodes of the TV series Batman. She played Molly, the Riddler's helper. She was the first character to die in an episode of Batman. She also appeared in an episode of The Big Valley around that time.

Return to Universal and Bond Girl Role

Robert Wagner and Jill St. John in How I Spent My Summer Vacation (1967)

Jill St. John signed another contract with Universal. She was in a TV movie called Fame Is the Name of the Game (1966). She also had a supporting role in How I Spent My Summer Vacation (1967). In this movie, she starred with Robert Wagner, who would later become her husband.

She then did the Bob Hope comedy Eight on the Lam (1967). She also appeared in Banning (1967) with Wagner. In 1966, she said she wanted to be able to choose her roles more carefully.

She worked with Frank Sinatra again in Tony Rome (1967). She also made the TV movie The Spy Killer (1969), which was popular enough to have a sequel, Foreign Exchange (1970).

St. John achieved her biggest success in 1971. She starred as Tiffany Case in the James Bond film Diamonds Are Forever. She played opposite Sean Connery. She was the first American actress to play a Bond girl. Her character, Tiffany, was known for being strong-willed and outspoken.

In 1972, St. John appeared in the British crime drama Sitting Target. After filming, she took a break from acting. She explained that making two movies in a row was tiring. She decided she needed a new way of life.

Later Television and Film Roles

St. John appeared in TV movies like Saga of Sonora (1973) and Brenda Starr (1976). She played the main character in Brenda Starr. She also guest-starred on many popular TV shows. These included Vega$, The Love Boat, Magnum, P.I., and Fantasy Island. She was also in the first episode of Hart to Hart.

In 1981, after taking a break for ten years, St. John moved back to Hollywood. She said she didn't have to work, but she got bored. She appeared in TV movies like Two Guys from Muck (1982) and Rooster (1982). She also had a main role in the movie The Concrete Jungle (1982). In this film, she played Warden Fletcher in a women's prison.

From 1983 to 1984, she starred with Dennis Weaver in the TV show Emerald Point N.A.S.. She played Deanna Kincaid, a clever character.

Working with Robert Wagner Again

Jill St. John and Robert Wagner worked together in several projects. These included Around the World in 80 Days (1989). They also appeared in Something to Believe In (1998) and The Calling (2002). They had small appearances as themselves in the movie The Player (1992).

In 1996, they began performing together on stage in a play called Love Letters. In 1997, they appeared together at the end of an episode of the TV show Seinfeld called "The Yada Yada".

St. John also appeared in films without Wagner. These included Out There (1995) and The Trip (2002).

In 2014, St. John played Mrs. Claus in the TV movie Northpole. Robert Wagner played Santa Claus in the same film. This was her first acting role in 12 years. She has since officially retired from acting. However, she still takes part in community activities.

Other Interests and Hobbies

In 1972, Jill St. John mostly left Hollywood. She moved to Aspen, Colorado, where she focused on her personal interests and cooking. She is one of the celebrities who helped make Aspen a popular town.

Her love for cooking led her to become a culinary personality. She appeared in monthly cooking segments on ABC-TV's Good Morning America. She also wrote a column in USA Weekend magazine during the 1980s. This led to her writing The Jill St. John Cookbook (1987). This book is a collection of healthy recipes and fun stories.

St. John also started a business making handmade Angora sweaters. She became interested in growing orchids, skiing, hiking, river rafting, camping, and gardening. In 1987, she said she loved the outdoors and using fresh vegetables and herbs.

Charity Work

During the Vietnam War, Jill St. John performed for American soldiers. She did this through United Service Organizations (USO) shows.

She also founded the Aunts Club. This group is based in Rancho Mirage. It is made up of women who donate money each year to help support a child.

Political Views

Jill St. John is a member of the Republican Party. In 2023, she ran for a board seat on the Aspen Fire Department, but she was not successful.

Personal Life

Jill St. John has been married four times. Her current husband is actor Robert Wagner.

• Neil Dubin (married 1957, divorced 1958). Jill was 16 when they got married.
• Lance Reventlow (married 1960, divorced 1963). Lance was the son of Barbara Hutton, who was very wealthy.
• Jack Jones (married 1967, divorced 1969).
• Robert Wagner (married 1990 – present). The couple first met in 1959 when they were both working at 20th Century Fox. They have been together since 1982.

Jill St. John has three stepdaughters:

• Katie Wagner, born in 1964.
• Natasha Gregson, born in 1970. She was raised in the Wagner/St. John home.
• Courtney Wagner, born in 1974.

In 2007, Wagner and St. John sold their home in Brentwood. They moved to Aspen full-time.

Filmography

Film

Television

See also

In Spanish: Jill St. John para niños