His death at the age of 61 was the result of cardiomyopathy (heart failure). Brett's heart valves were permanently scarred by rheumatic fever, which he suffered as a teenager. Medication later prescribed for his bipolar disorder, and his longtime smoking habit, also weakened his heart. His co-star Edward Hardwicke recalled that Brett would often buy three packets of cigarettes in the morning, and smoke them all during the course of the day.
His father died in 1965.
His father forbade him from using the family name on stage because he thought acting was a "dubious" profession. So Jeremy took his stage name from the label of his first suit, "Brett & Co."
His father, Lt. Colonel Henry William "Bill" Huggins, was born in 1890.
His mother died in a car accident in 1959.
His parents married in 1923.
His stage roles include: Patroclus and then Troilus in "Troilus and Cressida" (1956), Hamlet in "Hamlet" (1961), Bassanio in "The Merchant of Venice" (1970), Dracula in "Dracula" (1978-9), Dr. John Watson in "The Crucifer of Blood" (1980-1), Prospero in "The Tempest" (1982), and Sherlock Holmes in "The Secret of Sherlock Holmes" (1988-9).
Hobbies included: archery, horseback riding, and piano.
In the scene in War and Peace (1956) where the Rostov's invite Prince Andrei to go hunting with them, Brett is the only actor never on a mechanical horse. In all his shots he is clearly on a live horse. Audrey Hepburn, Henry Fonda, Mel Ferrer, Barry Jones and May Britt are all clearly on mechanical horses in their close shots.
Son of Henry William Huggins (military Colonel. DSO, MC, DL) and Elizabeth Edith Cadbury (Butler) Huggins.
Son with wife Anna Massey: David Huggins, born August 14, 1959.
Suffered from bipolar disorder.
Wanted to be a jockey before becoming an actor because he loved horses: "But I got too big to be a jockey."