Personal Quotes (17)

I was lucky not to have been born pretty.

I thought I was the wrong shape, that Miss Marple would be much fluffier than me, much more wearing shawls and things. But I was persuaded and now, well - I can only do it my way.

[on the death of her husband] I never really got over it, but my work was an enormous help. You simply have to go on.

[on her husband] He had no interest in the theatre. I don't think he ever came to see my work. After the show I would get on the train, go home and become Mrs Butler again. It was rather nice having two lives.

I wasn't beautiful, so there were plenty of character roles. I never did any Shakespeare, I'm far too superficial for that. I just act instinctively.

[on age] Once you stop, your brain goes, and when that happens it's all over.

[on being taken to her first pantomime, Cinderella, at the age of five] I was utterly entranced, and asked my parents to move as near to the theatre as possible. I knew immediately that the life I wanted was there.

I have never been a star, I'm just an old character bag.

I was never really pretty, so for someone like myself it's more useful to be a character actress than a leading actress... in television especially, they want real wrinkles.

[on Miss Marple] I think she's a wonderful woman with a very clear outlook on life. Miss Marple believes in justice and has very high standards. There is nothing you could say or do that would shock her.

Retirement is fatal. If you retire you go POP.

[on being sent away to school during World War I] It was one of the first co-educational schools. I remember my Aunt Lizzie in tweeds and a flying helmet running up and down the touchline shouting for our boys.

I love getting back to Wivenhoe. I get out of my wig, bustle and costume in three minutes flat at the end of the play before jumping into a taxi outside the theater and catching the train home.

[on being awarded an OBE] It must be because the programme (Miss Marple) has gone all over the worl

简·西蒙斯（Jean Simmons），一九二九年生于伦敦。年仅十五岁便开始在《给我们月亮》等片中参加演出。2010年1月22日，影星简·西蒙斯因肺癌在美国加福尼亚的家中去世，享年80岁。这位好莱坞老牌明星最为观众熟悉的角色当属1948年版《王子复仇记》中的“奥菲莉亚”。

14岁的时候，她被星探从一群舞蹈学生中挑选参加电影《给我们月亮》(Give Us the Moon)的演出，其后即片约不断。1948年，19岁的西蒙斯在劳伦斯·奥利佛执导的《王子复仇记》中饰演了清新服俗的女主角奥菲莉亚(Ophelia)，并因此获得威尼斯影展最佳女主角奖，也获得了奥斯卡最佳女主角的提名。三年后她在导演大卫-里恩(David Lean)的影片《远大前程》(Great Expectations)中饰演了女主角艾丝黛拉(Estella)。

此后，简凭借自己精湛的演技跻身进入好莱坞一线女星的行列，分别与马兰-白兰度、格里高利-派克(GregoryPeck)、保罗-纽曼(Paul Newman)等明星有过合作。 　

　她与演员史都华·格兰杰(StewartGranger)结婚，迁居美国，正式进军好莱坞。这段婚姻在1960年画上句点，之后她和导演李察·布鲁克(RichardBrooks)步入礼堂。70年代西蒙斯逐渐淡出大银幕，开始在电视剧中客串参演。1983年，她凭借迷你剧《荆棘鸟》(The ThornBirds)中的出色表现获得艾美奖。