Jane Asher
Jane Asher (born
April 5,
1946) is a
British film and television
actress and the author of several full-length novels.
She was born in
Marylebone in
London. After some roles as a child actress, including an appearance in the
1955 science-fiction film
The Quatermass Xperiment, she worked as a panelist on the
BBC's
Juke Box Jury. In
1963, Asher interviewed
The Beatles, and then commenced a five-year relationship with
Paul McCartney. She inspired many of McCartney's songs, such as "
Here, There and Everywhere", "
I'm Looking Through You", "
You Won't See Me", "
We Can Work It Out", "
And I Love Her" and "
For No One" (all credited as
Lennon/McCartney). Her brother
Peter was part of the duo
Peter & Gordon, for whom Lennon/McCartney penned the number one hit "
A World Without Love".
Paul McCartney wrote several Beatles tracks in the Ashers house. He wrote in a room that was usually used for music lessons. The Asher house was also a place of intellectual stimulation for Paul McCartney. McCartney enjoyed somewhat the rarefied atmosphere of upper-middle class conversation and company that the house provided, and to which he aspired.(citation Bob Spitz The Beatles)
Asher appeared in
Roger Corman's
The Masque of the Red Death in
1964,
Alfie, opposite
Michael Caine in 1966 and in
Jerzy Skolimowski's
Deep End in 1970. Thereafter, she was more commonly seen on television;
The Stone Tape (
1972);
Rumpole of the Bailey (
1978);
Brideshead Revisited (
1981); as Faith Ashley in
Wish Me Luck (three series in
1987,
1988 and
1989);
Crossroads Mark III (
2001).
She guest starred in an episode of the British television comedy series
The Goodies. In
1994, she portrayed the
Doctor Who companion
Susan Foreman in a
BBC Radio 4 comedy drama
Whatever Happened to Susan Foreman?. Another notable radio appearance was in
The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes in 2002 in the episode
The Peculiar Persecution of Mr John Vincent Harden.
In
1971 she met the illustrator
Gerald Scarfe, and they
married ten years later in
1981. They have three children. Asher refuses to discuss McCartney.
Now well known as the author of
recipe books, Jane Asher runs a company making novelty cakes for special occasions, and still acts on television and in the theatre. Asher recently starred in the Richard Fell adaptation of the 1960s science fiction series
A for Andromeda, which aired on the UK digital television station
BBC Four.
She is a shareholder in
Private Eye and a Distinguished Supporter of the
British Humanist Association. She is also President Of the
National Autistic Sociatyin which she takes an active role. She was also a speaker at the launch of the National Autistic Sociatys Make School Make Sence Campain.
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Jane Asher's official site
