- Born
- Height5′ 6″ (1.68 m)
- Jane Asher (born 5 April 1946) is an English actress, author and entrepreneur, who achieved early fame as a child actress, and has worked extensively in film and TV throughout her career.
She has appeared in TV shows and films such as The Masque of the Red Death (1964), Alfie (1966), Deep End (1970), The Mistress (1985-1987), Crossroads (2001-2003), Death at a Funeral (2007) and The Old Guys (2009-). She is also known for supplying specialist cakes and kitchenware, as well as publishing three bestselling novels.
Asher was the middle of three children born to Richard Alan John and Margaret Asher, née Eliot, in Willesden, North West London. Her father was a consultant in blood and mental diseases at the Central Middlesex Hospital, as well as being a broadcaster and the author of notable medical articles. Asher's mother was a professor at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Asher attended Queen's College in Harley Street, London and is the elder sister of Clare Asher, a radio actress and school inspector. Asher's elder brother is record producer Peter Asher, of Peter and Gordon.
She was a key figure of 1960s show-business society as the fiancée of Paul McCartney. Asher met the illustrator Gerald Scarfe in 1971, and they married ten years later. They have three children, daughter actress Katie Scarfe (born April 17, 1974), and sons Alex Scarfe (born December 1981) and Rory (born 1984).
- IMDb mini biography by: CTaylor
- SpouseGerald Scarfe(September 13, 1981 - present) (3 children)
- ChildrenScarfe Rory
- ParentsRichard Asher
- RelativesPeter Asher(Sibling)Clare Asher(Sibling)Victoria Asher(Niece or Nephew)
- Red hair
- Paul McCartney moved into the spare bedroom in the attic of the Asher household at 57 Wimpole Street, London, in November 1963 and stayed until early 1966.
- By the time she was fifteen, she had appeared in 8 films, made 9 television appearances, over 100 radio appearances and was in five plays.
- Was Paul McCartney's muse for much of the 1960s; "Here, There And Everywhere" and many other songs were written with Jane in mind. They were engaged for seven months until finally separating in July 1968.
- Met The Beatles when she was VIP'd backstage after one of their shows; all four instantly proposed marriage. When it became obvious she was interested in Paul, the others discreetly left the two in his hotel suite... only to come back later and find them discussing their favourite foods.
- Her father, Dr. Richard Asher, was the first to identify Munchausen's syndrome, naming it after Baron Munchausen instead of himself (which she commented was typical of him). It's a disease where the afflicted fakes physical illness - usually acute, dramatic, and convincing - and wanders from hospital to hospital for treatment.
- Of all the things I do, acting is the thing that grabs most, but there's another level on which it strikes me as being a little silly. In the end you're dressing up and deciding to be somebody.
- I look at myself objectively and in a way I see myself as a commodity. Your name becomes somehow outside yourself. Now, when I'm at home being Mrs. Scarfe, that's when I'm most myself.
- [on Deep End (1970)'s nude shoot] Doing nudity is never easy. But having done The Masque of the Red Death (1964) in the 60s, with these awful nipple stickers that kept floating off, I knew to just go with it. People get bored looking at you. It was needed for the final scene, where John's character embraces Susan in the water. Jerzy was such a good director, I knew he'd cut it to look interesting rather than prurient. I was more worried about being able to hold my breath underwater long enough to get the shots.
- [on playing Susan in Deep End (1970)] Susan is so interesting. She's a girl using her power, enjoying her colleague's desperate longing. She's playing with him, being very cruel in a way that young people can be. They haven't experienced enough life to totally understand other people's sensitivities. She is also furious at the way older men felt they could use her, having a bit of fun on the side and all that. She won't give in to them.
- [her greatest fear] I've always been frightened of the dark. I sometimes wonder whether it stems from being away filming from the age of five. I can remember being devastatingly homesick and having a little nightlight I used to look at to reassure myself things were all right.
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