Thora Janette Scott (born 14 December 1938) is a British retired actress.

Life and career

Scott was born on 14 December 1938 in Morecambe, Lancashire, England. She is the daughter of actors Jimmy Scott and Thora Hird and began her career as a child actress known as Janette Scott. Scott was briefly (with Jennifer Gay) one of the so-called "Children's Announcers" providing continuity links for the BBC's children's TV programmes from the Lime Grove Studios in the early 1950s.

She became a popular leading lady, appearing as a daughter in As Long as They're Happy.

One of her best-known roles was April Smith in the film School for Scoundrels (1960), based on the "one-upmanship" books by Stephen Potter, in which Ian Carmichael and Terry-Thomas vie for her attention. Some scenes for School for Scoundrels were shot at a private members club before its current incarnation as a hotel. The hotel hosted a screening in 2016 with Janette Scott attending and answering questions about filming School for Scoundrels.

Scott's highest profile as a leading lady in British films was from the late 1950s to the mid-1960s, with more than a dozen leading roles during this period. She was the female lead opposite stars including Terry-Thomas, Ian Carmichael, Ronald Lewis, Ian Hendry and George Chakiris. She proved adept in genres including comedy, romantic drama, sci-fi thriller and period adventure. She gave up her career on marrying second husband, Mel Tormé.

She is known to American audiences for her role as the parson's wife in The Devil's Disciple (1959), starring Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas and Laurence Olivier.

She is named in the song "Science Fiction/Double Feature", the opening number of The Rocky Horror Show and its film version, The Rocky Horror Picture Show (performed over the opening credits), for her participation in the 1962 film The Day of the Triffids.

Scott wrote her autobiography Act One at the age of 14.

Personal life

She has been married three times:

• Jackie Rae (27 June 1959 – 1965), divorced

• Mel Tormé (20 May 1966 – 1977), divorced; two children, including son James Tormé

• William Rademaekers (1981–2018), died

Between her marriages to Jackie Rae and Mel Tormé, she dated David Frost in the mid-1960s.

Filmography

Film

Television

References

External links