Jill Dorothy Ireland (24 April 1936 – 18 May 1990) was an English actress and singer.
Early life
Born in Hounslow South West London, Ireland was the daughter of a wine importer.[1][2] She was educated at Chatsworth Junior School in Hounslow. She lived at 'Chertsey' on Maswell Park Road in Hounslow.[3]
Career
Ireland began acting in the mid-1950s with small roles in films such as Simon and Laura (1955) and Three Men in a Boat (1956). She appeared with first husband David McCallum in five episodes of The Man from U.N.C.L.E.: "The Quadripartite Affair" (season 1, episode 3, 1964), "The Giuoco Piano Affair" (season 1, episode 7, 1964), "The Tigers Are Coming Affair" (season 2, episode 8, 1965), and a two-parter "The Five Daughters Affair" (season 3, episodes 28 & 29, 1967).
She appeared in 16 films with second husband Charles Bronson between 1970 and 1987, and was involved in two of Bronson’s other films as a producer. The last of these films, Assassination (1987), was her biggest role in terms of screen time, with Ireland playing the First Lady of the United States and Bronson a Secret Service agent assigned to protect her. During her marriage to Bronson, Ireland appeared in only one TV episode, one made-for-TV movie and one theatrical film that didn't star her husband.
Personal life
In 1957, Ireland married actor David McCallum, whom she met while working on Hell Drivers.[4] They had two sons, Paul and Valentine, and adopted a third, Jason. McCallum and Ireland separated in 1965 and divorced in 1967. Jason McCallum died of a drug overdose in 1989.[5]
In 1968, Ireland married Charles Bronson.[4] She had met him when he and McCallum were filming The Great Escape (1963) some years earlier. Together they had a daughter, Zuleika, and adopted a daughter, Katrina. They remained married until Ireland's death in 1990.[6]
Death and legacy
Ireland was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1984.[4] After her diagnosis, Ireland wrote two books, chronicling her battle with the disease. At the time of her death, she was writing a third book and became a spokeswoman for the American Cancer Society.[4] In 1988, she testified before the U.S. Congress about medical costs and was given the American Cancer Society's Courage Award by President Ronald Reagan.[7]
In 1990, Ireland died of breast cancer at her home in Malibu, California.[7] She was cremated and her ashes were placed in a walking cane which Charles Bronson had buried with him at Brownsville Cemetery[8] when he died in 2003.[9]
In 1991, Ireland was portrayed by Jill Clayburgh in the made-for-television film Reason for Living: The Jill Ireland Story. The film, which was based on Ireland's memoir Lifelines and listed her posthumously as an executive producer, received mixed reviews from critics.[11] To prepare for the role, Clayburgh, who had never met Ireland, read Lifelines and listened to Ireland's recorded interviews.[12]
^Wilson, Scott. Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons, 3d ed.: 2 (Kindle Locations 23030-23037). McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. Kindle Edition.
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