Jacqueline Bisset’s Life Through Rare Vintage Photos

To the newer generations, Jacqueline Bisset is an unfamiliar name. However, if you’ve grown up watching movies from the ‘60s and the ‘70s, Jacqueline Bisset is not a name you can easily forget. From the moment she first entered the industry, Bisset captured the hearts of millions of movie lovers with her charm and acting ability. The star of many popular movies such as The Deep, Bullitt, and Airport, this blue-eyed beauty has several Golden Globe nominations in her bag and has won one as well.

Despite what many people seem to think, Jacqueline Bisset was not American. She was born on September 13th, 1944, in Weybridge, Surrey, England to George Maxwell Fraser Bisset and Arlette Alexander. Her parents were fairly successful in their professions, with her father being a general practitioner and her mother a lawyer. Her heritage is pretty unique too, as she is descended from several European cultures. Her father was Scottish while her mother was half-English and half-French, having cycled from Paris during the Second World War to escape the German invasion.

Although Bisset was born in Surrey, England, this is not where she was raised. She spent her youth in Tilehurst, a suburban town in Berkshire located just west of Reading. She grew up in a 17th-century cottage with her family, and the cottage still exists today. Surprisingly, the cottage still belongs to her and she spends almost half of every year in her childhood home in Berkshire.

Jacqueline’s parents were affluent and well-respected, due to their successful vocations as a general practitioner and a lawyer. As a result, Jacqueline grew up receiving the best education. She was educated in Lycee Francais in London — a French co-educational school founded all the way back during World War I. She also received French language lessons from her mom, and would often speak French with her siblings when she wanted to hide a secret from the neighborhood children.

Jacqueline’s privileged upbringing not only provided her with a top-notch education but helped her shine in extracurricular activities as well. As a child, she received ballet lessons, a skill that later supported her in her acting career. As she grew up, she also began to take acting lessons and worked as a fashion model to pay for them. However, her days in the sun were short-lived. Her mother was diagnosed with disseminating sclerosis in her teenage years, and she soon faced the harsh reality of life.

Jacqueline’s first acting gig was fairly forgettable. Her first appearance in a film was in 1965 when she was 21 years old. She appeared in an uncredited role as a prospective model in Richard Lester’s film The Knack…and How To Get It, which was based on a play by Ann Jellicoe. Although her role in the movie was insignificant, the movie as a whole was largely successful – winning the Palme d’Or at the 1965 Cannes Film Festival and being nominated for the Golden Bear in Berlin.

The success of her previous uncredited film, The Knack…and How To Get It, soon paved the way for her to more important and significant acting gigs. She made her official debut in 1966 in the movie Cul-De-Sac, directed by the legendary director Roman Polanski. This was her second film appearance and she played a small role, but she received credit for it. However, in the credits, she was noted as Jackie Bisset as opposed to Jacqueline Bisset — her actual name.

Due to Bisset’s success with the movies The Knack…and How To Get It and Cul-de-Sac, she was soon offered a major role in Two for the Road in 1967. The romantic comedy was critically acclaimed and received several Oscar and Golden Globe nominations. For Bisset, this was her first major role, and she got the opportunity to work with brilliant actors such as Albert Finney and Audrey Hepburn. She executed her job perfectly, and soon, 20th Century Fox offered her a contract due to her exceptional performance.

Who wouldn’t love to be apart of a James Bond movie? Soon after 20th Century Fox signed a contract with Jacqueline Bisset, the perfect opportunity arose for the young actress. She found herself playing the role of Miss Goodthighs in Casino Royale. No, not the one released in 2006! This Casino Royale was a James Bond satire released in 1967 and featured an ensemble cast composed of many talented actors such as Peter Sellers, Ursula Andress, and Woody Allen. Needless to say, Bisset still managed to stand out amongst the stars and became a cult classic queen.

20th Century Fox certainly saw potential in Jacqueline Bisset, which is why they kept handing roles to her over and over again. Her first lead role, however, came the same year as Casino Royale – in 1967. The Cape Town Affair, a remake of the 1953 spy film Pickup on South Street, was very different from any role she had played before. The film was shot in South Africa and was the first film for James Brolin, another excellent actor who would soon make a name for himself.

Whilst Bisset was already gaining attention with significant roles in her movies, her real big break came in 1968 when she got an opportunity to play the role of Norma MacIver in The Detective, a neo-noir crime film based on a novel by Roderick Thorp of the same name. She was a replacement for the actress Mia Farrow and played opposite Frank Sinatra, who was at the height of his career at that time. The film was made by Fox, a production company that was already quite impressed with Bisset.

Jacqueline’s train to fame never stopped. After impressive performances in films such as Two for the Road and The Detective, she was given an early starring role in The Sweet Ride, an American drama film with elements of surfing and biking. She played opposite Michael Sarrazin with whom she developed a romantic relationship afterward. The film was a great success, and Bisset received her first-ever Golden Globe nomination, as the ‘Best Promising Newcomer.’ Although she didn’t end up winning, Bisset did eventually live up to her promise as a newcomer.

In the same year Jacqueline Bisset received her Golden Globe nomination for her performance in The Sweet Ride, she was also featured in the American police thriller film — Bullitt — in 1968. She played alongside the masculine action hero Steve McQueen as his character’s girlfriend. The film was a huge success in the box office and was one of the top highest-grossing films of the year. With her outstanding performances in Bullitt and The Sweet Ride, she soon became the talk of the town in Hollywood.

Whilst filming The Sweet Ride, Bisset met the Canadian actor Michael Sarrazin. In the movie, Sarrazin’s character was an aimless surfer who was convincing his girlfriend — played by Bisset — that he can only marry her after he got the beatnik life out of his system. Soon after filming, however, Bisset and Sarrazin became involved in a romantic relationship in real life. The two stayed together for 14 years and appeared in two more films together, but they never married.

In 1969, Jacqueline appeared in two more films, including one in which she was considered to have her first true starring role. The role was in The First Time, an American coming-of-age comedy where she played a character called Anna. In the same year, she appeared in a French film called Secret World, which was originally known as Le Promesse. Although neither film was widely successful, the movies did solidify her acting career in Hollywood.

With her newfound stardom, the British bombshell worked in several widely popular and critically acclaimed movies. One of her most famous works was in the 1970 disaster film Airport, directed by George Seaton and star-studded with popular actors such as Dean Martin, Burt Lancaster, and Helen Hayes. Bisset played the role of a stewardess who’s pregnant with Dean Martin’s character’s love-child, and she executed the role perfectly. Airport was a big hit in the box office and made 10 times its original budget as revenue.

Jacqueline worked in several other movies throughout the ‘70s, acting alongside many popular and talented celebrities of that time. She landed starring roles in movies such as the 1970 drama The Grasshopper and The Mephisto Waltz — a 1971 horror movie that featured M*A*S*H star, Alan Alda. She also played the daughter of Paul Newman’s character in the 1972 western film The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean. Aside from that, Bisset also replaced Charlotte Rampling to co-star with Ryan O’Neal in The Thief Who Came To Dinner in 1973.

After her tremendous success as a movie actress in America, Jacqueline Bisset became more interested in exploring other avenues in film. Originally born in England and having strong French roots thanks to her mother, Bisset traveled back to Europe to act in a number of films there. One of her first works in Europe was with the celebrated director Francois Truffaut, with whom she worked in Day For Night (1973). Day for Night received several Academy Award nominations in 1974 and 1975, and Bisset cemented her position with European critics as a respected actress.

After her success in Day for Night, Jacqueline Bisset stayed in France to work on another movie. The French film, Le Magnifique, was a B-series espionage movie that featured Bisset and the popular French star Jean-Paul Belmondo. The film, being primarily in French, was not widely released in English-speaking countries. Still, it became a huge hit in France. The movie only added to Jacqueline’s fame, and she ultimately became a household name in European countries as well.

Jacqueline Bisset was already a big hit in France, but she decided to explore films in other countries throughout Europe. She returned to her home country in the United Kingdom to work on the 1974 mystery film Murder on the Orient Express. It was directed by Sidney Lumet and featured an ensemble cast that included Lauren Bacall, Albert Finney, Ingrid Bergman, and Sean Connery. The film was both a commercial and critical success, receiving six Oscar nominations and winning one.

Jacqueline Bisset stayed on in Britain to work on another film after her success with Murder on the Orient Express. She was featured in the 1975 British horror mystery film The Spiral Staircase, which was a remake of the 1945 film of the same name. The film featured Christopher Plummer along with Bisset and was moderately well-received by movie lovers. After the filming wrapped, Jacqueline continued with her European tour in hopes that she’d land other acting work.

France and the United Kingdom were not the only two countries in Europe that Bisset experimented with her acting ability. Although her French and English heritage probably played a part in her fondness for their films, she eventually began working in other European countries as well. In 1975, she went to Germany to work with the director Maximillian Schell on the End of the Game. The very same year, she worked on the Italian film — The Sunday Woman — along with Marcello Mastroianni, one of Italy’s finest film actors.

Jacqueline Bisset returned to America in 1976 to act in St. Ives alongside Charles Bronson. The peak of Jacqueline’s career came the following year when she played the role of Gail Berke in the 1977 adventure film The Deep. The film featured one of the most iconic scenes in movie history at that time — a carefully designed, audience-friendly shot of Bisset swimming underwater wearing only a T-shirt. The scene made the film a huge box office success and is said to have popularized the infamous wet T-shirt contest.

The late ‘70s were a golden time for Jacqueline Bisset. Soon after the release of The Deep, Newsweek declared Bisset to be “the most beautiful actress of all time.” Then, in 1978, Bisset starred in the British black comedy Who Is Killing the Great Chefs in Europe? The film was a huge success and earned Bisset her second Golden Globe nomination, this time as the Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical.

The times following her second Golden Globe nomination were quite busy for Jacqueline. The brunette goddess starred in numerous films during this time. She played the role of Jackie Onassis — formerly Jacqueline Kennedy — in The Greek Tycoon, opposite Anthony Quinn in 1978. Bisset also appeared in a small Italian film called Together? in 1979. Less than a year later, in 1980, the actress performed with Paul Newman and Laurence Olivier in When Time Ran Out and Inchon respectively. Unfortunately, none of these movies were well-received by the movie-goers.

The ‘80s redeemed Bisset’s acting career, as she worked in several more commercially and critically successful movies. In 1981, she landed a role in George Cukor’s Rich and Famous, where she also worked as a co-producer. Jacqueline also appeared in the 1983 comedy-drama Class, where she played the role of a mother who gets romantically involved with her son’s classmate. Class also featured many actors who would become notable names in Hollywood down the road including Rob Lowe, Andrew McCarthy, John Cusack, and Virginia Madsen. She also co-starred with Albert Finney in Under the Volcano in 1984, which earned her another Golden Globe nomination.

After her insane popularity in the box office, Jacqueline decided to experiment with a new type of entertainment. Television movies were becoming increasingly popular, and in 1985, Bisset signed up to perform in Anna Karenina — based on Leo Tolstoy’s novel of the same name. The television movie — in which Bisset co-starred alongside Christopher Reeve — premiered on CBS on March 26th, 1985. Alongside the TV movie, the actress also worked in a couple of box office films such as Forbidden (1984) and Choices (1986).

Bisset doesn’t only stand out in horror, thriller, and drama movies — she’s a great choice for comedy movies as well. In fact, the beauty queen showed her prowess in numerous comedic films that she starred in during the late ’80s. Her tourist comedy film High Season (1987) was well-received. In 1989, Jacqueline appeared in the American black comedy Scenes from the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills and was widely appreciated for her performance.

It’s no secret that Bisset’s acting ability earned her numerous awards and accolades in America. Besides that, though, the actress happened to be recognized for her talent in other countries as well. In 1996, she performed in the French crime drama film La Cérémonie, directed by Claude Chabrol. The film was nominated for several César Awards, the highest film accolade in France. One of these nominations included Jacqueline Bisset as the Best Actress in a Supporting Role, due to her excellent performance.

In her later years, Jacqueline began to focus more on television movies rather than full feature films. Her first TV movie was back in 1985, in the film based on Leo Tolstoy’s novel, Anna Karenina. In 2003, she landed the role of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis in America’s Prince: The John F. Kennedy Story — a character she had played once before in The Greek Tycoon. She also appeared in several epic Biblical TV movies such as Jesus (1999), In the Beginning (2000), and in the mini-series Joan of Arc, which earned her an Emmy nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

As Bisset grew older, she began to star in fewer and fewer movies. However, she would still appear in some films or TV shows now and then. She played the leading role in The Sleepy Time Gal, an indie movie that was featured on the Sundance Channel. In 2005, she appeared alongside Keira Knightley in Domino, a biographical film based on the life of the British bounty hunter Domino Harvey. She also had a recurring role in Nip/Tuck, an American television series that aired from 2003 to 2010.

Jacqueline Bisset was nominated for her first Golden Globe back in 1968 as the Most Promising Female Newcomer for her performance in The Sweet Ride. However, she would have to wait another 46 years and four more nominations before finally winning the Golden Globe in 2014. Her nomination and winning were a result of the British 1930s drama series, Dancing on the Edge, which premiered on BBC Two in 2013. She won the award for the Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series or Miniseries, beating other talented actresses such as Sofia Vergara and Janet McTeer.

Jacqueline Bisset had been involved in several long-term relationships throughout her life, but she never married. Her very first relationship was 14 years long, with a Canadian actor named Michael Sarrazin. She met the actor on the set of the movie The Sweet Ride. She was also involved in romantic relationships with the Moroccan businessman Victor Drai, Russian actor Alexander Godunov (who appeared in Die Hard), Swiss actor Vincent Perez, and Turkish martial arts instructor Emin Boztepe — the last two being 18 and 20 years her junior. However, Bisset later stated that she always had an aversion to marriage because she was afraid of her husband developing bad habits.

As Jacqueline Bisset never married, she never ended up having children of her own. However, she does have a godchild, and it is none other than one of the most famous faces of Hollywood today — Angelina Jolie! Despite being her godmother, Bisset admitted that she sees Jolie rarely due to the star’s popularity. However, the two remain close. Jolie and Bisset were recently spotted in Paris in 2019, following Jolie’s divorce. Jolie’s mother died from ovarian cancer in 200. With that being said, it’s highly likely that she views Jacqueline as the closest thing to a maternal influence and seeks her emotional support.

Even at the age of 75, Jacqueline Bisset is still going strong in the world of Hollywood. Her most recent movies, both released in 2018, include Asher with Ron Perlman and Here and Now — which features both Renée Zellweger and Sarah Jessica Parker. Several of her movies are in post-production and are set to be released either in 2020 or 2021. Needless to say, even though her glory days are long gone, Jacqueline is as beautiful and charming as ever.