Jill St. John

JILL ST. JOHN

Date of Birth: August 19, 1940

Birth Name: Jill Arlyn Oppenheim

Born in Los Angeles, California, St. John made her stage debut at the age of five. Her TV debut came when she was nine, as a regular in the 1949 series Sandy Dreams. The show didn't last long, and St. John returned to the stage, appearing in musicals such as Annie Get Your Gun while waiting for her next television role. Finally, in 1957, she won a recurring role on the sitcom Junior Miss. Her new show didn't last long either, but soon after, she signed a starlet's contract with 20th Century Fox and appeared in a teen flick called Summer Love (1958), the first of several comedies.

For years, St. John worked steadily, alternating between guest roles on popular television series such as The Andy Williams Show, Batman, Laugh In, Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Vega$, Magnum P.I. and Seinfeld, while also working regularly in films including Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed (1963, also starring Dean Martin), Who's Minding the Store (1963, a Jerry Lewis comedy), Come Blow Your Horn (1963) and Tony Rome (1967, both opposite Frank Sinatra, whom she was dating). Also in 1967, she starred opposite Robert Wagner in Banning.

Her best-known role came in 1971 when she played Tiffany Case in the Bond flick Diamonds are Forever. Famous for her bright red hair and shapely figure, St. John continued to work steadily throughout the 1970s, and in 1979, landed the recurring role of Sylvia Maxwell in the hit television series, Hart to Hart, where she was reunited with Robert Wagner.

Through the years, her love life was well-publicized, with marriages to Lance Reventlow, son of Woolworth heiress Barbara Hutton, and singer Jack Jones. Boyfriends included Henry Kissinger and Frank Sinatra. In 1990, she married Robert Wagner and the two of them have appeared in several productions together recently, including the independent features Something to Believe In (1998) and The Calling (2001), the TV mini-series Around the World in 80 Days and the play, Love Letters -- her first appearance onstage since her teens. Now in her sixties, St. John keeps busy -- her latest appearance was in the independent feature The Trip (2002).

St. John keeps active riding horses, skiing and playing golf. A talented cook, she appeared for years as the in-house cooking expert on Good Morning America, and has written several cookbooks. Filmography:

The Trip (2002)
The Calling (2001)
Something to Believe In (1998)
The Player (1992)
The Act (1982)
The Concrete Jungle (1982)
Sitting Target (1972)
Mooch Goes to Hollywood (1971)
Diamonds Are Forever (1971)
Banning (1967)
Tony Rome (1967)
The King's Pirate (1967)
Eight on the Lam (1967)
The Oscar (1967)
The Liquidator (1965)
Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed? (1963)
Who's Minding the Store? (1963)
Come Blow Your Horn (1963)
Tender Is the Night (1962)
The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone (1961)
The Lost World (1960)
Holiday for Lovers (1959)
The Remarkable Mr. Pennypacker (1959)
Summer Love (1958)