Jean Howard (born Ernestine Hill; October 13, 1910 – March 20, 2000) was an American actress and professional photographer. She was born in

Longview, Texas Longview is a city in the U.S. state of Texas, and county seat of Gregg County; a small part of Longview extends into the western portion of neighboring Harrison County. Longview is located in East Texas, where Interstate 20 and U.S. Highways ...

and died in

Beverly Hills, California Beverly Hills is a city located in Los Angeles County, California. A notable and historic suburb of Greater Los Angeles, it is in a wealthy area immediately southwest of the Hollywood Hills, approximately northwest of downtown Los Angeles. B ...

Early years

Howard was born Ernestine Hill on October 13, 1919, in

. She grew up in Dallas, and her father traveled as a salesman. When she was a teenager, she accompanied her nephew to a photographic studio to have his portrait taken. Paul Mahoney, the photographer, took her photograph, which led to his becoming her teacher and mentor. "Young, eager, and frustrated," Howard changed her name to Ernestine Mahoney and began participating in beauty contests and fashion shows. Her father paid her expenses while Mahoney taught her. Howard acted in local theatrical productions before she went to Hollywood in the late 1920s and became a part of the Studio Club, a group for women who hoped to act in films.

Career

Howard's time as a Goldwyn Girl began when she responded to an advertisement. Her film debut came in ''Whoopee'' (1930).

Florenz Ziegfeld Jr. Florenz Edward Ziegfeld Jr. (; March 21, 1867 – July 22, 1932) was an American Broadway impresario, notable for his series of theatrical revues, the ''Ziegfeld Follies'' (1907–1931), inspired by the ''Folies Bergère'' of Paris. He also p ...

selected Howard as one of four women from that film to appear in his upcoming musical production, ''Smiles'', but she had to go to Dallas after her father died in an automobile accident. Ziegfeld gave her a role in the 1931 edition of the ''

Ziegfeld Follies The ''Ziegfeld Follies'' was a series of elaborate theatrical revue productions on Broadway in New York City from 1907 to 1931, with renewals in 1934 and 1936. They became a radio program in 1932 and 1936 as ''The Ziegfeld Follies of the Ai ...

'', billing her as Jean Howard. She next appeared in Ziegfeld's ''Hot-Cha'' (1932). A contract with MGM resulted in Howard's appearing in ''The Prizefighter and the Lady'' (1933) and ''Broadway to Hollywood'' (1933). She also appeared in ''Claudia'' (1943), ''Break of Hearts'', ''Dancing Lady'', and ''The Final Hour''. Howard studied photography at the Los Angeles Art Center. She appeared on Broadway in the productions: ''The Age of Innocence'' with

Franchot Tone Stanislaus Pascal Franchot Tone (February 27, 1905 – September 18, 1968) was an American actor, producer, and director of stage, film and television. He was a leading man in the 1930s and early 1940s, and at the height of his career was known ...

and ''Evensong''. Cole-Porter-and-Jean-Howard

She often used her camera to capture moments from Hollywood during the 1940s and 1950s. She photographed parties, gatherings, sports tournaments, etc., shooting

Tyrone Power Tyrone Edmund Power III (May 5, 1914 – November 15, 1958) was an American actor. From the 1930s to the 1950s, Power appeared in dozens of films, often in swashbuckler roles or romantic leads. His better-known films include ''Jesse James'', ' ...

Gene Tierney Gene Eliza Tierney (November 19, 1920 – November 6, 1991) was an American film and stage actress. Acclaimed for her great beauty, she became established as a leading lady. Tierney was best known for her portrayal of the title character in the ...

Richard Burton Richard Burton (; born Richard Walter Jenkins Jr.; 10 November 1925 – 5 August 1984) was a Welsh actor. Noted for his baritone voice, Burton established himself as a formidable Shakespearean actor in the 1950s, and he gave a memorable pe ...

Cole Porter Cole Albert Porter (June 9, 1891 – October 15, 1964) was an American composer and songwriter. Many of his songs became standards noted for their witty, urbane lyrics, and many of his scores found success on Broadway and in film. Born to ...

Judy Garland Judy Garland (born Frances Ethel Gumm; June 10, 1922June 22, 1969) was an American actress and singer. While critically acclaimed for many different roles throughout her career, she is widely known for playing the part of Dorothy Gale in '' The ...

Grace Kelly Grace Patricia Kelly (November 12, 1929 – September 14, 1982) was an American actress who, after starring in several significant films in the early to mid-1950s, became Princess of Monaco by marrying Prince Rainier III in April 1956. Kelly ...

Hedy Lamarr Hedy Lamarr (; born Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler; November 9, 1914 January 19, 2000) was an Austrian-born American film actress and inventor. A film star during Hollywood's golden age, Lamarr has been described as one of the greatest movie actress ...

Jennifer Jones Jennifer Jones (born Phylis Lee Isley; March 2, 1919 – December 17, 2009), also known as Jennifer Jones Simon, was an American actress and mental health advocate. Over the course of her career that spanned over five decades, she was nominated ...

, Deborah Kerr, Geraldine Page,

Ethel Barrymore Ethel Barrymore (born Ethel Mae Blythe; August 15, 1879 – June 18, 1959) was an American actress and a member of the Barrymore family of actors. Barrymore was a stage, screen and radio actress whose career spanned six decades, and was regarde ...

Laurence Olivier Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier (; 22 May 1907 – 11 July 1989) was an English actor and director who, along with his contemporaries Ralph Richardson and John Gielgud, was one of a trio of male actors who dominated the Theatre of the U ...

and Vivien Leigh. Two books of her photographs were published, ''Jean Howard's Hollywood: A Photo Memoir'' (1989) and ''Travels With Cold Porter'' (1991).

Personal life and death

Howard married Hollywood talent agent

Charles K. Feldman Charles K. Feldman (April 26, 1905 – May 25, 1968) was a Hollywood attorney, film producer and talent agent who founded the Famous Artists talent agency. According to one obituary, Feldman disdained publicity. "Feldman was an enigma to Holly ...

on August 25, 1934, in Harrison, New York, and they divorced in 1948, the couple continued to live together until his death in 1968. The union was childless. She married Tony Santoro, a musician from Italy, in 1973. Howard died on March 20, 2000, in her Beverly Hills, California, home. She was buried in Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

References

Sources

*''The Stars of Hollywood Forever: 1901-2006'' (//ASIN: B0006SA7KO); Publisher: Tony Scott Publishing; 1st edition (2001)

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Howard, Jean 1910 births 2000 deaths 20th-century American actresses Actresses from Texas American film actresses American stage actresses American female dancers Dancers from Texas 20th-century American photographers Burials at Hollywood Forever Cemetery People from Longview, Texas Ziegfeld girls 20th-century American dancers 20th-century American women photographers