Caro Jones was a Canadian-American actress and casting director who was responsible for casting more than 1,000 films, theater productions and television shows over the course of more than forty years, including Rocky, The Beverly Hillbillies and Green Acres.
Biography
Early life and career
Jones was born in Canada. When she was 18 years old, Jones moved to New York City and was hired as a singer by the musical, Oklahoma's touring company. She next became a casting assistant to the Theatre Guild's main casting director. She was quickly promoted to head casting director within the Theatre Guild, and began casting for live television as well. One of Jones' first assistants was Les Moonves, who is now the president of the CBS television network. Jones married her first husband, fellow singer Arthur Eiseman, while living in New York City. The couple had one son, Jack. Their son, Jack, became an actor and singer, appearing in the original Broadway production of Oliver!.
Television and film
Despite her move to television and film later in her career, Jones remained involved with the Theatre Guild in New York City. Her last major job with the Guild involved casting for the 1996 Broadway production and touring company of State Fair. Caro Jones became involved in television very early on in the medium's history after initially beginning her casting career in theater. Jones cast for The United States Steel Hour, a live anthology series produced by the Theatre Guild in New York which ran from 1953 to 1963 on ABC and CBS, where she cast actors such as Patty Duke, Sidney Pollack, Gene Hackman, William Shatner, Burgess Meredith, Johnny Carson, Martin Sheen and George C. Scott.
Jones left Paramount and took a position as a casting director with Filmways Television. There she was in charge of casting for the television series Petticoat Junction, The Beverly Hillbillies, Green Acres and The Debbie Reynolds Show. She also cast for the films What's the Matter with Helen? and Fuzz for Filmways. She met and married her second husband, Al Simon, a producer for Filmways Television, while working for the company. She remained at Filmways for five years.
Independent casting
Upon her departure from Filmways Television after five years, Jones launched her own casting agency. Her first casting job under the banner of her own company was for the 1976 John Avildsen film, Rocky, which starred Sylvester Stallone. Jones had previously collaborated with Avildsen for his 1973 film, Save the Tiger, starring Jack Lemmon. Rocky would win the Academy Award for best picture as well as for best director. Jones' notable film credits under her own company included The Karate Kid in 1984 and Back to School in 1986. Jones' other miniseries credits included The Martian Chronicles, which starred Rock Hudson in 1980, and the 1981 miniseries, Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy, which starred Jaclyn Smith as Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.
Caro Jones died on September 3, 2009, of multiple myeloma in Los Angeles at the age of 86 after suffering from the disease for fourteen-years. She was survived by two grandchildren, Jacqueline and Chase Eiseman, her brother, William Jones and two nieces, Caro Norris and Penelope Swanson. She was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale.
