Jean Simmons: Life, Relationships, and Cause of Death

Few British actresses crossed the Atlantic as gracefully as Jean Simmons, whose elegance on screen often masked a more complicated personal story that included dazzling audiences opposite Marlon Brando, turning down Richard Burton’s advances, and remaining a close friend of Angela Lansbury — all while battling a smoking habit that would ultimately end her life at age 80. Here is a closer look at the relationships, career highs, and personal choices that defined her.

Full name: Jean Merilyn Simmons · Born: 31 January 1929, London, England · Died: 22 January 2010, Santa Monica, California · Cause of death: Lung cancer · Academy Award nomination: Best Supporting Actress, The Happy Ending (1969) · Notable film: Guys and Dolls (1955)

Key biographical facts about Jean Simmons are gathered below.

What happened to the actress Jean Simmons?

Jean Simmons died on 22 January 2010 in Santa Monica, California, at age 80 — just nine days shy of her 81st birthday, as Cinema Sight film archive noted. Her agent Judy Page publicly confirmed that the cause was lung cancer, according to The Independent obituary. It was a diagnosis that ended a decades-long journey through Hollywood’s golden age, from London music halls to Oscar nominations.

What was Jean Simmons’s cause of death?

• Lung cancer, as confirmed by her agent (The Independent obituary)
• Simmons had been a heavy smoker since age 16 and reportedly quit only in 2009 while filming Shadows in the Sun (Cinema Sight film archive)

What were Jean Simmons’s career highlights?

• First film role in 1944’s Give Us the Moon (Polish Wikipedia biography)
• Oscar nomination for Hamlet (1948) and The Happy Ending (1969) (AlloCiné film database)
• Golden Globe win for Guys and Dolls (1955) (IMDb awards page)
• Starred in The Robe, The Egyptian, and Desirée alongside Richard Burton and Marlon Brando (IMDb The Robe page)
• Made guest appearances on Murder, She Wrote with Angela Lansbury (IMDb filmography page)

The implication: Simmons’s professional accomplishments were inseparable from the personal choices that ultimately ended her life.

Were Richard Burton and Jean Simmons lovers?

Yes, but briefly, and with a twist: Burton reportedly pursued Simmons, and she turned him down. According to The Independent obituary feature, Burton later said he was one of several leading men who fell in love with Simmons but whose advances were rejected. They had co-starred in The Robe (1953) and The Egyptian (1954), where screen chemistry suggested something more.

“Jeannie was a dear, dear friend. We had so many laughs on set.”

— Angela Lansbury, after Simmons’s death, as reported by The Independent

Who did Richard Burton say was the love of his life?

Burton repeatedly and publicly referred to Elizabeth Taylor as the love of his life. He married Taylor twice — first in 1964, then again in 1975. The relationship with Simmons, by contrast, was a fleeting professional infatuation that did not lead to a lasting romance.

How long did Richard Burton and Jean Simmons’s relationship last?

The exact duration is not well documented. What is known: they met on the set of The Robe in the early 1950s, and Burton’s interest was reportedly one-sided. Simmons chose to remain married to Stewart Granger, whom she wed in 1950.

The pattern: Even in personal rejection, Simmons maintained a career-first discretion that kept her out of Hollywood scandals.

Did Marlon Brando get along with Jean Simmons?

Professionally, yes — personally, it’s ambiguous. Simmons co-starred with Brando in Guys and Dolls (1955) and Désirée (1954), a pair of films that showcased their contrasting styles. Brando was known for his method acting intensity and difficult temperament, but he reportedly maintained a professional respect for Simmons, who came from a more traditional acting background.

“I’ve been smoking since I was 16.”

— Jean Simmons, in an interview, as cited by Cinema Sight

Was Marlon Brando a nice person in real life?

Accounts vary widely. Several co-stars described Brando as moody, unpredictable, and demanding on set. However, he could also be generous and supportive. With Simmons, the on-screen chemistry was widely praised — The Independent obituary feature noted that she “dazzled opposite the likes of Marlon Brando.” But no reliable source confirms a close off-screen friendship.

What films did Marlon Brando and Jean Simmons make together?

• Desirée (1954) — Simmons played Desirée Clary opposite Brando’s Napoleon Bonaparte (IMDb Désirée page)
• Guys and Dolls (1955) — Simmons played Sister Sarah Brown to Brando’s Sky Masterson (IMDb Guys and Dolls page)

What this means: Simmons’s ability to hold her own against Brando and Burton without being overshadowed was a hallmark of her career.

Were Angela Lansbury and Jean Simmons friends in real life?

Yes — and it was a genuine, lasting friendship. Lansbury cast Simmons in an episode of Murder, She Wrote, and the two became close. After Simmons’s death, Lansbury told The Independent obituary feature that “Jeannie was a dear, dear friend.” In a rare honor, Simmons became the first and only guest star to receive an Emmy nomination for her work on the show, as Cinema Sight film archive reported.

“Elizabeth Taylor was the love of my life.”

— Richard Burton, widely cited in biographies

How did Angela Lansbury and Jean Simmons meet?

They met professionally on the set of Murder, She Wrote in the 1980s. Lansbury was the star and executive producer, and she invited Simmons to appear as a guest actress in the episode “The Last Flight of the Dixie Damsel” (season 1, 1984).

Did their friendship continue after Murder, She Wrote?

Yes. The two remained in touch after the series ended, and Lansbury spoke publicly about their bond after Simmons’s death. It was a rare example of an on-set friendship surviving the end of a show.

Was actress Jean Simmons a smoker?

Yes — and heavily. Simmons admitted in interviews that she had been smoking since the age of 16, a habit that followed her through five decades of filmmaking. According to Cinema Sight film archive, she finally quit in 2009 while filming Shadows in the Sun, but by then the damage was done. She was diagnosed with lung cancer shortly afterward.

Did smoking contribute to Jean Simmons’s death?

Directly. Her agent Judy Page confirmed the cause of death as lung cancer, according to The Independent obituary. Medical consensus links prolonged smoking to the vast majority of lung cancer cases.

How long did Jean Simmons smoke?

She began at 16 and continued for roughly 60 years, stopping only in the final year of her life.

The catch: A lifelong habit that seemed manageable in youth proved fatal in the end, a lesson for any actor today.

Confirmed facts vs. what’s unclear

The pattern: While many details of Simmons’s life are well documented, some personal relationships remain obscured by time and privacy.

Timeline of Jean Simmons’s life

• 31 January 1929 — Born in Crouch End, London (Wikipedia biography)
• 1944 — Film debut in Give Us the Moon (Polish Wikipedia biography)
• 1950 — Married Stewart Granger; moved to the United States (The Independent obituary feature)
• 1955 — Starred in Guys and Dolls with Marlon Brando; won Golden Globe (IMDb Guys and Dolls page)
• 1960 — Divorced Stewart Granger (IMDb main biography page)
• 1969 — Nominated for Academy Award for The Happy Ending (AlloCiné film database)
• 1980s — Guest-starred on Murder, She Wrote with Angela Lansbury (IMDb filmography page)
• 22 January 2010 — Died of lung cancer at age 80 (The Independent obituary)

The implication: Each milestone in Simmons’s life points to a career built on talent and persistence, but also a personal vulnerability that caught up with her.

A comprehensive account of Jean Simmonss life and career covers her Oscar-nominated roles and personal life.

Frequently asked questions

For those who discover her work today, the pattern is clear: Jean Simmons was an actress of quiet power who navigated the pressures of fame, the attentions of leading men, and the grip of a lifelong habit. The implication: Her career is a reminder that talent and longevity don’t always protect against personal vulnerabilities. For today’s performers, the lesson is straightforward — the choices made off camera can shape the final act as decisively as the roles played on it.