Jess Walton joined the cast of The Young and the Restless in June 1987.
Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Walton grew up outside the US -- in Toronto, Canada. She studied at the Toronto Workshop Productions' Repertory Theater for three years and appeared in summer stock and repertory company productions including Uncle Vanya and The Right Honorable Gentleman.
In addition to her work on daytime television, Walton has guest-starred in such television series as Marcus Welby, MD, Starsky and Hutch, Barnaby Jones, and Ironside. She has also starred in the made for television movies Montserrat, You'll Never See Me Again, The Storm, Diary of a Madman, and Mod Squad II.
Walton is married to John W James, a renowned grief recovery authority and co-author of the bestsellter The Grief Recovery Handbook. Walton donates her time to the Grief Recovery Help Line.
Walton and her husband live in Los Angeles with a son, Cole and a daughter, Allison. The family has two dogs and a cat.
The Young and the Restless
Jill Foster
June 22, 1987 to
May 9, 2012 contract;
November 2, 2012 to Present, recurring
Capitol
Kelly Harper
1986-1987
Kate Columbo
Judy Arno
1979
Return of the Mod Squad
Kate Kelsey
1979
The Hunted Lady
Kate
1977
Barnaby Jones
Doris Carson
1977
Switch
Angel Mendarez
1977
The Streets of San Francisco
Lois Flynn
1976
Baretta
Muriel
1976
Jigsaw John
1976
Starsky and Hutch
Theresa Defusto
1975
Cannon
1975
S.W.A.T.
Carole Ritchie
1975
Gunsmoke
Kattalin Larralde
1975
The Rockford Files
Laura Smith
1975
The Six Million Dollar Man
Ellen Jane Haskell
1975
Ironside
Jennifer
1974
Rex Harrison Presents Stories of Love
1974
Toma
1974
Marcus Welby, M.D.
Dr. Janet Oliver
1974
Ironside
Debbie
1973
Gunsmoke
Patricia Colby O'Brien
1973
Marcus Welby, M.D.
Naomi Sobel
1972
Kojak
Cheryl Pope
1974
Griff
Penny Coyle
1973
You'll Never See Me Again
Vicki Bliss
1973
Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law
1973
The Bold Ones: The New Doctors
1972-1973
The Victim
Susan Chappel
1972
The Sixth Sense
Lilly Warren
1972
Medical Center
Nancy
1971
The F.B.I.
Mary Douglas
1971
The Young Lawyers
Clara Smith
1970
Medical Center
Nancy
November 10th, 1971
The Guns of Will Sonnett
Abbey Garcia
January 17th, 1969
Wasted in Babylon
Hellen Cook
1999
Monkeys in the Attic
Elaine
1974
The Peace Killers
Kristy
1971
The Strawberry Statement
Student
1970
Daytime Emmys Winner, Outstanding Lead Actress (1997; for The Young and the Restless)
Daytime Emmys Winner, Outstanding Supporting Actress (1991; for The Young and the Restless)
Daytime Emmys Nomination, Outstanding Lead Actress (1996, 1997, 2000,
2017; for The Young and the Restless)
Daytime Emmys Nomination, Outstanding Supporting Actress (1990, 1991; for The Young and the Restless)
Daytime Emmys Pre-Nomination, Outstanding Lead Actress (
2014,
2017; for The Young and the Restless)
Soap Opera Awards Winner, Outstanding Lead Actress (1993; for The Young and the Restless)
Soap Opera Awards Nomination, Outstanding Lead Actress (1999; for The Young and the Restless)
PLACE OF BIRTH: Grand Rapids, Michigan; Raised in Toronto, Canada
DATE OF BIRTH: February 18, 1949
HEIGHT: 5' 7"
HAIR: Brown
EYES: Brown
MARITAL STATUS: Married; John W. James [1980 to Present]
CHILDREN: Two; Son, Cole and daughter, Allison
News Archive: Walton walks over pay cut dispute. [Mar 30, 2009]
News Archive: Update: Walton returns, re-signs after Y&R walkout. [Mar 30, 2009]
News Archive: Jess Walton explains why she left, return to Y&R. [May 11, 2009]
News Archive: Jess Walton signs new Y&R contract. [Feb 23, 2012]
News Archive: Jess Walton leaving Y&R -- for now. [Apr 2, 2012]
News Archive: Jess Walton back to Y&R for "great story." ]Sep 18, 2012]
News Archive: Y&R reveals new cast photo in celebration of 11,000th episode [Jul 19, 2016]
News Archive: WATCH: Christian LeBlanc interviews cast mates about Y&R's 11,000th episode, the Bell family's "dream come true" [Sep 1, 2016]
News Archive: STATUS REPORT: Jess Walton NOT leaving [Mar 22, 2017]
News Archive: Y&R's Jess Walton and B&B's Patrick Duffy to play spouses in Netflix film Christmas With a View [Dec 13, 2017]
News Archive: Jess Walton to return to Y&R in July [Jun 10, 2018]
News Archive: The Young and the Restless' Jess Walton on Jill's #1 enemy (Hint: it's not Katherine!) [Oct 3, 2019]
News Archive: John James, husband of The Young and the Restless' Jess Walton, has passed away [Aug 12, 2021]
