Jill Townsend was an Anglo-American actress who rose to prominence in the 1960s and 1970s, before transitioning to a career in journalism, teaching, and spiritual healing. Born on January 25, 1945, in Santa Monica, California, she was the daughter of Robert Townsend, a business executive and author who became the CEO of Avis Rental Cars in 1962.
Raised in Locust Valley, Long Island, Jill was part of New York's high society and was a debutante. She graduated from The Master's School in Dobbs Ferry, New York in 1963, and eschewed attending college to study acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.
In 1971, Jill married Scottish actor Nicol Williamson, with whom she had a tumultuous relationship due to his volatile temperament. The couple had a son, Luke, born two years later. They appeared together in several productions, including Bertolt Brecht's The Gangster Show: The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui and The Seven-Per-Cent Solution.
Jill's acting career included starring roles in American TV shows, primarily Westerns, and she made her own bid for movie stardom in the 1976 film Alfie Darling. However, the movie was a critical and commercial flop.
The marriage to Williamson ended in 1976, and Jill went on to study at the London School of Journalism, becoming a financial columnist for The Daily Mail. She later worked on developing environmental legislation and ran for office as an independent candidate, although she lost by 80 votes.
In the 1980s, Jill was assistant to the chair of Windsor Cable Television, overseeing marketing, public relations, and program development for Britain's first cable TV franchise. She also studied international relations at the University of Surrey and temporarily returned to the U.S. to work as a teaching assistant at Harvard Law School.
Jill permanently moved back to the U.S. in 1989 and settled in California. She taught at various schools, including the Crossroads School, The Ojai Foundation, and the UCLA Extension School. Starting in 1993, she was the director of Leadership Directories, Inc.
In her personal life, Jill married sustainability designer and environmental advocate Bob Sorel, and the couple lives in the Los Padres National Forest outside Ojai. She has become a spiritual counselor, minister, and ceremonialist, performing readings and energy healing.
