Jessica Benton (born 15 November 1948) is a British actress, mainly known for her role as Elizabeth Onedin / Frazer / Fogarty in the BBC series The Onedin Line, that ran from 1971 to 1980.[1]
Benton had some minor roles on TV such as Z-Cars in 1970, and The Juggler of Notre Dame (1970). She also appeared in Upstairs, Downstairs (1971) as Lady Cynthia Cartwright in the episode "The Path of Duty", The Duchess of Duke Street (1976) as Eleanor Prentice in the episode "A Lesson in Manners", and Thomas & Sarah (1979) playing Grace Laughton in the episode "Birds of a Feather".
In 1974, after receiving coaching in the language, Benton appeared in the Dutch-language film, De vijf van de vierdaagse.[2]
With the conclusion of The Onedin Line Benton's career as a television actor largely ended, although she did appear in a drama-documentary shot in Austria in which she played Queen Anne.[citation needed] Benton also did a selection of plays at Salisbury Playhouse, inaugurated in 1976.[when?]
In 1977, Benton was living with her husband, Charlie Waite, a photographer and ex-actor, and their two-year-old daughter in South Kensington.[3] In 1993 she was living in Dorset with her husband, daughter, 10 dogs and over 100 chickens.[4]
Benton was active in the women's rights movement of the 1970s, and in campaigns for wildlife conservation.[5][6][7]
- ^ "Trim line for a new line". Daily Mirror. 13 October 1971. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
Jessica Benton (below), who shows a trim line in figures, plays the sister of Captain James Onedin in "The Onedin Line". ... She trained as a dancer and actress, and has appeared in "Z-Cars" and "The Doctors".
- ^ "Jessica Benton: actrice zonder poeha". Leidsch Dagblad (in Dutch). 29 June 1974. p. 5. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
- ^ Maino, Dick (27 August 1977). "At Home ... With Jessica Benton: Why I'm ready to give up the bright lights". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
- ^ Murray, Neil (2 September 1993). "Jessica's back on line". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
- ^ "Three actresses from the BBC serial". Birmingham Daily Post. 28 June 1977. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
Three actresses from the BBC serial, The Onedin Line, sail into action as they join protesters outside the Law Courts, in the Strand, London, demonstrating against the release of a Coldstream Guard, Tom Holdsworth. The trio, from left, Jessica Benton, Jill Gascoine and Laura Hartong, yesterday demanded the dismissal of the three Appeal Court judges who freed Holdsworth (19) from a three-year jail sentence for a sex attack
- ^ Pratt, Tony (17 September 1977). "Protest by a Guest". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
Women's Rights campaigner Jessica Benton is a guest star in The Duchess of Duke Street ... Jessica demonstrated outside the High Court in London to protest about a suspended sentence given to a Guardsman who had assaulted a young girl.
- ^ "Sad Farewell for Lady Liz". Sunday People. 26 October 1980. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
admits to being ... sometimes a bit headstrong, particularly in her battles for wild-life and conservation