Jill Haworth was a British actress who rose to fame in the 1960s with her roles in films such as Exodus, The Cardinal, and In Harm’s Way. She also originated the role of Sally Bowles in the Broadway musical Cabaret, which won eight Tony Awards in 1967. However, her career declined in the following decades, and she struggled with personal issues and health problems. She died of natural causes on January 3, 2011, at the age of 65. Here is a brief overview of her life and death.
Early Life and Career
Jill Haworth was born Valerie Jill Haworth on August 15, 1945, in Hove, Sussex, England. Her father was a textile magnate and a race car driver, and her mother was a ballet dancer. She attended the Sadler’s Wells Ballet School and the Corona Stage School, where she developed an interest in acting. She made her film debut as a schoolgirl in the remake of The 39 Steps in 1959, and then appeared in the horror film The Brides of Dracula in 1960.
Her big break came when she was discovered by the director Otto Preminger, who cast her as Karen Hansen, a Jewish-Danish refugee girl, in his epic film Exodus in 1960. She was only 15 years old at the time, and had to learn Hebrew and Danish for the role. She co-starred with Sal Mineo, who played her love interest, and they became close friends. She also appeared on the cover of Life magazine with him in December 1960.
Preminger signed her to a five-year contract, and gave her two more roles in his films: as Lalage Menton, a French-Catholic girl, in The Cardinal in 1963, and as Ensign Annalee Dorne, a nurse who commits suicide after being raped, in In Harm’s Way in 1965. She also made several films in France, such as The Mysteries of Paris in 1962, and guest-starred in various TV shows, such as The Outer Limits, Burke’s Law, and Rawhide.
Cabaret and Beyond
In 1966, Haworth auditioned for the role of Sally Bowles, the British singer and dancer who performs at the Kit Kat Klub in Berlin during the rise of Nazi Germany, in the musical Cabaret. She beat out more than 200 actresses, including Julie Andrews, Barbra Streisand, and Liza Minnelli, for the part. She sang and danced in the show, despite having no formal training in either. She also dyed her blonde hair black for the role. She received mixed reviews from critics, but the show was a huge success, running for more than 1,100 performances on Broadway.
However, Haworth did not reprise her role in the film adaptation of Cabaret in 1972, which was directed by Bob Fosse and starred Liza Minnelli, who won an Oscar for her performance. Haworth later said that she was disappointed by the decision, but understood that Minnelli was a bigger star and a better singer. She also said that she preferred the stage version of Cabaret, which was more faithful to the original source material, the Berlin Stories by Christopher Isherwood.
After Cabaret, Haworth’s career went downhill. She appeared in a few low-budget horror films, such as It!, Horror House, and Tower of Evil, and continued to work in TV, appearing in shows like Mission: Impossible, The F.B.I., Baretta, and Vega$. She also did some theater work, such as playing Ophelia in Hamlet in 1972, and starring in the musical The Happy Time in 1978. She also wrote a screenplay called The Last Butterfly, which was never produced.
Personal Life and Death
Haworth had a turbulent personal life, marked by failed relationships, substance abuse, and mental health issues. She was briefly married to the actor Roger Smith in 1966, but they divorced the same year. She also dated the actor Brandon de Wilde, who died in a car crash in 1972. She had a long-term relationship with the actor Robert Morse, who co-starred with her in The Cardinal and The Happy Time, but they never married. She also had a miscarriage in 1974, which left her depressed.
Haworth suffered from alcoholism and drug addiction, which affected her health and career. She also had a nervous breakdown in 1979, and was hospitalized for several months. She later moved to New York City, where she lived alone in a small apartment. She became reclusive and isolated, and rarely worked in the entertainment industry. She also developed diabetes and arthritis, which caused her chronic pain.
Haworth died of natural causes on January 3, 2011, in her apartment. She was found by her friend, the actress Francesca Hilton, who had been checking on her regularly. She had no immediate survivors, as her parents and her brother had predeceased her. She was cremated, and her ashes were buried at the Kensico Cemetery in Valhalla, New York, next to her friend Sal Mineo, who was stabbed to death in 1976.
Legacy and Tributes
Jill Haworth was a talented and beautiful actress, who had a promising start in Hollywood, but could not sustain her success. She is best remembered for her role as Sally Bowles in Cabaret, which was a landmark musical that dealt with themes of politics, sexuality, and morality. She also left a mark on the film industry, as one of the few actresses who worked with Otto Preminger, who was known for his demanding and tyrannical style of directing.
Haworth’s death was mourned by her fans and colleagues, who paid tribute to her on social media and in the press. Her former co-star Joel Grey said that she was “a lovely, lovely girl, and a wonderful actress.” Her friend Francesca Hilton said that she was “a sweet, gentle soul, who was very kind and generous.” Her ex-boyfriend Robert Morse said that she was “a very special person, who had a lot of talent and a lot of heart.” He also said that he hoped that she was “at peace now.”
According to Wikipedia, Haworth was also honored by the Cabaret community, who dedicated a performance of the show to her memory in 2011. She was also inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 2014, along with the original cast and creative team of Cabaret.
