Boastful Facts About Jean Simmons, The British Beauty
Jean Merilyn Simmons was the 1950s film sensation whose stunning good looks landed her some big roles—and some even bigger trouble.
The British-born beauty attracted the attention of the likes of Howard Hughes and Richard Burton, but she learned the hard way that there's a dark side to that kind of attention.
1. She Was Born In Bronze
Jean Simmons was born in January of 1929 in London, England. Her father, Charles Simmons, was the bronze medal-winning gymnast at the 1912 Summer Olympics. But from a very young age, it was obvious that Simmons was destined for gold—Oscar gold.
Of course, she had a long life of ups and downs before she could even dream of fancy awards.
2. She Had Olympic Ambitions
Simmons knew that she had a knack for entertaining, having appeared on stage with her sister early in her life. But her ambitions were humble at first. She decided to follow in her father’s footsteps and dreamed of becoming an acrobatic dancer. Sadly, before Simmons was ever in sight of Olympic glory, tragedy struck.
3. She Suffered An Unexpected Loss
Unexpectedly and practically without explanation, Simmons’ father passed away. She was just 16 years old at the time and the tragic loss left her reeling.
It’s not exactly clear how Simmons lost her beloved father, but one thing is clear: The unfortunate event left a permanent mark on Simmons’ heart. She wouldn’t have time to heal that wound.
4. She Made A “Guest” Appearance
Simmons continued her acrobatic dancing and buried her sorrow in her work. That’s when British film director Val Guest spotted the teenaged Simmons and knew he had found a star. Guest chose Simmons over 200 other applicants for a prominent role in the 1944 film Give Us the Moon alongside megastar Margaret Lockwood. Her life would never be the same again.
