Biography for
Jill Ireland More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

24 April 1936, London, England, UK

Date of Death

18 May 1990, Malibu, California, USA (breast cancer)

Birth Name

Jill Dorothy Ireland

Mini Biography

Jill Ireland was an Anglo-American actress best known for her appearance as Leila Kalomi, the only woman Mr. Spock ever loved (in the "Star Trek" (1966) episode "This Side of Paradise") and for her many supporting roles in the movies of Charles Bronson, her second husband. She is also known for her battle with breast cancer, having written two books on her fight with the disease and serving as a spokesperson for the American Cancer Society.

She was born Jill Dorothy Ireland on April 24, 1936 in London, England to a wine merchant and his wife Dorothy, who was fated to outlive her daughter. Young Jill started her entertainment career as a dancer and made her credited screen debut in 1955 in Michael Powell's Oh... Rosalinda!! (1955) after a bit part in another movie. Two years later, she married actor David McCallum, with whom she co-starred in the Stanley Baker action picture Hell Drivers (1957). In the mid-'60s, they moved to the United States so McCallum could star as agent Ilya Kuryakin in the TV series "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." (1964). She got steady work on American TV and would co-star with her husband in five episode of the series in 1964, '65 and '67.

Ireland divorced McCallum, with whom she had three sons, in 1967. The following year, she married Charles Bronson, who was several years away from superstar status. They had first met when McCallum introduced them on the set of The Great Escape (1963). With Bronson, she had two children, a daughter born to the couple and an adopted daughter.

They first co-starred together in the French movie Rider on the Rain (1970) ("Rider on the Rain") in 1970 (she had first played an uncredited bit part in his movie Lola (1970) released that same year), a movie that made Bronson a major star in Europe. They starred in 13 more pictures in the next 17 years, a period during which Bronson rivaled Clint Eastwood as the biggest movie star in the world in the early and mid-1970s before his star waned in the '80s. Ireland only appeared in one TV episode, one TV movie and one theatrical picture that didn't star Bronson in that time.

She was diagnosed with cancer in her right breast in 1984 and underwent a mastectomy. She wrote about her battle with the disease and her advocacy for the the American Cancer Society led to the organization giving her its Courage Award. Ireland was presented with the award from President Ronald Reagan.

Jill Ireland died of breast cancer at her home in Malibu, California on May 18, 1990. She was 54 years old.

IMDb Mini Biography By: Jon C. Hopwood

Spouse

Charles Bronson	(5 October 1968 - 18 May 1990) (her death) 2 children
David McCallum	(11 May 1957 - 19 February 1967) (divorced) 3 children

Trivia

She had an adopted son with David McCallum, Jason (born 1963). He died of an accidental drug overdose in 1989.

She had one daughter, Zuleika Bronson, with Charles Bronson.

Diagnosed with breast cancer in 1984, thereupon undergoing a mastectomy.

Was introduced to her second husband, Charles Bronson, by her first, David McCallum during the filming of The Great Escape (1963).

Both of her husbands, David McCallum and Charles Bronson, were stars of The Great Escape (1963).

Originally trained as a dancer.

Mother, with David McCallum, of Valentine McCallum and Paul McCallum.

Personal Quotes

"I'm in so many Charles Bronson films because no other actress will work with him".

I'm a fighter and not a victim. Think of yourself and make the most of life.