Biography

Jane Seymour was born on February 15 1951 in Hillingdon, England as Joyce
Penelope Wilhelmina Frankenberg and as the oldest child to John Frankenberg and Mieke Frankenberg - van Trigt. She has two younger sisters, Sally and Anne.

Jane began training ballet at the age of three. At thirteen she made her professional debut with the London Festival Ballet. Later she went to the Arts Educational Schools In London to train dance, music and theatre. She suffered from knee injuries during her first performance with the famous Russian Kirov Ballet, putting an end to her ballet career.

'As a girl I was determined to become a dancer. The trouble was that I'm the wrong build. I have a long back and shorter legs, whereas ballerinas need the reverse. (..) I injured my cartilage in jazz dance and I had to give up ballet. It was only a matter of time anyway, because of my build, but I was devastated. Fortunately, going to the school I did, I was able to do more acting classes. Looking back, injuring my cartilage did me a big favour. It was probably the best thing that ever happened to me because it led to becoming an actress and everything that has come with it.' - Hello magazine July 15 2000

She changed her name in Jane Seymour because she thought Frankenberg sounded too much like Frankenstein, Frankfürter or Frankenburger. She first tried 'Joyce Franks' but that was said to be too common, then she wanted to try her mother's maiden name, but that was said to be unpronouncable, then her agent came up with Jane Seymour and it stayed that way.

Jane was determined to make it as an actress and went to the US. Her breakthrough came with her role as Solitaire in the James Bond movie 'Live and Let die'. Over the years she won an Emmy (for Onassis) and two Golden Globes (for East of Eden and Dr. Quinn) and she has been nominated several times.

Jane is involved in several charity organistations like Unicef, City Hearts, Make-A-Wish Foundation and Childhelp USA. She also paints and writes children's books (This One and That One) with her husband James Keach. She also has her own clothing line.

James Keach (1948) is her fourth husband. They married May 15 1993. Her ex-husbands are: Michael Attenborough ('71-'73), Geoffrey 'Jeep' Planer ('77-'78) and David Flynn ('81-'92).

Jane has four children: Katie Flynn (January 7 '82), Sean Flynn (July '85) and the twins John (named after her late father and her dear friend Johnny Cash) and Kristopher (named after her dear friend Christopher Reeve) Keach (November 30 '95). Her stepchildren are Kalen Keach and Jennifer Flynn.

Jane resides in Malibu, California and in her 16th century manor 'St. Catherine's Court' near Bath, England.

Filmography

Touching Wild Horses (2002) .... Fiona
Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman: The Heart Within (2001) (TV) .... Dr. Michaela Quinn
Blackout (2001/I) (TV) .... Kathy Robbins
Yesterday's Children (2000) (TV) .... Jenny Cole/Mary Sutton
"Celebrity Dish" (2000) TV Series .... Herself
... aka "TV Guide's Celebrity Dish" (2000) (USA: complete title)
Enslavement: The True Story of Fanny Kemble (2000) (TV) .... Fanny Kemble
Murder in the Mirror (2000) (TV) .... Mary

James Bond Story, The (1999) (TV) .... Herself
... aka 007: The James Bond Story (1999) (TV) (New Zealand: English title)
Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman: The Movie (1999) (TV) .... Dr. Michaela 'Mike' Quinn
Memory in My Heart, A (1999) (TV) .... Rebecca Blake
Junket Whore (1998) .... Herself
Marriage of Convenience, A (1998) (TV) .... Chris Winslow
New Swiss Family Robinson, The (1998) .... Anna Robinson
CBS: The First 50 Years (1998) (TV) .... Herself
Quest for Camelot (1998) (voice) .... Lady Juliana
... aka Magic Sword: Quest for Camelot, The (1998)
Christopher Reeve: A Celebration of Hope (1998) (TV) .... Herself
Joy of Natural Childbirth (1997)
Secrets of 007: The James Bond Files, The (1997) (TV) .... Herself
Big Guns Talk: The Story of the Western (1997) (TV) .... Interviewee: Actress
Absolute Truth, The (1997) (TV) .... Alison Reid
It's Alive: The True Story of Frankenstein (1994) (TV) .... Herself
100 Years of the Hollywood Western (1994) (TV) .... Herself
Passion for Justice: The Hazel Brannon Smith Story, A (1994) (TV) .... Hazel Brannon Smith
... aka Quest for Justice (1994) (TV)
Praying Mantis (1993) (TV) .... Linda Crandell
TV Guide's 40th Anniversary (1993) (TV) .... Herself
Heidi (1993) (TV) .... Fräulein Rottenmeier
John Barry: Moviola (1993) (TV) .... Herself
"Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman" (1993) TV Series .... Dr. Michaela 'Dr. Mike' Quinn
Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman (1993) (TV) .... Dr. Michaela 'Dr. Mike' Quinn
Sunstroke (1992) (TV) .... Teresa
Are You Lonesome Tonight? (1992) (TV) .... Adrienne Welles
"Memories of Midnight" (1991) (mini) TV Series .... Catherine Alexander Douglas
... aka "Sidney Sheldon's Memories of Midnight" (1991) (mini) (USA: complete title)
Magic of David Copperfield XIII: Mystery on the Orient Express, The (1991) (TV) .... Guest Star
Matters of the Heart (1990) (TV) .... Hadley Norman
Angel of Death (1990) (TV) .... Laura

Révolution française, La (1989) .... Marie Antoinette
... aka Französische Revolution, Die (1989) (Germany)
... aka French Revolution, The (1989)
Keys to Freedom (1988)
... aka Death Dealers (1988)
Audience with Victoria Wood, An (1988) (TV) .... Herself, audience member
"War and Remembrance" (1988) (mini) TV Series .... Natalie Henry
Jack the Ripper (1988) (TV) .... Emma Prentiss
Onassis: The Richest Man in the World (1988) (TV) .... Maria Callas
... aka Onassis (1988) (TV)
... aka Richest Man in the World, The (1988) (TV)
Woman He Loved, The (1988) (TV) .... Wallis Simpson
Túnel, El (1987) .... Maria
... aka Tunnel, The (1988) (USA)
Grand Knockout Tournament, The (1987) (TV) .... Herself
"Crossings" (1986) (mini) TV Series .... Hillary Burnham
Head Office (1985) .... Jane Caldwell
Jamaica Inn (1985) (TV) .... Mary Yellan
Obsessed with a Married Woman (1985) (TV) .... Diane Putnam
"Sun Also Rises, The" (1984) (mini) TV Series .... Brett Ashley
Dark Mirror (1984) (TV) .... Leigh Cullen/Tracy Cullen
Lassiter (1984) .... Sara Wells
Haunting Passion, The (1983) (TV) .... Julia Evans
Phantom of the Opera, The (1983) (TV) .... Maria Gianelli
Scarlet Pimpernel, The (1982) (TV) .... Marguerite
"East of Eden" (1981) (mini) TV Series .... Cathy/Kate Ames
... aka "John Steinbeck's 'East of Eden'" (1981) (mini)
Badness Within Him, The (1980) (TV)
... aka Last Summer's Child (1980) (TV) (UK: informal English alternative title)
Oh, Heavenly Dog! (1980) .... Jackie
Somewhere in Time (1980) .... Elise McKenna

Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders (1979) (TV) .... Laura Cole
Battlestar Galactica (1978) (TV) .... Serina
... aka Curse of the Cylons (1978) (TV) (USA: recut version)
Love's Dark Side (1978) (TV) .... Diana
"Awakening Land, The" (1978) (mini) TV Series .... Genny Luckett
Four Feathers, The (1977) (TV) .... Ethne Eustace
Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger (1977) .... Farah
... aka Sinbad at the World's End (1977)
Killer on Board (1977) (TV) .... Jan
Battle of the Network Stars II (1977) (TV) .... NBC Team Contestant
"Seventh Avenue" (1977) (mini) TV Series .... Eva Meyers
Benny and Barney: Las Vegas Undercover (1977) (TV) .... Margie Parks
... aka Benny and Barney, the Aristocrats (1977) (TV) (USA)
... aka Las Vegas Undercover (1977) (TV)
"Captains and the Kings" (1976) (mini) TV Series .... Marjorie Chisholm Armagh
Morir... dormir... tal vez soñar (1976)
Story of David, The (1976) (TV) .... Bathsheba
"Our Mutual Friend" (1976) (mini) TV Series .... Bella Wilfer
Hanged Man, The (1974) (TV)
Live and Let Die (1973) .... Solitaire
"Pathfinders, The" (1972) TV Series .... Sheila Conway
Best Pair of Legs in the Business, The (1972) .... Kim Thorn
Frankenstein: The True Story (1972) (TV) .... Agatha/Prima
Young Winston (1972) .... Pamela Plowden
"Strauss Family, The" (1972) (mini) TV Series .... Karolin
"Onedin Line, The" (1971) TV Series .... Emma Callon
Only Way, The (1970) .... Lillian Stein
... aka Oktober-dage (1970) (Denmark)

Oh! What a Lovely War (1969) (uncredited)