Lesley-Anne Down

Lesley-Anne Down (born 17 March 1954) is a British actress, former model and singer.

Lesley-Anne Down
Down in 2008
Born
Lesley Anne Down

(1954-03-17) 17 March 1954
Wandsworth, London, England
OccupationActress, model, singer
Years active1969–present
Spouse(s)
Enrique Gabriel
(m. 1980; div. 1981)

(m. 1982; div. 1985)

(m. 1986)
Partner(s)Bruce Robinson (1969–1979)
Children2
Websitewww.lesleyannedown.com

She achieved fame as Georgina Worsley in the ITV drama series Upstairs, Downstairs (1973–75). She received further recognition for her performances in the films The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976), A Little Night Music (1977), The First Great Train Robbery (1979), Hanover Street (1979), Rough Cut (1980), Sphinx (1981) and Nomads (1986). She is also known as Madeline Fabray in the miniseries North and South (1985–86), for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award in 1986.

In 1990, Down played the role Stephanie Rogers in the CBS drama series Dallas. During 1997–99, she played Olivia Richards in the NBC series Sunset Beach. From April 2003 to February 2012, she portrayed Jackie Marone in the CBS soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful.[1]

Life and career

Early life and career

Down was born on 17 March 1954 and raised in Wandsworth, South West London, England.[2] She began acting and modelling, and in her teenage years won several beauty pageants. She was voted Britain's most beautiful teenager at the age of 15.[1][2] She made her feature film debut in 1969 in a supporting role in the British drama The Smashing Bird I Used to Know. She later had roles in several other British films, such as All the Right Noises, Assault, and Countess Dracula, and guest-starred in the television series Six Dates with Barker, Out of the Unknown, and Public Eye.

Film and television roles

In 1973, Down was cast as Georgina Worsley, Marchioness of Stockbridge, on the Emmy Award-winning British drama series, Upstairs, Downstairs. This role was her career breakthrough, and after the show ended in 1975, she moved to Hollywood and began her film career. She starred in the 1976 movie The Pink Panther Strikes Again, and later was cast opposite Elizabeth Taylor on the film adaptation of A Little Night Music. Down worked as leading lady in film, and starred opposite Kirk Douglas, Laurence Olivier, Sean Connery, Anthony Hopkins, and Donald Sutherland in various films.[3] Her major roles were in The Betsy (1978), The First Great Train Robbery (1979), Hanover Street (1979), Rough Cut (1980), and her box-office bomb Sphinx (1981).[4][5]

Down has appeared on stage in Hamlet and a musical version of Great Expectations.

Down has played a number of leading roles in made-for-television movies and miniseries. She starred in 1978 British drama The One and Only Phyllis Dixey as Phyllis Dixey. She played the role of Esméralda in a British-American TV movie The Hunchback of Notre Dame in 1982 opposite Anthony Hopkins, and starred in Murder Is Easy (1982), Indiscreet (1988), and Ladykillers (1988). In 1985, she starred in Arch of Triumph with Anthony Hopkins and Donald Pleasence. She starred in the ABC miniseries The Last Days of Pompeii in 1984, and in North and South in 1985. For her role as Madeline Fabray LaMotte in North and South, she was nominated for Golden Globe Award in 1986.[6] She later starred in North and South, Book II (1986), and Heaven & Hell: North & South, Book III (1994).

In 1990, Down was cast as series regular for a limited run in the CBS primetime soap opera Dallas as Stephanie Rogers. She earned a quarter of a million dollars' salary for a 10-week shoot.[2]

Later career

In the 1990s, Down starred in several small feature and television films, and played guest roles on television series such as The Nanny and Diagnosis: Murder. She starred in the 1994 film Death Wish V: The Face of Death, opposite Charles Bronson, and later appeared with him in the 1995 TV movie Family of Cops. In 1996, Aaron Spelling cast her as Olivia Richards on the NBC soap opera Sunset Beach. The series aired from January 1997 to December 1999. After the soap was cancelled, Down starred in Lifetime movies The Perfect Wife and You Belong to Me.

Lesley-Anne Down and Bruce Robinson (1979)

In 2003, Down was cast in another soap as Jackie Marone on CBS's The Bold and the Beautiful. In January 2012, Down confirmed that she would be departing the program.[7] Down also appeared in the films The King's Guard with Eric Roberts and Ron Perlman, The Meeksville Ghost, 13th Child, Today You Die, and Seven Days of Grace, on which she also was a writer.[8] In 2011, Down appeared in Victor Salva's thriller film Rosewood Lane with Rose McGowan, Ray Wise, and Lauren Vélez.[9] She later starred alongside Kirsten Vangsness in the comedy film Kill Me, Deadly,[10] and played mother of leads in Dark House, I Am Watching You and Justice.[11]

In 2020, Down returned to acting playing British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in the biographical drama Reagan starring Dennis Quaid.[12]

Personal life

After ending a 10-year relationship with actor-writer Bruce Robinson,[13] Down married Enrique Gabriel in 1980, but ended their marriage after a year and a half.[2]

Down's second marriage was to film director William Friedkin from 1982 to 1985, with whom she had one son, Jack (born 1982).[2]

She met her third husband, cinematographer Don E. Fauntleroy, during filming of the television miniseries North and South in 1985. They began a relationship, which ended Down's marriage to Friedkin and Fauntleroy's marriage to Susan Ducat.[14] The resulting legal and custody proceedings interrupted the careers of both Down and Fauntleroy for two years and ultimately cost Down and Friedkin US$1 million each.[2][14] Down and Fauntleroy have a son, George-Edward (b. 1998).[14][15]

Down has spoken on several occasions about dealing with sexual predators in the film industry. In 2002, she spoke of finding fame in the late 1960s: "The casting couch was in full swing, people expected it... My teenage years were pretty intense, a lot of pressure and a lot of horrible old men out there".[16] In a 1977 interview, she had also said: "I was promised lots of lovely big film parts by American producers if I went to bed with them. Believe me, the casting couch is no myth".[17]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1969 The Smashing Bird I Used to Know Diana
1971 All the Right Noises Laura
1971 Assault Tessa Hurst
1971 Countess Dracula Ilona Nodosheen
1972 Pope Joan Cecilia
1973 Scalawag Lucy-Ann
1974 From Beyond the Grave Rosemary Seaton segment "The Door"
1975 Brannigan Luana
1976 The Pink Panther Strikes Again Olga Bariosova
1977 A Little Night Music Anne Egerman
1978 The One and Only Phyllis Dixey Phyllis Dixey
1978 The Betsy Lady Bobby Ayres
1978 The First Great Train Robbery Miriam
1979 Hanover Street Margaret Sellinger
1980 Rough Cut Gillian Bromley
1981 Sphinx Erica Baron
1982 Murder Is Easy Bridget Conway
1982 The Hunchback of Notre Dame Esmeralda
1985 Arch of Triumph Joan Madou
1986 Nomads Flax
1987 Scenes from the Goldmine Herself
1988 Indiscreet Anne Kingston
1988 Ladykillers Morganna Ross
1989 Night Walk Geneva Miller
1992 Out of Control Elaine Patterson
1993 Night Trap Christine Turner
1994 Munchie Strikes Back Linda McClelland
1994 Death Wish V: The Face of Death Olivia Regent
1994 In the Heat of Passion II: Unfaithful Jean Bradshaw
1995 A Family of Cops Anna Novacek
1996 Beastmaster III: The Eye of Braxus Morgana
1996 The Secret Agent Club Eve
1997 Meet Wally Sparks Hooker Nurse cameo
1998 Young Hearts Unlimited Barbara Young
2000 The King's Guard Queen Beatrice
2001 The Meeksville Ghost Emily Meeks
2001 You Belong to Me Dr. Susan Chancellor
2001 The Perfect Wife Helen Coburn
2002 13th Child District Attorney Murphy
2005 Today You Die Bank Manager
2006 Seven Days of Grace Lillian Actress and writer
2006 Mercenary for Justice cameo Uncredited
2011 Cinnamon Aunt Dora
2011 Rosewood Lane Dr. Cloey Talbot
2014 Dark House Lilian Di Santo
2015 Kill Me, Deadly Grand Dame Lady Clairmont
2015 Absolution Zvetlana
2015 Of God and Kings Madame Renard
2016 I Am Watching You Margaret
2016 A Cinderella Christmas Victoria Carmichael
2017 Justice Elizabeth
2017 Gates of Darkness Sister Clare
2018 Alex & the List Victoria
2022 Reagan Margaret Thatcher Filming

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1971 Six Dates with Barker Cheeky 1 episode, "2774 AD: All the World's a Stooge"
1971 Out of the Unknown Diana Carver 1 episode, " To Lay a Ghost"
1971 Public Eye Anne Biddersloe 1 episode, "Shades of White"
1973–1975 Upstairs, Downstairs Georgina Worsley 22 episodes
1976 When the Boat Comes In Jane Cromer 1 episode, "King for a Day"
1974 Bedtime Stories Monica 1 episode, "The Snow Queen"
1975 The Sweeney Caroline Selhurst 1 episode, "Chalk and Cheese"
1977 Play of the Month Ellie Dunn 1 episode, " Heartbreak House"
1977 Supernatural Felizitas 1 episode, "Mr. Nightingale"
1981 BBC2 Playhouse Unity Mitford 1 episode, "Unity"
1984 The Last Days of Pompeii Chloe TV mini-series
1985 North and South Madeline Fabray LaMotte TV mini-series
1986 North and South, Book II Madeline LaMotte Main
1989 CBS Summer Playhouse Cassandra 1 episode, "Shivers"
1990 Dallas Stephanie Rogers 13 episodes
1992 1775 Annabelle Proctor TV pilot
1994 The Nanny Chloe Simpson 1 episode, "Maggie the Model"
1994 Heaven & Hell: North & South, Book III Madeline Main TV mini-series
1996 Diagnosis: Murder Catherine Windsor 1 episode, "A Model Murder"
1997–1999 Sunset Beach Olivia Richards TV series, Main cast
2001 Days of Our Lives Lady Sheraton 5 episodes
2003–2012 The Bold and the Beautiful Jackie Marone TV series, Main cast

Awards and nominations

Year Result Award Category Film or series
1978 Won Evening Standard British Film Awards Most Promising Newcomer – Actress
1986 Nominated Golden Globe Awards Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film North and South
1997 Won Soap Opera Update Awards Best Actress Sunset Beach
2005 Won Rose D'Or Light Entertainment Festival Best Soap Female The Bold and the Beautiful
2005 Nominated Soap Opera Digest Awards Favorite Return The Bold and the Beautiful
2006 Won TV Soap Golden Boomerang Award Popular Supporting Female The Bold and the Beautiful

References

  1. "Lesley-Anne Down as Jackie Payne Marone". CBS. Archived from the original on 7 February 2009. Retrieved 13 May 2009.
  2. Ross, Deborah (30 November 1998). "Interview: Life's a Sunset Beach". The Independent. London. Retrieved 13 May 2009.
  3. "Lesley-Anne Down official website – Biography". Archived from the original on 7 August 2009.
  4. Canby, Vincent (11 February 1981). "Schaffner'S 'Sphinx'". NYTimes.com. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
  5. "Sphinx". Variety. 31 December 1980. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
  6. "Lesley-Anne Down". IMDb.
  7. "B&B's Down Off Contract". Soap Opera Digest. 26 January 2012. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
  8. Thomas Needell (1 April 2006). "Seven Days of Grace (2006)". IMDb. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
  9. "First Images, Cast for 'Jeepers Creepers' Director's 'Rosewood Lane' – Bloody Disgusting!". Bloody Disgusting!. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
  10. Patrick Hipes (13 February 2016). "'Kill Me, Deadly' Trailer: 'Criminal Minds' Crew's Noir Spoof Movie – Deadline". Deadline. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
  11. Erik Pedersen (24 March 2016). "'Justice' Rounds Out Cast; Rory Cochrane Joins 'The Most Hated Woman in America' - Deadline". Deadline. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
  12. Kay2020-11-11T15:15:00+00:00, Jeremy. "Voltage Pictures' 'Reagan' finds its Margaret Thatcher (exclusive)". Screen.
  13. "tutorgig.com". Archived from the original on 18 September 2012. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
  14. Allis, Tim (28 February 1994). "The Spoils of War". People. Retrieved 13 May 2009.
  15. "Biography at Lesley-Anne Down". Archived from the original on 7 August 2009.
  16. "Actress Lesley-Anne Down's career's definitely on the up and up". South Coast Today. 24 February 2002. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
  17. "Chatter". People Magazine. 21 March 1977. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
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