Diane Cilento

A talented blonde beauty with a sly, seductive smile, Diane Cilento (pronounced CHILL-en-to) was born in Brisbane, Australia to Sir Raphael and Lady Phyllis Cilento, both physicians. She went on to have a successful stage career, notably as Helen of Troy in 1955's Broadway production of "Tiger at the Gates," but appeared in few substantial films. Her most memorable movie performances included the enticing Molly in "Tom Jones" (1963) which won her a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination, and the harlot with a heart of gold in "Rattle of a Simple Man" (1964). Cilento turned to writing in the late 1960s, publishing her first novel, The Manipulator, in 1967. After working in England as a stage director in the 1970s, she moved back to her native Australia in the '80s, where she has appeared in an occasional film role, but devoted most of her attention to the Karnak Theater Company, an open-air venue in Queensland. The talented actress - who was married to Sean Connery from 1962 to 1973 and who bore him a son - passed away at age 78 on Oct. 7, 2011 in Northern Australia.

Filmography

Life Events

1947

Family moved to the U.S. when father was appointed a member of the Australian delegation to the United Nations

1949

Made theater debut at age 16 at the Barter Theatre in Virginia

1952

Film acting debut in "Dead on Course"

1953

London stage debut, "Arms and the Man"

1953

Joined Library Theatre, Manchester; played Juliet in "Romeo and Juliet"

1954

First major screen role in "The Angel Who Pawned Her Harp"

1955

Broadway debut as Helen of Troy in "Tiger at the Gates"

1960

British TV debut in the "Armchair Theatre" (ITV) presentation of "Rain"

1963

Earned Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination for her performance in "Tom Jones" opposite Albert Finney

1965

Cast opposite Charlton Heston's Michaelangelo in the historical drama "The Agony and the Ecstasy"

1967

Published first novel The Manipulator

1967

Starred in the ABC TV-movie "Dial M for Murder"

1969

Appeared on the British television series "Rogues' Gallery" as Lady Sarah Bellasize

1973

Cast as Miss Rose in the mystery thriller "The Wicker Man"

1977

Stage directing debut, "tuff" at the Theatre Upstairs, London

1978

Directed an episode of BBC series "Everyman" titled "Turning"

1980

Returned to Australia (date approx.)

1985

Starred in the Australian drama feature "The Boy Who Had Everything"

1994

Received final acting credit with a recurring role on the Australian TV series "Halfway Across the Galaxy and Turn Left"

2001

Awarded the Australian Centenary Medal in the 2001 Queen's New Years Honours List for her distinguished service to the arts

2006

Wrote her autobiography My Nine Lives

Photo Collections

The Wicker Man - Movie Posters

Here are a few different styles of movie posters for The Wicker Man (1973), starring Christopher Lee.

Videos

Paradise Lagoon (a.k.a The Admirable Crichton, 1958) -- (Movie Clip) White Sands And Palm Trees In the South Seas, separated from their yacht, butler Crichton (Kenneth More) with maid Tweeny (Diane Cilento), employer Lord Loam (Cecil Parker), his daughters (Sally Ann Howes, Mercy Haystead, Miranda Connell) and suitors (Jack Watling, Gerald Harper), in Paradise Lagoon, 1958, better known as The Admirable Crichton.

Paradise Lagoon (a.k.a The Admirable Crichton, 1958) -- (Movie Clip) You're Doing Splendidly Sally Ann Howes as Lady Mary is gaining some nerve, though she’s the last holdout of the shipwrecked Loam family in recognizing that their butler Crichton (Kenneth More) is best equipped to lead their party, and her attempted swim brings her around, in Paradise Lagoon, 1958, better known as The Admirable Crichton, from the J.M. Barrie play.

Tom Jones (1963) -- (Movie Clip) Let Dogs Delight Michael MacLiammoirr's narration introduces a scene at church which devolves into mayhen with Tom (Albert Finney) rescuing Molly (Diane Cilento) in Tony Richardson's Tom Jones, 1963.

Hombre (1967) -- (Movie Clip) In The Fullness Of His Years Paul Newman (title character) as John Russell, an Apache-raised white, hasn’t been seen for some time, appears with a haircut and non-Indian attire, introducing himself to Jessie (Diane Cilento), manager of the Arizona boarding house he’s inherited from his one-time guardian, in in Hombre, 1967, from an Elmore Leonard novel.

Hombre (1967) -- (Movie Clip) I've Lived Among The Apaches Few of his fellow stagecoach passengers knows that John Russell (Paul Newman, title character) was raised Apache, Fredric March and Barbara Rush as an Indian agent and wife, Richard Boone as mysterious Grimes, Diane Cilento as spirited Jessie, Martin Ritt directing from an Elmore Leonard novel, in Hombre, 1967.

I Thank A Fool (1962) -- (Movie Clip) My Wife Is An Invalid De-certified doctor Christine (Susan Hayward), using a new name, after a prison term for mercy-killing, seeking a new line of work, is shocked to find the prospective employer who sought her out is Dane (Peter Finch), who prosecuted her, now seeking care for his wife (Diane Cilento) in I Thank A Fool, 1962.

Agony And The Ecstasy, The (1965) -- (Movie Clip) A Source Of Wonder The opening of the documentary prologue, titled The Artist Who Did Not Want To Paint, produced by writer Vincenzo Labella, screened by 20th Century Fox at premieres worldwide as context for The Agony And The Ecstasy, 1965, starring Charlton Heston and Rex Harrison.

Truth About Women, The (1958) She Has Strange Ideas Laurence Harvey as elderly Sir Humphrey, recalling his romances for his son-in-law (Derek Farr), then in flashback meeting Ambrosine (Diane Cilento), early in The Truth About Women, 1958, directed by Muriel Box, co-written with her husband Sydney.

Wicker Man, The (1974) -- (Movie Clip) Maypole Willow (Britt Ekland) awakens visiting Sergeant Howie (Edward Woodward), who soon finds children being schooled in lewd fertility rites, Miss Rose (Diane Cilento) instructing, in The Wicker Man, 1974.

Wicker Man, The (1974) -- (Movie Clip) Open, Low Country Opening title sequence and policeman Edward Woodward sailing his sea-plane off the west coast of Scotland, where The Wicker Man, 1974, will take place, with Britt Ekland and Christopher Lee.

Full Treatment, The - (U.S. trailer) After surviving an accident, a race car driver begins to suffer violent impulses in The Full Treatment (1961), here under its lurid U.S. title.

Admirable Crichton, The - (U.S. trailer) When a family is shipwrecked on a desert island, their butler comes to the rescue in The Admirable Crichton (1957) here under its U.S. title.

Family

Raphael Cilento

Father

Surgeon. Was member of Australian delegation to the United Nations in the late 1940s and early 1950s.

Phyllis McGlew

Mother

Doctor.

Giovanna Volpe

Daughter

Born on December 10, 1957; father, Andrea Volpe.

Jason Connery

Son

Actor. Born on January 11, 1963; father, Sean Connery; married to actress Mia Sara; has son Dashiell born June 1997.

Companions

Andrea Volpe

Husband

Screenwriter, journalist. Married in February 1955; divorced on October 3, 1962; Italian.

Sean Connery

Husband

Actor. Married in December 1962; divorced in 1973; met when they appeared together in a produciton of "Anna Christie".

Anthony Shaffer

Husband

Playwright, screenwriter.

Bibliography

"Hybrid"

Diane Cilento, Delacorte (1970)

"The Manipulator"

Diane Cilento (1967)

Notes

Some reference books give Ms. Cilento's date of birth as April 2. Others also indicate that she was born in New Guinea not in Australia.

About

Biography

Filmography

Photos & Videos

Family & Companions

Bibliography

Notes

Biography

Filmography

Cast (Feature Film)

Cast (Special)

Cast (Short)

Life Events

1947

1949

1952

1953

1953

1954

1955

1960

1963

1965

1967

1967

1969

1973

1977

1978

1980

1985

1994

2001

2006

Photo Collections

Videos

Movie Clip

Trailer

Family

Companions

Bibliography

Notes

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