Jess Walton - wikipedia Jess Walton Jess Walton ( 1949 - 02 - 18 ) February 18, 1949 ( age 68 ) Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S. Occupation Actress Years active 1969 - present Spouse ( s ) Bruce Davison ( 1973, annulled ) John James ( 1980 - present ; 2 children ) Children Jess Walton ( born February 18, 1949 ) is an American actress, best known for her role as Jill Abbott on the CBS soap opera, The Young and the Restless. Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Personal life 4 Filmography 5 References 6 External links Early life Mary Jess Walton was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, but raised in Toronto, Canada, where she attended Loretto Abbey Catholic Secondary School. She left home at the age of 17 and joined a Toronto theater company. In 1969, she moved to Hollywood and in next year, signed with Universal Studios. Career In 1970s, Walton guest - starred in a number of television shows, such as Medical Center, Kojak, Marcus Welby, M.D., Ironside, The Rockford Files, Gunsmoke, Cannon, and Barnaby Jones. She co-starred in film The Strawberry Statement ( 1970 ), and portrayed the female lead roles of The Peace Killers ( 1971 ) and Monkeys in the Attic ( 1974 ). She also appeared in The Hunted Lady ( 1977 ) starring Donna Mills. During that time her social life also heated up and she was briefly wed to actor Bruce Davison from 1972 -- 73 ; the marriage was annulled within the year. However, her life began to spiral out of control when she turned to alcohol and drugs. In 1980, she battled her addiction and completed rehab. In 1984, Walton returned to acting with the role of Kelly Harper on the CBS daytime soap opera, Capitol. The show was cancelled in 1987. Later in that year, Walton joined the cast of another CBS soap opera, The Young and the Restless, in the role as Jill Foster Abbott. The role was originally portrayed by Brenda Dickson, who departed in 1980, and the role was first recast with Deborah Adair. In 1983, Dickson returned to the role, and though she stated that she would never leave, she was replaced by Walton in 1987. Walton won a Daytime Emmy Award in 1997 for Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her portrayal of Jill, and was nominated in 1996 and 2000. She also won the Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in 1991, after a nomination in 1990. Personal life Walton is married to John James, an author and founder of The Grief Recovery Institute. In an interview, Walton stated that `` ( B ) efore ( John James ), I had always gone for bohemian, rock and roll types. John did n't fit the image ; he was straighter ''. The couple have two children and reside in Oregon. Walton briefly dated one of the managers for Joni Mitchell and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, and for a time, she associated with them and other musicians, including Laura Nyro and Neil Young. In an interview, Walton recalled a memorable occasion where Nyro taught Walton and Mitchell how to belly dance. Walton says that one of the houses featured on Joni Mitchell 's Ladies of the Canyon cover belonged to her. Walton was good friends with her Y&R co-star Jeanne Cooper, who portrayed her character Jill 's arch - rival Katherine Chancellor from 1973 up until her death in May 2013. Filmography Year Title Role Notes 1969 The Guns of Will Sonnett Abbey Garcia Episode : `` Robber 's Roost '' 1970 The Strawberry Statement Student 1970 The Young Lawyers Clara Smith Episode : `` MacGillicuddy Always Was a Pain in the Neck '' 1970 Montserrat Television film 1971 The F.B.I. Mary Douglas Episode : `` The Last Job '' 1971 The Peace Killers Kristen 1971 Medical Center Nancy Episode : `` Martyr '' 1972 Young Dr. Kildare Libby Cabot Episode : `` Death of Innocents '' 1972 The Sixth Sense Lilly Warren Episode : `` Coffin, Coffin in the Sky '' 1972 The Victim Susan Chappel Television film 1972 Marcus Welby, M.D. Naomi Sobel Episode : `` Unto the Next Generation '' 1972 - 1973 The Bold Ones : The New Doctors Sharon McGraw Episodes : `` Short Flight to a Distant Star '' and `` The Night Crawler '' 1973 Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law Sheila Arnold Episode : `` Seed of Doubt '' 1973 You 'll Never See Me Again Vicki Bliss Television film 1973 Gunsmoke Patricia Episode : `` Patricia '' 1973 Ironside Debbie Episode : `` The Ghost of the Dancing Doll '' 1973 Cannon Melanie Episode : `` Arena of Fear '' Griff Penny Coyle Episode : `` All the Lonely People '' Kojak Cheryl Pope Episode : `` Die Before They Wake '' Toma Episode : `` Indictment '' Rex Harrison Presents Stories of Love Angelique Television film Sierra Gail Episode : `` Cruncher '' Monkeys in the Attic Elaine Marcus Welby, M.D. Dr. Janet Oliver Episode : `` The Fatal Challenge '' Ironside Jennifer Episode : `` The Lost Cotillion '' The Six Million Dollar Man E.J. Haskell Episode : `` Taneha '' Cannon Janet Coin Episode : `` Missing at FL307 '' Movin ' On Olivia Episode : `` Ammo '' The Rockford Files Laura Smith Episode : `` The Four Pound Brick '' Gunsmoke Kattalin Larralde Episode : `` Manolo '' S.W.A.T. Carole Ritchie Episode : `` Hit Men '' Cannon Janice Elder Episode : `` The Victim '' Starsky and Hutch Theresa Defusto Episode : `` Shootout '' 1976 Jigsaw John Episode : `` Thicker Than Blood '' 1976 Baretta Muriel Episode : `` Soldier in the Jungle '' 1976 The Streets of San Francisco Lois Flynn Episode : `` In Case of Madness '' 1977 Switch Angela Mendarez Episode : `` Three for the Money '' 1977 Barnaby Jones Doris Carson Episode : `` The Killer on Campus '' 1977 The Hunted Lady Kate Television film 1979 The Return of Mod Squad Kate Television film 1979 Mrs. Columbo Judy Arno Episode : `` A Chilling Surprise '' 1980 Insight Joanna Episode : `` Thea '' 1984 - 1987 Capitol Kelly Harper Series regular Nominated -- Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Daytime Drama ( 1986, 88 ) 1987 -- present The Young and the Restless Jill Abbott Series regular Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series ( 1997 ) Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series ( 1991 ) Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Daytime Drama ( 1994 ) Nominated -- Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series ( 1996, 2000, 2017 ) Nominated -- Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series ( 1990 ) Nominated -- Online Film & Television Association Award for Best Actress in a Daytime Serial ( 1997, 2003 ) Nominated -- Online Film & Television Association Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Daytime Serial ( 1998, 2009 ) Nominated -- Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Daytime Drama ( 1996, 2000 ) Nominated -- Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Villainess in a Drama Series -- Daytime ( 1989 ) 1999 Wasted in Babylon Hellen Cook 2005 Paper Bags Margaret Rose Short film 2006 The Return of the Muskrats Soap Actress Short film References ^ Jump up to : `` Jess Walton 411 - Soap Opera Digest ''. Archived from the original on October 18, 2014. Retrieved October 12, 2014. ^ Jump up to : `` Jess Walton Biography ''. Retrieved October 12, 2014. Jump up ^ `` A Role as a Gay Companion Brings Bruce Davison An Oscar Buzz ''. Retrieved October 12, 2014. Jump up ^ `` Daytime Emmy Winners & Nominees : 1997 ''. SoapOperaDigest.com. Retrieved January 13, 2009. Jump up ^ `` Daytime Emmy Winners & Nominees : 1996 ''. SoapOperaDigest.com. Retrieved January 13, 2009. Jump up ^ `` Daytime Emmy Winners & Nominees : 2000 ''. SoapOperaDigest.com. Retrieved January 13, 2009. Jump up ^ `` Daytime Emmy Winners & Nominees : 1991 ''. SoapOperaDigest.com. Archived from the original on May 27, 2006. Retrieved January 13, 2009. Jump up ^ `` Daytime Emmy Winners & Nominees : 1990 ''. SoapOperaDigest.com. Archived from the original on May 27, 2006. Retrieved January 13, 2009. Jump up ^ `` Raising Cane ''. Soap Opera Weekly. 2007 - 02 - 27. p. 20. Jump up ^ `` Y&R 's Jess Walton Interview : The Passing of Jeanne Cooper, Their Final Scenes & The Loss of a Friend ! ''. Michael Fairman Soaps. May 14, 2013. Retrieved November 2, 2015. External links Jess Walton on IMDb Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series Elizabeth Hubbard ( 1974 ) Susan Flannery ( 1975 ) Helen Gallagher ( 1976 ) Helen Gallagher ( 1977 ) Laurie Heineman ( 1978 ) Irene Dailey ( 1979 ) Judith Light ( 1980 ) Judith Light ( 1981 ) Robin Strasser ( 1982 ) Dorothy Lyman ( 1983 ) Erika Slezak ( 1984 ) Kim Zimmer ( 1985 ) Erika Slezak ( 1986 ) Kim Zimmer ( 1987 ) Helen Gallagher ( 1988 ) Marcy Walker ( 1989 ) Kim Zimmer ( 1990 ) Finola Hughes ( 1991 ) Erika Slezak ( 1992 ) Linda Dano ( 1993 ) Hillary B. Smith ( 1994 ) Erika Slezak ( 1995 ) Erika Slezak ( 1996 ) Jess Walton ( 1997 ) Cynthia Watros ( 1998 ) Susan Lucci ( 1999 ) Susan Flannery ( 2000 ) Martha Byrne ( 2001 ) Susan Flannery ( 2002 ) Susan Flannery ( 2003 ) Michelle Stafford ( 2004 ) Erika Slezak ( 2005 ) Kim Zimmer ( 2006 ) Maura West ( 2007 ) Jeanne Cooper ( 2008 ) Susan Haskell ( 2009 ) Maura West ( 2010 ) Laura Wright ( 2011 ) Heather Tom ( 2012 ) Heather Tom ( 2013 ) Eileen Davidson ( 2014 ) Maura West ( 2015 ) Mary Beth Evans ( 2016 ) Gina Tognoni ( 2017 ) Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Suzanne Rogers ( 1979 ) Francesca James ( 1980 ) Jane Elliot ( 1981 ) Dorothy Lyman ( 1982 ) Louise Shaffer ( 1983 ) Judi Evans ( 1984 ) Beth Maitland ( 1985 ) Leann Hunley ( 1986 ) Kathleen Noone ( 1987 ) Ellen Wheeler ( 1988 ) Nancy Lee Grahn / Debbi Morgan ( 1989 ) Julia Barr ( 1990 ) Jess Walton ( 1991 ) Maeve Kinkead ( 1992 ) Ellen Parker ( 1993 ) Susan Haskell ( 1994 ) Rena Sofer ( 1995 ) Anna Holbrook ( 1996 ) Michelle Stafford ( 1997 ) Julia Barr ( 1998 ) Sharon Case ( 1999 ) Sarah Joy Brown ( 2000 ) Lesli Kay ( 2001 ) Crystal Chappell ( 2002 ) Vanessa Marcil ( 2003 ) Cady McClain ( 2004 ) Natalia Livingston ( 2005 ) Gina Tognoni ( 2006 ) Genie Francis ( 2007 ) Gina Tognoni ( 2008 ) Tamara Braun ( 2009 ) Julie Pinson ( 2010 ) Heather Tom ( 2011 ) Nancy Lee Grahn ( 2012 ) Julie Berman ( 2013 ) Amelia Heinle ( 2014 ) Amelia Heinle ( 2015 ) Jessica Collins ( 2016 ) Kate Mansi ( 2017 ) Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jess_Walton&oldid=786120387 '' Categories : 1949 births Living people American soap opera actresses American television actresses Actresses from Grand Rapids, Michigan Actresses from Toronto Canadian soap opera actresses Canadian television actresses Canadian people of American descent Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series winners Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series winners 20th - century American actresses 21st - century American actresses 20th - century Canadian actresses 21st - century Canadian actresses Hidden categories : Articles with hCards Talk Contents About Wikipedia فارسی Français Nederlands Русский Suomi Türkçe Edit links This page was last edited on 17 June 2017, at 11 : 35. 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Question: who plays jill on the young and the restless
Answer: Jess Walton