Janette Scott

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Not to be confused with Jeannette Scott.
Janette Scott
Born
Thora Janette Scott

(1938-12-14) 14 December 1938 (age 82)
Morecambe, Lancashire, England
NationalityBritish
OccupationActress, author
Years active1942–1967, 1997
Spouse(s)
​
(m. 1959⁠–⁠1965)​

(divorced)
​
(m. 1966⁠–⁠1977)​

(divorced)
William Rademaekers
​
(m. 1981)​
Children2 including James Tormé
Parent(s)James Scott
Thora Hird

Thora Janette Scott (born 14 December 1938) is an English retired actress.[1]

Life and career[]

Scott was born on 14 December 1938 in Morecambe, Lancashire, England.[2] She is the daughter of actors Jimmy Scott and Thora Hird and began her acting career as a child actress known as Janette Scott. Scott was briefly (along with Jennifer Gay) one of the so-called "Children's Announcers" providing continuity links for the BBC's children's TV programmes from the Lime Grove Studios in the early 1950s.

She became a popular leading lady, one of her better known roles as April Smith in the film School for Scoundrels (1960), based on the "one-upmanship" books by Stephen Potter, in which Ian Carmichael and Terry-Thomas competed for her attention.[3] Some scenes for School for Scoundrels were shot at a private members club before its current incarnation as a hotel. The hotel hosted a screening in 2016 with Janette Scott attending and answering questions about filming School for Scoundrels.[4]

Scott's highest profile as a leading lady in British films was from the late 1950s to the mid-1960s, having over a dozen leading roles during this period. She was the female lead opposite some major stars of the time, including Terry-Thomas, Ian Carmichael, Ronald Lewis, Ian Hendry and George Chakiris. She proved adept in a wide variety of genres, including comedy, romantic drama, sci-fi thriller, and period adventure. She gave up her career upon marrying second husband Mel Tormé.

She is best known to American audiences for her role as the parson's wife in the film The Devil's Disciple (1959), starring Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas and Laurence Olivier.[5]

She is referenced by name in the song "Science Fiction/Double Feature", the opening number from The Rocky Horror Show and its film version The Rocky Horror Picture Show (performed over the opening credits), for her participation in the 1962 film The Day of the Triffids.

Scott wrote her autobiography Act One at the age of 14.[6][7]

Marriages[]

She has been married three times:

  1. Jackie Rae (27 June 1959 – 1965), divorced
  2. Mel Tormé (20 May 1966 – 1977), divorced; 2 children, including son James Tormé
  3. William Rademaekers (since 1981)[2]

Filmography[]

Film[]

Year Title Role Notes
1942 Went the Day Well? Child
1943 The Lamp Still Burns
1944 Two Thousand Women Mrs. Burtshaw's Daughter on Mother's Lap
1944 The Gay Intruders
1949 Conspirator Toby
1950 No Place for Jennifer Jennifer
1951 The Galloping Major Susan Hill (with mother, Thora Hird)
1951 No Highway in the Sky Elspeth Honey
1951 The Magic Box Ethel Friese-Greene
1953 Background Jess Lomax AKA, Edge of Divorce
1955 As Long as They're Happy Gwen Bentley
1956 Helen of Troy Cassandra
1956 Now and Forever Janette Grant
1957 The Good Companions Susie Dean
1958 Happy Is the Bride Janet Royd
1959 The Lady Is a Square Joanna Baring
1959 The Devil's Disciple Judith Anderson
1960 School for Scoundrels April Smith
1961 His and Hers Fran Blake
1961 Double Bunk Peggy
1962 Two and Two Make Six Irene
1963 The Day of the Triffids Karen Goodwin
1963 Paranoiac Eleanor Ashby
1963 Siege of the Saxons Katherine
1963 The Old Dark House Cecily Femm
1964 The Beauty Jungle Shirley Freeman
1965 Crack in the World Dr. Maggie Sorenson
1967 Bikini Paradise Rachel

Television[]

Year Title Role Notes
1954 The Dashing White Sergeant Fione Cuningham TV film
1957 Sunday Night Theatre Judy Episode: "The Girl at the Next Table"
1958 Armchair Theatre Maeve McHugh Episode: "A Man's Woman"
1960 BBC Sunday-Night Play Kitty Tape Episode: "20th Century Theatre: The Queen Came By"
1965 Burke's Law Jennifer Robbins Episode: "Password to Death"
1997 Last of the Summer Wine Cameo Episode: "There Goes the Groom"

References[]

  1. ^ "Janette Scott".
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b Cotter, Robert Michael “Bobb” (2013). The Women of Hammer Horror: A Biographical Dictionary and Filmography. McFarland. p. 166. ISBN 9781476602011. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
  3. ^ "School for Scoundrels (1960) - Robert Hamer - Cast and Crew - AllMovie". AllMovie.
  4. ^ "Happy Birthday Janette Scott!". Art & Hue. 14 December 2017.
  5. ^ "Janette Scott - Biography, Movie Highlights and Photos - AllMovie". AllMovie.
  6. ^ http://www.clickautographs.com/detail.php?id=9543
  7. ^ Act one: an autobiography with portraits OCLC 504447646

External links[]

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