Jenny Agutter Biography
Jenny Ann Agutter was born on 20th December 1952 in Taunton, Somerset, England, UK. She was the daughter of a British Army Officer and spent her childhood travelling and living in many different countries. Her film career began in 1964 at the age of 12 in East of Sudan and was quickly followed by Ballerina in 1965 and A Man Could Get Killed in 1966. Other films and television appearances in her early career include Gates to Paradise and Long After Summer (1967); Star! (1968); I Start Counting (1969); The Great Inimitable Mr Dickens and The Wild Duck (1970).
In 1970 she appeared in what was probably her real big break as a child star - The Railway Children - playing the part of Bobbie. In 1971 Jenny went to Hollywood where she made many more films and television appearances. These include (1971) The Cherry Orchard; Walkabout and The Snow Goose with Richard Harris for which she received an Emmy Award, (1972) A War of Children and Shelley.
In 1976 another big break came when she starred in the science fiction film Logan’s Run in which she played Jessica alongside Michael York. In 1976 she also starred alongside Richard Chamberlain in the television production of The Man In The Iron Mask and The Eagle Has Landed with Michael Caine and Donald Sutherland. In 1977 she play Jill Mason in Peter Shaffer’s Equus with Richard Burton. Other films and TV appearances during the 70s included Dominique; School Play; The Riddle of the Sands and Mayflower: The Pilgrim’s Adventure.
In 1981 Jenny played Desdemona opposite William Marshall in Othello. Other Shakespeare performances include King Lear; Love’s Labour Lost as Rosaline for the BBC and Romeo and Juliet as Lady Capulet in 1994. During the 80s Jenny continued to make numerous films and television series including Sweet William and the TV mini series “Beulah Land†(1980); The Survivor; Amy and An American Werewolf in London (1981); This Office Life and Secret Places (1984); Silas Marner: The Weaver of Raveloe (1985); Dark Tower (1987); Miss Right (1988) and King of the Wind (1989).
In the 90s Jenny has concentrated mainly on television with roles in TECX; Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less; The All New Alexei Sayle Show; The Buccaneers with Sean Pertwee, Ewan McGregor and Catherine Zeta-Jones; And the Beat Goes On; September with Edward Fox, Michael York, Virginia McKenna and Jacqueline Bisset; A Respectable Trade with Warren Clarke, Anna Massey and Richard Briers. Films during this period included Child’s Play 2; Darkman with Liam Neeson; and Blue Juice. Jenny’s most recent television appearance was in 1998 as Mrs Bruce in two feature length episodes of the popular ITV series Bramwell in which she appeared with Jemma Redgrave. She has also made several guest appearances in TV shows The Red Dwarf; Boon; The Equalizer with Edward Woodward; The Twilight Zone; Magnum P.I. and The Six Million Dollar Man.
Jenny has been married to Johan Tham since the late 1980s. They have one son Jonathan, born in 1990, and live in Cornwall, England, UK. Her particular love is charity work for The Diabetic Association and NCH Action for Children - a charity which provides home and other help for homeless children - a charity she has been involved with for 5 years.