Jean Allison - Biography

Marymount High School, Tarrytown, New York Graduated Adelphi College, NY Married another Adelphi graduate, Lee Philips (actor, director). Divorced amicably. Studied with Sanford Meisner. Married F.X. Toole (writer: Million Dollar Baby (2004) Pseudonym for Jerry Boyd, in Mexico City where daughter Erin was born. Divorced amicably. Did the play, Teach Me How To Cry, writer: Patricia Joudry. She was spotted by agent, Doovid Barskin, who signed her. In 1960 she met the perfect man, Phil Toorvald, a Stanford University senior studying electrical engineering. Having raised one daughter, Jean knew where her heart really was--as a mother. She had two children with Phil in quick succession, Sven and Tina, raised another girl (adopted), and then raised that girl's two daughters. She was happy in her mothering role for many years and never returned to acting. Jean's first feature part had been in 1952 in the film Edge of Fury (1958) where she met first-time cameraman Jack Couffer. Fifty years later, after each had survived the loss of long time spouses they now share their lives together in retirement.