Ethel Jackson

Ethel Jackson (November 1, 1877 – November 23, 1957) was a U.S. stage actress and comic prima donna"Ethel Jackson Married", New York Times, February 4, 1902, pg. 2.] of the late 19th century and early 20th century. She appeared in Broadway theatrical productions.

Family

In 1877, Ethel Jackson was born on November 1 in New York and lived for an extended time abroad. She received her education in Vienna, Austria and Paris, France. Her father was Hart Jackson, a dramatist."Denial From Ethel Jackson", New York Times, March 25, 1908, pg. 9.] Her full name was Ethel Hart Jackson."The Merry Widow Is Again A Bride", New York Times, October 27, 1908, pg. 9.] Her mother was Mrs. Frances Wyatt Jackson. Frances was in the cast of "The Ambassador" which was staged at the St. James Theatre in London, England, in 1898. Jackson was the great-granddaughter of painter Henry Inman and Sir William Coddington, the first governor of Rhode Island.

In 1957 (aged 80), Ethel Jackson died on November 23 in East Islip, Long Island, New York.Cite web
author = Stone, David
date = 2001
title = "Ethel Jackson"
work = Who Was Who in the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company
publisher = The Gilbert and Sullivan Archive (at Math.BoiseState.edu)
url = http://math.boisestate.edu/GaS/whowaswho/I-J/JacksonEthel.htm
archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20030529001801/http://math.boisestate.edu/GaS/whowaswho/I-J/JacksonEthel.htm
archivedate = 2003-05-29

Theatrical career

She first played small roles at the Savoy Theatre before having her first hit there as "Wanda" in "The Grand Duchess". Charles Frohman brought her to America"Theatrical Gossip", New York Times, September 1, 1901, pg. 12.] to play the leading lady in "Little Miss Nobody" at the Garden Theatre in New York City, in August 1898. She was engaged to perform the part by A.H. ["Theatrical Gossip", New York Times, August 21, 1898, pg. 14.] "Al Canby", who represented Frohman."Theatrical Gossip", August 12, 1898, pg. 7.] The musical comedy was staged next at Nixon & Zimmerman's Broad Street (Philadelphia) Theatre in September. The plot deals with a young aristocrat who is trying to raise funds when he finds himself without money. He places an advertisement for boarders at the Scottish castle of his aunt who is away. His ad is answered by a man who runs a London music hall. He brings along three music hall girls and a variety artist. The five are forced to pass themselves off as members of the nobility. ["Little Miss Nobody A Success", New York Times, September 6, 1898, pg. 7.]

Following her tenure in "Little Miss Nobody", Jackson joined the Augustin Daly musical company. She was in the musical farce, "The Hotel Topsy Turvy", which opened at the Herald Square Theatre on October 3, 1898. As "Cecile", Jackson's fellow cast members included Marie Dressler, who demonstrates her versatility along with her noted talent for humor. ["The Hotel Topsy Turvy", New York Times, October 4, 1898, pg. 9.] Jackson succeeded Katherine Florence in the Madison Square Stock Company. ["Theatrical Gossip", New York Times, November 18, 1898, pg. 7.]

By April 1899 she was in the company of "A Runaway Girl". ["A Runaway Girl", New York Times, April 30, 1899, pg. IMS7.] The production began with a show in Troy, New York on September 18. James T. Powers played the role of "Flipper", the jockey. ["Rights To A Play Settled", New York Times, August 18, 1899, pg. 7.]

The Casino Theatre presented an English fairy play, "Little Red Riding Hood", in January 1900. Jackson was "Riding Hood", with Madge Lessing as "Little Boy Blue" and Kitty Mitchell as "Little Jack Horner". The production was the work of Edward E. Rice. ["This Week's New Bills", New York Times, January 7, 1900, pg. 16.]

Jackson created the title role in "Miss Bob White", a comic opera written by Willard Spenser. The story tells of two millionaires compelled to live for several months as tramps after losing an election bet. They come to a dairy farm close to Philadelphia and are put to work. Jackson is a New York society belle who arrives at the farm disguised as a dairy maid. She successfully woos the man she is infatuated with. ["Miss Bob White" Produced", New York Times, April 16, 1901, pg. 6.]

In February 1905 she was in a production of the "The Brixton Burglary" at the Carnegie Lyceum in Manhattan (New York). Written by Frederick W. Sidney, the presentation could not be staged in Brooklyn, New York, because of the burning of the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Several hundred members and friends of the Amaranth, Brooklyn's oldest dramatic society, attended the performance. ["Brooklyn Players Here", New York Times, February 24, 1905, pg. 7.]

Henry W. Savage secured Jackson to sing the role of "Sonia" in "Die Lustige Witwe", which was presented to American audiences under the title "The Merry Widow". The Viennese comic opera was written by Victor Leon, Franz Lehar, and Leo Stern. The production opened firstin Syracuse, New York on September 24, 1907. ["The Merry Widow Appears", New York Times, September 24, 1907, pg. 11.] The three-act opera played the New Amsterdam Theatre for the first time on October 21. ["The Week's Offerings", October 20, 1907, pg. X1.] Jackson fainted twice during a Saturday matinee in March 1908. Her illness brought about her replacement by Lois Ewell. ["Ethel Jackson Ill Again", New York Times, March 17, 1908, pg. 7.] She fainted again while leaving the stage at the close of the second act on March17. After being revived by a doctor Jackson resumed her role at the beginning of the third act. The audience enthusiastically applauded her for her determination. ["Ethel Jackson Faints Again", New York Times, March 18, 1908, pg. 1.] She attributed her fainting spells to a weak heart caused by grip, which she suffered from during the previous winter.

In January 1914 Jackson debuted as a vaudeville performer at the Orpheum Theatre in Brooklyn, New York. The venue was run by B.F. Keith. ["Brooklyn Amusements", New York Times, January 11, 1914, pg. X6.] In February 1915 she appeared in "A Pair of Sixes" with Ralph Herz at the Belasco Theatre in Washington, D.C.. The play dealt with two pillmakers who disagreed on how to conduct their business. ["Coming to the Theaters", Washington Post, February 18, 1915, pg. 7.]

Marriages

Jackson married J. Fred Zimmerman Jr., business manager of the Chestnut Street Theater, in 1902 at St. James Episcopal Church in Philadelphia. She retired for a number of years from performing at this time. Zimmerman was the son of the junior partner of the Nixon & Zimmerman theatrical business."Ethel Jackson to Sing for Savage", New York Times, August 11, 1907, pg. 7.] They spent their honeymoon in Lakewood, New Jersey. ["The Season At Lakewood", New York Times, February 9, 1902, pg. 24.] The couple resided for a time on West 56th Street before moving to the Hotel Seymour, West 45th Street, midtown Manhattan. [ [http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=hotelseymour-newyorkcity-ny-usa Hotel Seymour, New York City ] ] Jackson denied rumors of a pending divorce from Zimmerman in March 1908. On August 3, 1908 Jackson obtained an interlocutory decree for a divorce without a correspondent being named. ["Divorce For Ethel Jackson", New York Times, pg. 7.] According to the stipulation of the final divorce decree, issued in October, Jackson was permitted to remarry. Zimmerman could not legally marry again while his former wife was still living. ["Ethel Jackson divorced", New York Times, October 23, 1908, pg. 9.] In October 1910 it was disclosed that Zimmerman was married again and had been for some time. His wife was Grace Rankin, a member of the "Miss Innocence" company of Anna Held. ["J. Fred Zimmerman Married Again", New York Times, October 1, 1910, pg. 13.]

Newspaper reports announced the impending marriage of Jackson to Benoni Lockwood Jr., her lawyer when she was contesting a divorce from Zimmerman. Lockwood was from an old New York family and a popular member of the Racquet Club. His father married a sister of the late Ambassador Thomas F. Bayard, Sr. of Delaware, and was one of the pioneer insurance men in New York City."Ethel Jackson To Marry Shortly", New York Times, September 26, 1908, pg. 7.] Their wedding occurred on October 26, 1908 in Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania, at the home of Henry Wharton, a brother-in-law of Lockwood. Lockwood's residence was 9 1/2 East 33rd Street, New York City.

References

External links

* [http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/dgkeysearchresult.cfm?parent_id=529800&word= Ethel Jackson] New York Public Library Digital Gallery photos