Jennifer O’Neill
 Internationally acclaimed actress, film and television
star, entrepreneur, spokeswoman, author, proud mother of
three, and noted among the most beautiful women in the world,
by any definition, Jennifer O’Neill is one of a kind. With
thirty-plus feature films, numerous television movies and
series to her credit, she continues to be a major force in the
industry.
Born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to an English mother and a
Spanish-Irish father, Ms. O’Neill’s career first began when
her family moved from Connecticut to New York City. Blessed
with great energy and beauty, Jennifer quickly entered
international modeling at age fifteen while still a student at
the prestigious Dalton School in Manhattan. Having developed a
passion for horses while visiting her grandparents in Brazil,
Jennifer saw modeling as a way to own her first steed. The
world of magazine covers quickly lead to other goals, and,
after auditioning, she was accepted into the Neighborhood
Playhouse, New York’s esteemed school of acting. It only took
a short while before her unique qualities were noticed by the
great director Howard Hawks, who cast her to star opposite
John Wayne in Rio Lobo. Jennifer was
a leading actress, married and a mother by age twenty-one.
After her film debut, and against the advice of her agents,
Jennifer accepted a role in the “small” film,
Summer of ‘42. Her hauntingly beautiful
portrayal of Dorothy made Jennifer O’Neill a household name,
and today Summer of ‘42 is one of
home videos’ most popular titles. The film has become a true
classic with Jennifer’s performance hailed as legendary, not
only by the public, but by her peers.
Stimulated by creative opportunities that lie behind the
camera, Ms. O’Neill soon moved to Europe and placed herself
under the tutelage of master Italian director Luchino
Visconti, where she turned in an award winning performance in
his final film, The Innocent,
costarring Giancarlo Giannini. More importantly, with
Visconti, she expanded her range as an actress and began to
learn the art of film making from this world-renowned auteur.
Returning home, Ms. O’Neill continued to star in a succession
of profitable films such as Blake Edward’s The
Carey Treatment, with James Coburn,
Caravans, with Anthony Quinn, The
Reincarnation of Peter Proud, with Michael
Sarrazin, A Force of One, with Chuck
Norris, Lady Ice, with Robert Duvall
and Donald Sutherland, and the David Cronenberg blockbuster
Scanners.
The first television Movie of the Week in which she
starred, Love’s Savage Fury, scored
a 39 share, making it ABC’s top-rated movie of the year.
Her next television project, The Other Victim,
costarring William Devane for CBS, was hailed as one of the
years Top 10 films, followed by her own series
Cover-Up (CBS). And of course, we’ve all
seen her impressive spokeswoman campaign for CoverGirl -
Jennifer’s unprecedented thirty-year endorsement of the
product catapulted CoverGirl into the top selling makeup line
in the country.
As if all this activity weren’t enough to fill the day, Ms.
O’Neill is also a constant worker for charitable causes,
having served as chairperson for the American Cancer Society
as well as being a staunch supporter of the Retinitis
Pigmetosa Foundation and the Arthritis Foundation. Most
recently, she hosts a one hour special for World Vision shot
in Africa concerning the HIV epidemic. In addition, she
remains actively involved with her childhood love of animals,
sponsoring the Jennifer O’Neill Tennis Tournament to benefit
the ASPCA, and fund-raiser for Guiding Eyes for the blind.
To date, Jennifer continues to successfully train and show
champion horses and resides in Nashville, Tennessee.
As an author, Ms. O’Neill penned her autobiography,
CoverStoryto be released in 2010. Her other
published works include; From Fallen To Forgiven,
You’re Not Alone and her fiction
series - Circle of Friends: Just
Off Main. Jennifer’s newest novels,All
That Glitters and Ress-Q-Pets
are also set for publication and film production.
Along with her books’ rave reviews have come corporate and
testimonial speaking engagements that are both inspirational
and practical in nature. By adding this new dimension to her
roster of talents, Jennifer embraces the “one on one” sharing
of life’s experiences with a passion and enthusiasm that
resonates with all generations.
The
Official Jennifer O'Neill Website
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