Childhood & Early Life
Jane Asher was born on April 5, 1946, in Willesden, Middlesex, North West London. She was the middle child of the three children born to Margaret and Dr. Richard Alan John Asher.
Margaret Asher was a professor of oboe at the ‘Guildhall School of Music and Drama,’ and she taught Paul McCartney to play the recorder. Richard Asher, a consultant in blood and mental illnesses at the ‘Central Middlesex Hospital,’ was also a broadcaster. He is known for having published numerous medical articles.
Jane Asher’s younger sister, Clare Asher, is a school inspector and radio actor. Their elder brother, Peter Asher, is a record producer and manager.
Asher attended ‘Queen’s College’ in Harley Street, London.
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Career
Jane Asher started her career as a child actor. Between 1952 and 1958, she worked in movies such as ‘Mandy’ and ‘The Quatermass Xperiment,’ the former being her debut film. She first appeared on stage at the age of 12, with ‘Alice in Wonderland,’ and later also acted in ‘Through the Looking Glass.’
During the period between 1952 and 1958, she also made appearances in the British TV series ‘The Adventures of Robin Hood’ and on the ‘BBC’ show ‘Juke Box Jury.’ In the following years, she acted in the movie ‘The Greengage Summer’(1961), released in the US as ‘Loss of Innocence,’ and in the popular ‘Disney TV’ program and film ‘The Prince and the Pauper’ (1962).
Between 1964 and 1984, Asher worked in some of the most important movies of her career, namely, ‘The Masque of the Red Death’ (1964), ‘Alfie’ (1966), ‘The Winter’s Tale’ (1967), ‘Deep End’ (1970), ‘Henry VIII and His Six Wives’ (1972), ‘Runners’ (1983), and ‘Success is the Best Revenge’ (1984).
Through the 1980s and the 1990s, Jane Asher made guest appearances in a huge number of TV programs, such as ‘The Goodies,’ ‘Wicked Women,’ ‘The Stone Step,’ ‘Rumpole of the Bailey,’ ‘Brideshead Revisited,’ ‘A Voyage Round My Father,’ and ‘Wish Me Luck.’
Asher also briefly experimented as a radio actor, playing ‘Susan Foremen’ in the ‘BBC Radio 4’ comedy ‘Whatever Happened to Susan Foreman?’ (1994). In 2002, she was seen in an episode of another popular radio program, ‘The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.’
Asher simultaneously worked in films, TV series, and the theater through the 2000s. In 2003, she starred in the ‘ITV’ series ‘Crossroads,’ playing the character ‘Angel Samson.’ She was also seen in Richard Fell’s adaptation of the science-fiction series ‘A for Andromeda’ (2006), the ‘BBC’ medical drama ‘Holby City’(2007), ‘ITV’ drama series ‘The Palace’ (2008), ‘Maestro’ (2008), ‘The Old Guys’ (2010), and other shows.
One of her noteworthy films of the 2000s was Frank Oz’s ‘Death at a Funeral.’
She was most notably involved in theater during the 2000s, having worked in plays such as ‘Festen’ (2004) at the ‘Arts Theatre,’ ‘The World’s Biggest Diamond’ (2005) at the ‘Royal Court Theatre,’ ‘Bedroom Farce’ (2009) at the ‘Rose Theatre,’ ‘The Importance of Being Earnest (2011) at the ‘Rose Theatre,’ and others. Her first pantomime, ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,’ was staged in 2009 at the ‘Richmond Theatre.’
In 2013, she played the character of ‘Catherine de Bourgh’ in a stage adaptation of Jane Austen’s ‘Pride and Prejudice’ at the ‘Open Air Theatre.’ In 2016, she appeared as ‘Miss Havisham’ in Michael Eaton’s adaptation of Dickens’s ‘Great Expectations.’
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Jane Asher wrote three bestselling novels, namely, ‘The Longing’, ‘The Question,’ and ‘Losing It’. Apart from these, she has more than a dozen other published books on cake decoration, lifestyle, and other such topics. Asher owns a brand of kitchenware and has a company that designs cakes for special occasions.
Family & Personal Life
Jane Asher was in a 5-year relationship with Paul Mccartney, from 1963 to 1968. McCartney wrote several songs inspired by her, such as ‘You Won’t See Me,’ ‘And I Love Her,’ and ‘We Can Work It Out.’ Asher broke up with McCartney when she caught him cheating on her with Francie Schwartz.
In 1971, Asher met Gerald Scarfe, an illustrator. The couple had a daughter, Katie, in 1974, and 7 years later, in 1981, they walked the aisle. Their son Alexander was born in the same year. Their youngest child, Rory, was born in 1983. The family settled in Chelsea.
Facts About Jane Asher
Jane Asher is not only an accomplished actress but also a talented baker, having written several successful cookbooks on the subject.
She is known for her philanthropic work, supporting various charitable causes throughout her career.
In addition to her on-screen work, Jane Asher has also lent her voice to numerous audiobooks and radio dramas.
Asher is a skilled musician and has played the piano since childhood, often incorporating her musical talents into her acting roles.
She is a dedicated animal lover and has been actively involved in animal welfare organizations, advocating for the protection and well-being of animals.
