Jane Seymour will probably be best remembered for the television series ‘Dr Quinn Medicine Woman’ and for the role in the James bond movie, ‘Live and let die’ where she played the part of ‘Solitaire’, the tarot card reading priestess opposite Roger More in 1973.

Jane Seymour - the actress, producer, author and artist with homes in Los Angeles and England - is 54 but shares playgrounds with women half her age because she had twin boys nine years ago. She also has a teenage son, Sean, and a daughter, Katie, in university, as well as two stepchildren.

Jane, grew up the responsible eldest of three girls in a Wimbledon household with a pragmatic British gynecologist father and a “fabulous” and spiritual Dutch mother, who came to England after living in Indonesia in the years before World War II.

Jane turned to acting after suffering a knee injury while performing ballet. She received schooling in all of the arts, the theatre was another area in which she excelled Jane has appeared in numerous TV films, many only released in the United States where she is extremely popular. Jane’s theatre career has also been very successful, playing the part of Kathleen Clearly in the 2004 in the film version of Wedding Crashers and going to appear in the stage version in 2005 which became a blockbuster hit. She has also produced a number of films including Walk the line in 2004.

Jane’s latest film, Blind Guy, is set for a theatrical release in 2006. Jane has loaned her voice talents, along with Tony-award winner James Naughton, to a 3-D animated Christmas musical, ‘The Littlest Light on the Christmas Tree’, released on DVD in November 2nd.

Jane admits it’s not easy to be a successful 54-year-old actress in Hollywood today. So off camera, Jane must work hard to stay in the public eye. Her candid interviews are award-winning — especially when the focus is her private life. She loves to talk and has a lot to say — about herself, not the roles she plays; but her own ideas, not those scripted for her but her personal passions, and especially her children. All six of them.

Mothering is her primary role in life and she’s mastered the art form. “I’m quick,” she quips. She cooks fast, dresses fast, bathes children fast, but has always made time to read bedtime stories. “It helps us to wind down at the end of the day. My priority is getting things done expediently, making sure the household is running smoothly and everyone’s safe and getting to do what they need to do.” Speed isn’t the whole story. Jane wrote the book on the Hollywood blended family.

When all the children are home, her Malibu household includes John and Kristopher, the five-year-old twins she had at 45 with her current and fourth husband, actor, director and producer James Keach; Sean, 15, and Katie, 19, from her previous marriage to her ex-business partner, David Flynn; Jennifer, 21, his daughter and her stepdaughter (a word she rarely uses); and Kalin, 23, James son from his previous marriage.

She ended up being ‘mama’ to almost all her friends. Family is as fundamental to her as her sensible, no-nonsense nature and her passion for making the most of every moment. How else could she squeeze so much out of each day? Furthermore, she has a secret. “I make friends with the exes, with the other mums,” she says. “I’ve been asked to write a book about it.”

With a truly nurturing heart, she defines her family by love and respect more than by blood or marital status. Everyone is relative to her and their pictures cover her fridge.

When she stopped breastfeeding her firstborn, Katie, at three months of age, she put her in a bassinet and sent her over to play with her stepdaughter, Jennifer, then age three. A lot of her friends thought this outrageous. After all, Jennifer’s mother, Linda Flynn, was Seymour’s exhusband’s ex-wife. Today, they’re the closest of friends. “My children call her Mama Linda.” And it works because, like most of us humans, She has wrestled her own demons, can admit she’s blessed and knows her rollercoaster life has made her who she is today. She’s constantly creating, thinking of things she wants to do, but she doesn’t always have the time. She’s not one of the “ladies who lunch,” nor does she shop well. Just fast and specific. “I don’t need things, particularly.” Jane has quite a few passions, one of which is painting and has had exhibitions of her work in various galleries.

Jane’s charming and fun-loving twin boys not only inspired her exclusive collection of children’s clothes, but a series of equally charming, entertaining and educational children’s books as well.

The books, which she wrote with her husband James Keach, follow two twin cool cats and their colourful antics as they grow and learn. Inspired by the antics of their twin sons, Kris and John, Jane collaborated with her husband to write this series of children’s books. Illustrated by Geoffrey “Jeep” Planer, these books celebrate the lively family of the Malibu Cats who, like their live counterparts, have countless whacky adventures in their home by the sea.

The twins’ nicknames came about when Jane was pregnant with them. During the ultrasound scans, Jane and James found themselves referring to the twins as “This One” and “That One.” “Hey, look, That One is moving and This One is huge and This One has more hair than either of us!” And thus, the series was born!

Although Jane spends most of her time in the States she has a magnificent country manor house, five miles from Bath, which is a 14th century, grade A listed building called St Catherines Court, situated in St Catherines Valley. The building is open to the public and you can have a virtual tour of this beautiful place by visiting their St Catherines web site.

Jane Seymour will probably be best remembered for the television series ‘Dr Quinn Medicine Woman’ and for the role in the James bond movie, ‘Live and let die’ where she played the part of ‘Solitaire’, the tarot card reading priestess opposite Roger More in 1973.