Jennifer Ann AgutterOBE(born 20 December 1952) is an English actress. She began her career as a child actress in 1964, appearing inEast of Sudan,Star!,and two adaptations ofThe Railway Children;theBBC's 1968 television serialand the1970 film version.In 1971 she also starred in the critically acclaimed filmWalkaboutand the TV filmThe Snow Goose,for which she won anEmmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama.

Jenny Agutter
Agutter in 2022
Born
Jennifer Ann Agutter

(1952-12-20)20 December 1952(age 71)
Taunton,Somerset, England
Years active1964–present
Spouse
Johan Tham
(m.1990)
Children1
Websitejennyagutter.net

She relocated to the United States in 1974 to pursue a Hollywood career and subsequently appeared inLogan's Run(1976),Amy(1981),An American Werewolf in London(1981), andChild's Play 2(1990). During the same period, Agutter continued appearing in high-profile British films, such asThe Eagle Has Landed(1976),Equus(1977)—for which she won aBAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role—andThe Riddle of the Sands(1979). In 1981, she co-starred inThe Survivor,an Australian adaptation of theJames Herbertnovel by that name, and was nominated for anAACTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role.

After returning to Britain in the early 1990s to pursue family life, Agutter shifted her focus to television, appearing in the 2000 version oftelevision adaptation ofThe Railway Children,this time as the mother, and since 2012 she has had an ongoing role in the BBC'sCall the Midwife.Her film work in recent years includesThe Avengers(2012) andCaptain America: The Winter Soldier(2014), and in 2022, Agutter returned to the world ofThe Railway Childrenonce more by reprising her role from the 1970 film 52 years later in a sequel,The Railway Children Return.

Agutter is married, and has one adult son. She supports several charitable causes, mostly ones related tocystic fibrosis,a condition from which her niece suffers, and for her service to those causes was appointedOfficer of the Order of the British Empire(OBE) in the2012 Birthday Honours.

Early life

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Agutter was born on 20 December 1952[1]inTaunton,Somerset, England.[2]She is the daughter of Derek Agutter (an entertainments manager in the British Army) and Catherine, and was raised Roman Catholic.[3]She has Irish ancestry on her mother's side.[4]As a child, she lived in Singapore,[5]Dhekelia(Cyprus) andKuala Lumpur(Malaya). She attendedElmhurst Ballet School,[6]a boarding school, from ages eight to sixteen.[5]

Career

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Television and film

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Agutter andRichard HarrisinThe Snow Goose(1971)

Agutter became known to television audiences for her role in the twice-weekly BBC seriesThe Newcomers.(She played Kirsty, the daughter of the new managing director of Eden Brothers, the fictional firm that is at the centre of the series.) Agutter could appear only during school holidays. At this stage of her career, she was listed in credits as “Jennifer”. In 1966, she portrayed a ballet pupil in Disney's filmBallerina.In 1968, she was featured in the lavish big-budget20th Century Foxfilm musicalStar!which featuredJulie AndrewsasGertrude Lawrence;Agutter played Lawrence's neglected daughter Pamela. Later, she played Roberta in a BBC adaptation ofThe Railway Children(1968) and inLionel Jeffries's1970 filmof the book. She followed this with a more serious role in the thrillerI Start Counting(1969). She also won an Emmy as supporting actress for her television role as Fritha in a Britishtelevision adaptationofThe Snow Goose(1971).

Agutter then moved into adult roles, beginning withWalkabout(1971), in which she played a teenage schoolgirl who is lost with her younger brother in the Australianoutback.She auditioned for the role in 1967, but funding problems delayed filming until 1969. The delay meant Agutter was sixteen at the time of filming, which allowed the director to include nude scenes.[7]Among them was a five-minuteskinny-dippingscene, which was cut from the original US release.[8]She said at the 2005Bradford Film Festivalat theNational Media Museumthat she was shocked by the film's explicitness, but remained on good terms with directorNicolas Roeg.[9]

Agutter moved to Hollywood at twenty-one and appeared in a number of films over the next decade, includingThe Eagle Has Landed(1976),Logan's Run(1976),Equus(1977) (for which she won aBAFTA as Best Supporting Actress),An American Werewolf in London(1981), and an adaptation of the James Herbert novelThe Survivor(1981). Agutter has commented that the innocence of the characters she played in her early films, combined with the costumes and nudity in later adult roles such asLogan's Run,Equus,andAn American Werewolf in London,are "perfect fantasy fodder".[10][11]

In 1990, Agutter returned to the UK to concentrate on family life and her focus shifted towards British television. During the 1990s, she was cast in an adaptation ofJeffrey Archer's novelNot a Penny More, Not a Penny Lessand as the scandalous Idina Hatton in the BBC miniseriesThe Buccaneers,inspired byEdith Wharton's unfinished 1938 book, and made guest appearances in television series such asRed DwarfandHeartbeat.In 2000, she starred in a third adaptation ofThe Railway Children,produced byCarlton TV,this time playing the mother.[12][13]Since then Agutter has had recurring roles in several television series includingSpooks,The Invisibles,Monday MondayandThe Alan Clark Diaries.In 2012 Agutter resumed her Hollywood career, appearing as a member of the World Security Council in the blockbuster filmThe Avengers;she reprised her role inCaptain America: The Winter Soldier(2014). Since 2012, Agutter has played Sister Julienne in the BBC television drama seriesCall the Midwife.

Theatre

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Agutter has appeared in numerous theatre productions since her stage debut in 1970, including stints at theNational Theatrein 1972–73, the title role in a derivation ofHedda Gablerat theRoundhousein 1980 and with theRoyal Shakespeare Companyin 1982–83, playing Alice inArden of Faversham,Regan inKing Learand Fontanelle inLear.In 1987–88, Agutter played the role of Pat Green in theBroadwayproduction of theHugh WhitemoreplayBreaking the Code,about computer pioneerAlan Turing.[14]In 1995 she was in an RSC production ofLove's Labour's Loststaged in Tokyo.[14]She is also a patron of theShakespeare Schools Festival,a charity that enables school children in the UK to perform Shakespeare in professional theatres.[15]

Audio

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In 2008, she also guest-starred in theDoctor Whoaudio dramaThe Bride of Peladon[16]and played an outlawed scientist inThe Minister of Chance.[17]She has appeared as a guest star character ( "Fiona Templeton" ) in the Radio 4 comedyEd Reardon's Week.[18]

Music

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Agutter appears on the 1990Prefab Sproutsong "Wild Horses", speaking the words "I want to have you".[19]

Personal life

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At a 1989 arts festival inBath, Somerset,Agutter met Johan Tham, a Swedish hotelier[20]who was a director ofCliveden Hotelin Buckinghamshire.[21]They married in August 1990,[22]and their son Jonathan[4]was born on 25 December 1990.[20]Agutter lives in London, but has a keen interest inCornwall[23]and once owned a second home there on theTrelowarren Estate,in one of the parishes onthe Lizard peninsula.[24]

Jenny Agutter in 2014

She was appointed anOfficer of the Order of the British Empire(OBE) in the2012 Birthday Honours,for her charitable services.[25]

Agutter has been attached to several causes throughout her career. She has been involved in raising awareness of the illness cystic fibrosis, which she believes was responsible for the deaths of two of her siblings. Her niece has the disease. At Agutter's suggestion, an episode ofCall the Midwifefocused on cystic fibrosis.[citation needed]She has also worked in support of charities, in particular theCystic Fibrosis Trust,of which she is a patron (she is also a carrier of the genetic mutation).[4][26][27]

Politics

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In August 2014, Agutter was one of 200 public figures who were signatories to a letter toThe Guardianexpressing their hope that Scotland would vote to remain part of the United Kingdom in September 2014'sreferendum on that issue.[28]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Roles Notes
1964 East of Sudan Asua
1966 A Man Could Get Killed Linda Frazier
1968 Gates to Paradise Maud
Star! Pamela Roper
1969 I Start Counting Wynne
1970 The Railway Children Roberta "Bobbie" Waterbury
1971 Walkabout Girl
1976 Logan's Run Jessica 6
The Eagle Has Landed Molly Prior
1977 Equus Jill Mason BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role
The Man in the Iron Mask Louise de la Vallière
1978 China 9, Liberty 37 Catherine Sebanek
Dominique Ann Ballard a.k.a.Dominique Is Dead
1979 The Riddle of the Sands Clara
1979 Mayflower: The Pilgrims' Adventure Priscilla Mullins
1980 Sweet William Ann Walton
1981 Amy Amy Medford
The Survivor Hobbs Nominated –Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role
An American Werewolf in London Nurse Alex Price Nominated –Saturn Award for Best Actress
1984 Secret Places Miss Lowrie
1989 Dark Tower Carolyn Page
1990 King of the Wind Hannah Coke
Child's Play 2 Joanne Simpson
Darkman Burn Doctor Uncredited Cameo
1992 Freddie as F.R.O.7 Daffers
1995 Blue Juice Mary Fenton
2001 The Parole Officer Victor's Wife
2002 At Dawning Escaping woman Short film
2004 Number One Longing, Number Two Regret Kenosha
2006 Heroes and Villains June
2007 Irina Palm Jane
2007 The Magic Door Black Witch
2009 Glorious 39 Maud Keyes
2010 Burke and Hare Lucy
2011 Outside Bet Shirley Baxter
Golden Brown Sarah
2012 The Avengers Councilwoman Hawley
2014 Captain America: The Winter Soldier
2015 Queen of the Desert[29] Florence Bell
Tin Marjorie Dawson
2018 Sometimes Always Never Margaret
2022 The Railway Children Return Roberta "Bobbie" Waterbury

Television

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Year Title Roles Notes
1965 The Newcomers Kirsty Kerr BBC TV series
Alexander Graham Bell Grace Hubbard BBC TV series
1966 Ballerina Ingrid Jensen Two-part episode ofDisneyland;credited as Jennifer Agutter
1967 Boy Meets Girl Joanna BBC TV; Series 1, Episode 10: "Long After Summer"
1968 The Railway Children Roberta Faraday BBC TV series
1970 The Great Inimitable Mr. Dickens Young Maria Beadnall / Mary Hogarth / Ellen Ternan TV film
1971 The Snow Goose Fritha Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama
1972 The Wild Duck Hedvig BBC TV "Play of the Month" broadcast on BBC 1 on 19 March
A War of Children Maureen Tomelty American (CBS) TV film set in Northern Ireland duringThe Troubles
Shelley Mary Shelley BBC TV series
1974 Thriller Dominie Lanceford Series 2, Episode 3: "Kiss Me and Die"
1975 Shadows Sue Season One, Episode Four: "The Waiting Room"
1977 The Six Million Dollar Man Dr. Leah Russell "Deadly Countdown" Parts 1 & 2
1980 Beulah Land Lizzie Corlay TV mini-series
1985 Love's Labour's Lost Rosaline BBC TV film
Magnum, P.I. Krista Villeroch Season 5, Episode 96: "Little Games"
Silas Marner Nancy Lammeter BBC TV film
1986 The Twilight Zone Morgan le Fay Season 1, Episode 24: "The Last Defender of Camelot"
Murder, She Wrote Margo Claymore Season 3, Episode 4: "One White Rose for Death"
1987 The Grand Knockout Tournament Herself TV special
The Twilight Zone Jacinda Season 2, Episode 13: "Voices in the Earth"[30]
1990 Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less Jill Albery BBC TV mini-series
1991 The Diamond Brothers: South by South East Louise Meyer CITV mini-series
1992 Dream On Ellen Season 3,Episode 22: "No Deposit, No Return"
1993 Red Dwarf Professor Mamet "Psirens"
1994 Heartbeat Susannah Temple-Richards Series 4, Episode 8:"Fair Game"
1994 Love Hurts Jeanette Summers Season 3, Episode 9 Season 3, Episode 10
1995 The Buccaneers Idina Hatton BBC TV mini-series
2000 The Railway Children Mother ITV
2002 Spooks Tessa Phillips BBC TV series
2003 Britain's Finest Presenter Channel 5Series 1, Episode 2: "Gardens"
2004 The Alan Clark Diaries Jane Clark BBC TV series
The Inspector Lynley Mysteries Jemma Sanderson BBC TV Series 3, Episode 3
Agatha Christie's Marple Agnes Crackenthorpe Series 1, Episode 3: "4.50 from Paddington"
2005 New Tricks Yvonne Barrie BBC TV Series 2, Episode 1
2006 Agatha Christie's Poirot Adela Marchmont Season 10, Episode 4: "Taken at the Flood"
2007 Diamond Geezer Vanessa ITV series
2008 The Invisibles Barbara Riley BBC TV series
2009 Monday Monday Jenny Mountfield ITV1 TV series
2010 Midsomer Murders Isobel Chettham ITV1 TV series, Episode 72: "The Creeper"
2012–present Call the Midwife Sister Julienne BBC TV series

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Work Result Ref.
1972 24th Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Hallmark Hall of Fame (Episode: The Snow Goose) Won
1977 31st British Academy Film Awards BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role Equus Won
1981 Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films Saturn Award for Best Actress An American Werewolf in London Nominated
1981 1981 Australian Film Institute Awards AACTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role The Survivor (1981 film) Nominated
2022 TV Choice Awards Best Actress Call the Midwife Won
2023 TV Choice Awards Best Actress Call the Midwife Nominated

References

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  1. ^"Agutter, Jenny 1952–".Encyclopedia.com.Cengage.Retrieved23 May2022.
  2. ^"TV star Jenny Agutter cuts the ribbon on new homes".Somerset County Gazette.1 May 2012.Archivedfrom the original on 22 January 2018.Retrieved25 May2017.
  3. ^"Call the Midwife's Jenny Agutter:" I do love playing a nun "".Radio Times.18 January 2015.Archivedfrom the original on 12 April 2021.
  4. ^Jump up to: abcEwing, Sarah (22 August 2014)."Jenny Agutter: My family values".Interviews.The Guardian.
  5. ^Jump up to: ab"Jenny Agutter is Jane Clark".BBC.Archivedfrom the original on 22 January 2018.Retrieved25 May2017.
  6. ^"Elmhurst Ballet School at 100. Feature by Diane Parkes".elmhurstballetschool.org.12 January 2023.Retrieved8 April2024.
  7. ^Nowra, L.(2003).Walkabout.Sydney:Currency Press& Canberra:ScreenSound Australia, National Screen and Sound Archive,pp. 17–18;ISBN978-0-86819-700-5.
  8. ^"Creative Spirits".Creativespirits.info. Archived fromthe originalon 19 August 2010.Retrieved19 June2010.
  9. ^Jenny Agutter: A Charmed Career,2006. Directed by Tony Earnshaw.National Museum of Photography, Film & Television.
  10. ^McLean, G. (22 February 2002)."My life in front of the lens".The Guardian.Archived fromthe originalon 1 January 2017.Retrieved21 August2009.
  11. ^Crace, J. (8 December 1997)."Interview: Almost forever young".The Independent.Archivedfrom the original on 1 January 2017.Retrieved21 August2009.
  12. ^"Agutter, Jenny (1952–)".British Film Institute.Archivedfrom the original on 11 May 2013.Retrieved29 December2013.
  13. ^Lockyer, Daphne (May 2008)."The eyes have it".SAGA Magazine:66. Archived fromthe originalon 30 December 2013.Retrieved29 December2013.
  14. ^Jump up to: abJenny Agutter website: BiographyArchived18 April 2012 at theWayback Machine.Retrieved 5 August 2013.
  15. ^"Shakespeare Schools Foundation Patrons".Shakespeare Schools Foundation.Shakespeare Schools Foundation.Archived fromthe originalon 11 December 2017.Retrieved12 July2021.
  16. ^Powell, Jenny Agutter & Philip."Jenny Agutter: Recordings and Radio".www.jennyagutter.net.Archivedfrom the original on 12 August 2016.Retrieved25 May2017.
  17. ^Mahoney, Elisabeth (16 March 2011)."Radio head: The Minister of Chance".The Guardian.Archivedfrom the original on 6 October 2014.Retrieved3 October2014.This sci-fi podcast is a gripping futuristic thriller – let's hope they get to make the final episodes.
  18. ^"BBC Radio 4 Extra – Ed Reardon's Week, Series 8, Have a Great Weekend".BBC.2012.Archivedfrom the original on 20 June 2014.Retrieved3 October2014.
  19. ^"Prefab Sprout – Jordan: The Comeback".discogs.com.28 August 1990.Retrieved16 July2023.
  20. ^Jump up to: ab"Jenny Agutter on Call the Midwife: 'It's hard playing a nun. You're asked to believe things that are absurd' | Call The Midwife".The Guardian.Retrieved2 July2021.
  21. ^"Diary of a tireless busybody Jenny Agutter, one of Britain's most consistently successful and thoughtful stars, reveals what it was like to play Alan Clark's wife in the eponymous Diaries series".HeraldScotland.19 January 2004.Retrieved2 July2021.
  22. ^Powell, Rosalind."Relative Values: the actress Jenny Agutter and her niece Georgina, a florist".The Times.Retrieved2 July2021.
  23. ^"JENNY AGUTTER'S CORNWALL LIFE".Great British Life.16 May 2014.Retrieved2 July2021.
  24. ^"SISTER TREASURE: JENNY AGUTTER".Great British Life.6 February 2017.Retrieved2 July2021.
  25. ^"No. 60173".The London Gazette(Supplement). 16 June 2012. p. 8.
  26. ^"Sixty Five Roses Club — Scotland".Cystic Fibrosis trust. Archived fromthe originalon 12 March 2017.Retrieved25 May2017.
  27. ^Bowdler, Neil (25 June 2010)."Jenny Agutter: 'Cystic fibrosis is in my family'".BBC News.Archivedfrom the original on 13 September 2014.Retrieved25 May2017.
  28. ^"Celebrities' open letter to Scotland – full text and list of signatories | Politics".The Guardian.7 August 2014.Archivedfrom the original on 17 August 2014.Retrieved26 August2014.
  29. ^"Top 100 Most Anticipated Foreign Films of 2015: #64. Werner Herzog's Queen of the Desert".ION Cinema. 6 January 2015.Archivedfrom the original on 24 February 2015.Retrieved23 February2015.
  30. ^"Television: 1980s".Jenny Agutter's Official Website.Archived fromthe originalon 24 March 2020.Retrieved24 March2020.
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