Jill Townsend

Jill Townsend is an Anglo-American actress best known for her roles as Elizabeth Chynoweth in Poldark and Dulcey Coopersmith in the 1967 western television series Cimarron Strip.

Jill Townsend
Townsend in 1967
Born	Santa Monica, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1967–1985
Spouse(s)	Tom Sutton (m. 1968; div. 1969) Nicol Williamson ​ ​ (m. 1971; div. 1977)​ Bob Sorel (m. 1993)
Children	1

Life and career

Townsend was born around 1945 in Santa Monica, California. Her father, Robert Townsend, a former head of Avis, wrote the bestseller Up the Organization.^[1] Her mother was the daughter of Frank Tours, a famous English-born musician and conductor whose credits include an association with Irving Berlin.^{[citation needed]}

Townsend, who was a debutante, graduated in 1963 from The Master's School in Dobbs Ferry, New York. At that time, she moved to England where she had been accepted into the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.^{[citation needed]}

After co-starring with Nicol Williamson in John Osborne's 1965 London stageplay Inadmissible Evidence,^[2] she became engaged to Williamson and lived with him for 21 months. However, due to his volatile personality, she temporarily split with him, at which time, she married actor Tom Sutton (68-69). After that brief marriage, she reunited with Williamson. They were married from 1971 to 1977. Their son Luke Williamson was born in 1973,^[3] but in 1976, she and Nicol Williamson parted temporarily^[4] after Townsend began a relationship with Alan Price, her co-star in Alfie Darling.^[5]

Townsend ended her acting career in 1985. She studied at the London School of Journalism and worked as a journalist for the Daily Mail, contributing a page for the financial section. She moved back to the United States in 1989.^{[citation needed]}

She worked as a council trainer and facilitator at Crossroads School, Santa Monica, California and several other schools from 1989 to 1995.^{[citation needed]}

She was on the Board of Directors at Leadership Directories, Inc. starting in 1993, but is no longer serving.^{[citation needed]}

She is currently married to Bob Sorel, whom she wed in 1993.^[6]

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1967	The Spirit Is Willing	Jenny Pruitt / Priscilla Weems / Carol Weems
1972	Sitting Target	Maureen
1975	Alfie Darling	Abby Summers
1976	The Seven-Per-Cent Solution	Mrs. Holmes
1980	The Awakening	Anne Corbeck

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1966	Hawk	Belinda	"The Living End of Sisterbaby"
1967	The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.	Sherilee	"The Drublegratz Affair"
1967–68	Cimarron Strip	Dulcey Coopersmith	Main role
1969	The Wild Wild West	Sylvia Nolan	"The Night of the Sabatini Death"
1969	Bonanza	Abigail Hought	"Another Windmill to Go"
1969	The Name of the Game	Jackie Buchanan	"The Perfect Image"
1969	The Virginian	Roseanna	"Black Jade"
1970	Ironside	Betty	"Eden Is the Place We Leave"
1970	Family Affair	Anne Williams	"Angel in the Family"
1972	The Golden Bowl	Maggie Verver	TV miniseries
1972	The Gangster Show: The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui	Mrs. Dulfeet	TV film
1973	The Protectors	Monica Davies	"Wam: Parts 1 & 2"
1975	The Sweeney	Jenny Peters	"Ringer"
1975–1977	Poldark	Elizabeth	Main role
1977	Space: 1999	Sahala	"Dorzak"
1985	Scarecrow and Mrs. King		"Ship of Spies"