Jack Whiting (actor)
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Jack Whiting (born Albert Draper Whiting, Jr.; June 22, 1901 – February 15, 1961) was an American actor, singer and dancer whose career ran from the early 1920s through the late 1950s, playing leading men or major supporting figures. He performed in 30+ musicals on
Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
, including ''
Stepping Stones Stepping stones or stepstones are sets of stones arranged to form an improvised causeway that allows a pedestrian to cross a natural watercourse such as a river; or a water feature in a garden where water is allowed to flow between stone steps. U ...
'' (1923–1924), ''
Hold Everything! ''Hold Everything!'' is a musical comedy with lyrics by Lew Brown and B. G. de Sylva, music by Ray Henderson, and has an accompanying book by John McGowan and B. G. de Sylva. Produced by Alex A. Aarons and Vinton Freedley, the Broadway producti ...
'' (1928–1929), '' Take A Chance'' (1932–1933), ''
Hooray for What! ''Hooray for What!'' is an anti-warConnema, Richar''Hooray for What!'' is a Hilarious Send-up of America Talkin' Broadway Regional News & reviews: San Francisco, undated but presumably November 2004 when 42nd Street Moon Productions performed the ...
'' (1937–1938), '' Hold On to Your Hats'' (1940–1941), ''
Hazel Flagg ''Hazel Flagg'' is a 1953 musical, book by Ben Hecht, based on a story by James H. Street. The lyrics are by Bob Hilliard, and music by Jule Styne. The musical is based on the 1937 screwball comedy film '' Nothing Sacred'', the primary screenwrit ...
'' (1953) and '' The Golden Apple'' (1954). As a dancer, his talent was likened to
Fred Astaire Fred Astaire (born Frederick Austerlitz; May 10, 1899 – June 22, 1987) was an American dancer, choreographer, actor, and singer. He is often called the greatest dancer in Hollywood film history. Astaire's career in stage, film, and tele ...
's and Gene Kelly's. He starred in London's West End premieres of ''
Anything Goes ''Anything Goes'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter. The original book was a collaborative effort by Guy Bolton and P. G. Wodehouse, heavily revised by the team of Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. The story concerns madcap ant ...
'' (1935–1936) and ''
On Your Toes ''On Your Toes'' (1936) is a musical with a book by Richard Rodgers, George Abbott, and Lorenz Hart, music by Rodgers, and lyrics by Hart. It was adapted into a film in 1939. While teaching music at Knickerbocker University, Phil "Junior" Dolan ...
'' (1937), and recorded medleys from these shows while in England. As a singer, he enjoyed great success with a few hit songs, such as "
You're the Cream in My Coffee "You're the Cream in My Coffee" is a popular song published in 1928. Popular recordings were by Annette Hanshaw, Ben Selvin (vocal by Jack Palmer), Ted Weems (vocal by Parker Gibbs) and Ruth Etting. The music was written by Ray Henderson, wit ...
" (1928), "
I've Got Five Dollars "I've Got Five Dollars" is a 1931 popular song composed by Richard Rodgers, with lyrics by Lorenz Hart for the musical '' America's Sweetheart'' (1931) where it was introduced by Harriette Lake (aka Ann Sothern) and Jack Whiting. Popular recordin ...
" (1931), and "Every Street's A Boulevard In Old New York" (1953). Whiting acted in theatre plays like ''
Aren't We All? ''Aren't We All?'' is a comic play by Frederick Lonsdale. At the core of the drawing room comedy's slim plot is the Hon. William Tatham who, having been consigned to the proverbial doghouse for a romantic indiscretion, is determined to catch hi ...
'' (1923), ''
Design for Living ''Design for Living'' is a comedy play written by Noël Coward in 1932. It concerns a trio of artistic characters, Gilda, Otto and Leo, and their complicated three-way relationship. Originally written to star Lynn Fontanne, Alfred Lunt and Cowa ...
'' (1943), ''The Overtons'' (1945), and ''A Girl Can Tell'' (1953), and toured nationally with '' Arsenic and Old Lace'' (1941–1942 with Erich von Stroheim, 1943 with
Boris Karloff William Henry Pratt (23 November 1887 – 2 February 1969), better known by his stage name Boris Karloff (), was an English actor. His portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in the horror film '' Frankenstein'' (1931) (his 82nd film) established ...
, and 1944 with
Bela Lugosi Béla Ferenc Dezső Blaskó (; October 20, 1882 – August 16, 1956), known professionally as Bela Lugosi (; ), was a Hungarian and American actor best remembered for portraying Count Dracula in the 1931 horror classic ''Dracula'', Ygor in ''S ...
), and with the musicals ''
The Red Mill ''The Red Mill'' is an operetta written by Victor Herbert, with a libretto by Henry Blossom. The farcical story concerns two American vaudevillians who wreak havoc at an inn in Holland, interfering with two marriages; but all ends well. The musica ...
'' (1947), ''
High Button Shoes ''High Button Shoes'' is a 1947 musical with music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Sammy Cahn and book by George Abbott and Stephen Longstreet. It was based on the semi-autobiographical 1946 novel ''The Sisters Liked Them Handsome'' by Stephen Longs ...
'' (1948–1949, 1950), and ''
Gay Divorce ''Gay Divorce'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter and book by Dwight Taylor, adapted by Kenneth Webb and Samuel Hoffenstein. It was Fred Astaire's last Broadway show and featured the hit song " Night and Day" in which Astaire da ...
'' (1950). Whiting also starred in a handful of films during the 1930s, including the British musical ''
Sailing Along ''Sailing Along'' is a 1938 British musical comedy film directed by Sonnie Hale and starring Jessie Matthews, Barry MacKay, Jack Whiting, Roland Young, Frank Pettingell, Noel Madison and Alastair Sim. It includes many staged song and dance ...
'' (1938) with Jessie Matthews, and the American comedy ''
Give Me a Sailor ''Give Me a Sailor'' is a 1938 comedy film directed by Elliott Nugent, starring Martha Raye, Bob Hope, Betty Grable and Jack Whiting. This was Raye and Hope's third film together, the first in which they played the leads. Plot Jim and Walter B ...
'' (1938) with
Bob Hope Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was a British-American comedian, vaudevillian, actor, singer and dancer. With a career that spanned nearly 80 years, Hope appeared in Bob Hope filmography, more than 70 short and ...
and
Betty Grable Elizabeth Ruth Grable (December 18, 1916 – July 2, 1973) was an American actress, pin-up girl, dancer, model, and singer. Her 42 films during the 1930s and 1940s grossed more than $100 million; for 10 consecutive years (1942–1951) she reign ...
. He featured in a dozen popular television shows in the 1950s, as his career drew to a close. In 1953, he won the 10th Annual
Donaldson Award The Donaldson Awards were a set of theatre awards established in 1944 by the drama critic Robert Francis in honor of W. H. Donaldson (1864–1925), the founder of ''The Billboard'' (now ''Billboard'') magazine. Categories included "best new pla ...
for Best Musical Supporting Performance in ''Hazell Flagg'', and came second in 1954, for his role in ''The Golden Apple''.


Early life

Whiting was born on June 22, 1901 in
Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...
, where he worked as a stenographer before going on the vaudeville stage as a young amateur actor with the
Mask and Wig The Mask and Wig Club, a private club in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, founded in 1889, is a historic collegiate musical comedy troupe. Created as an alternative to the existing theatrical and dramatic outlets at the University of Pennsylvania, Mas ...
Club at the
University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest-regarded universitie ...
, and developing a career as a singer and dancer, often portraying a smiling, blond leading man or a major supporting character.


Career


1922–1930: Early Broadway musicals, "You're the Cream in My Coffee"

Whiting’s debut on Broadway was in the 1922 edition of ''
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 ...
'', in which he sang "
Flappers Flappers were a subculture of young Western women in the 1920s who wore short skirts (knee height was considered short during that period), bobbed their hair, listened to jazz, and flaunted their disdain for what was then considered accepta ...
" with the Connor Twins (sisters Thelma and Velma) during a dance by Jimmy Nervo. His career took off and he featured in many musicals where, as stated by Broadway chronicler Thomas Hischak: "he played the all-American boy who gets the all-American girl". In September 1922, he joined the cast of '' Orange Blossoms'', to play one of the eight "Gentlemen in the case" with whom he sang three songs: "On the Riviera", "Orange Blossoms" and "Let's Not Get Married" (all by
Victor Herbert Victor August Herbert (February 1, 1859 – May 26, 1924) was an American composer, cellist and conductor of English and Irish ancestry and German training. Although Herbert enjoyed important careers as a cello soloist and conductor, he is bes ...
and
Buddy DeSylva George Gard "Buddy" DeSylva (January 27, 1895 – July 11, 1950) was an American songwriter, film producer and record executive. He wrote or co-wrote many popular songs and, along with Johnny Mercer and Glenn Wallichs, he co-founded Capitol Recor ...
). The following April, he appeared as Bruce in ''Cinders'', again in a group of nine gentlemen singing "I'm Simply Mad about the Boys", "You and I", "The Argentine Arago", and "Cinders" (all by
Rudolf Friml Charles Rudolf Friml"Mrs. Rudolf Friml to Receive Divorce"
...
and Edward Clark). In May 1923, Whiting appeared as Martin Steele with
Leslie Howard Leslie Howard Steiner (3 April 18931 June 1943) was an English actor, director and producer.Obituary ''Variety'', 9 June 1943. He wrote many stories and articles for ''The New York Times'', ''The New Yorker'', and ''Vanity Fair'' and was one o ...
in the Broadway staging of the
drawing room comedy A drawing room play is a type of play, developed during the Victorian period in the United Kingdom, in which the actions take place in a drawing room or which is designed to be reenacted in the drawing room of a home. The common practice of entertai ...
''
Aren't We All? ''Aren't We All?'' is a comic play by Frederick Lonsdale. At the core of the drawing room comedy's slim plot is the Hon. William Tatham who, having been consigned to the proverbial doghouse for a romantic indiscretion, is determined to catch hi ...
'', which ran for 32 performances. In November, he played the role of Captain Paul in the musical comedy ''
Stepping Stones Stepping stones or stepstones are sets of stones arranged to form an improvised causeway that allows a pedestrian to cross a natural watercourse such as a river; or a water feature in a garden where water is allowed to flow between stone steps. U ...
'' (1923–1924), and sang "In Love With Love" alongside the other principal characters, plus two more songs with the rest of the Company: "Babbling Babette" and "Rose Potpourri Finale". ''Stepping Stones'' ran for 11 months and 281 performances, ending on October 4, 1924. Exactly one month later, he was playing Alfred Weatherby in ''Annie Dear'' (1924–1925), in which he joined other cast members to sing "The Only Girl" (by Clifford Grey and
Sigmund Romberg Sigmund Romberg (July 29, 1887 – November 9, 1951) was a Hungarian-born American composer. He is best known for his musicals and operettas, particularly '' The Student Prince'' (1924), '' The Desert Song'' (1926) and '' The New Moon'' (1928). E ...
) and "Help, Help, Help" (by
Clare Kummer Clare Kummer (January 9, 1873 — April 21, 1958) was an American composer, lyricist, and playwright. Early life Kummer was born Clare Rodman Beecher in Brooklyn, New York, the granddaughter of Rev. Edward Beecher and great-granddaughter of Lym ...
), and to dance in "A Comic Fantasy" (also by Kummer). In October and November 1925, he played Larry Patton in ''When You Smile'' and sang "One Little Girl" with the Girls in the cast, as well as "Gee, We Get Along" and "Oh, What a Girl", both with
Wynne Gibson Winifred Elaine "Wynne" Gibson (July 3, 1898 – May 15, 1987) was an American actress of the 1930s. Early years Gibson was born in New York City, the daughter of Frank W. Gibson and Elaine Coffin Gibson. Her father was an efficiency expert, and ...
(all songs by Phil Cook and Tom Johnstone). During the latter song, Whiting and Gibson also performed a
dumbshow Dumbshow, also dumb show or dumb-show, is defined by the ''Oxford Dictionary of English'' as "gestures used to convey a meaning or message without speech; mime." In the theatre the word refers to a piece of dramatic mime in general, or more partic ...
duet to the orchestra's mock sounds of flute, horn and saxophone in musical conversation. From March to May 1926, he played Tommy Lansing in ''Rainbow Rose'' and sang "Jealous" with Billy Tichenor and Dancers, "If You Were Someone Else and Someone Else Were Only Here" with Shirley Sherman and Ensemble, and "Let's Get Married" with Billy Tichenor (all songs by Owen Murphy and Harold Levey). In September, he played Billy Shannon in ''The Ramblers'', in which he sang "All Alone Monday" and "You Smiled at Me", both with Marie Saxon and Chorus, and reprised "All Alone Monday" with Saxon, Eleanor Dawn, Blaine Cordner and Chorus (all songs by
Bert Kalmar Bert Kalmar (February 10, 1884 – September 18, 1947) was an American songwriter, who was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970. He was also a screenwriter. Biography Kalmar, a native of New York City, left school at an early ag ...
and
Harry Ruby Harry Rubenstein (January 27, 1895 – February 23, 1974), known professionally as Harry Ruby, was an American actor, pianist, composer, songwriter and screenwriter, who was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970.Frank Crumit Frank Crumit (September 26, 1889 – September 7, 1943) was an American singer, composer, radio entertainer and vaudeville star. He shared his radio programs with his wife, Julia Sanderson, and the two were sometimes called "the ideal coupl ...
) and "How'd You Like To?" (by
Irving Caesar Irving Caesar (born Isidor Keiser, July 4, 1895 – December 18, 1996) was an American lyricist and theater composer who wrote lyrics for numerous song standards, including " Swanee", "Sometimes I'm Happy", " Crazy Rhythm", and " Tea for T ...
, and music by Stephen Jones), both with
Jeanette MacDonald Jeanette Anna MacDonald (June 18, 1903 – January 14, 1965) was an American singer and actress best remembered for her musical films of the 1930s with Maurice Chevalier (''The Love Parade'', '' Love Me Tonight'', ''The Merry Widow'' and '' On ...
. Despite the show's short-lived run,
Charles Brackett Charles William Brackett (November 26, 1892 – March 9, 1969) was an American screenwriter and film producer. He collaborated with Billy Wilder on sixteen films. Life and career Brackett was born in Saratoga Springs, New York, the son of ...
nonetheless wrote in ''
The New Yorker ''The New Yorker'' is an American weekly magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. Founded as a weekly in 1925, the magazine is published 47 times annually, with five of these issues ...
'' that Whiting was "certainly the most promising ''jeune premier'' in his department." In January 1928, he was Bob Martin in ''She’s My Baby'', in which he sang "You're All I Need" with
Irene Dunne Irene Dunne (born Irene Marie Dunn; December 20, 1898 – September 4, 1990) was an American actress who appeared in films during the Golden Age of Hollywood. She is best known for her comedic roles, though she performed in films of other gen ...
, "Camera Shoot" with Beatrice Lillie and
Clifton Webb Webb Parmelee Hollenbeck (November 19, 1889 – October 13, 1966), known professionally as Clifton Webb, was an American actor, singer, and dancer. He worked extensively and was known for his stage appearances in the plays of Noël Coward, i ...
, "Trio" with Webb and Nick Long Jr., and "Wasn't It Great?" with Long Jr., William McCarthy, Joan Clement,
Pearl Eaton Pearl Eaton Levant (August 1, 1898 – September 10, 1958) was an American Broadway performer, actress, choreographer, and dance supervisor of the 1910s and 1920s. Early life and career Eaton was born in Washington, D.C., and was the daugh ...
, Phyllis Rae and Ensemble (all songs by Lorenz Hart and Richard Rodgers). This show closed on March 3, after 71 performances. He played "Sonny Jim" Brooks in the highly successful ''
Hold Everything! ''Hold Everything!'' is a musical comedy with lyrics by Lew Brown and B. G. de Sylva, music by Ray Henderson, and has an accompanying book by John McGowan and B. G. de Sylva. Produced by Alex A. Aarons and Vinton Freedley, the Broadway producti ...
'', which opened on October 10, 1928 and closed nearly a year later, after 409 performances. Whiting sang "Footwork", the highly popular "
You're the Cream in My Coffee "You're the Cream in My Coffee" is a popular song published in 1928. Popular recordings were by Annette Hanshaw, Ben Selvin (vocal by Jack Palmer), Ted Weems (vocal by Parker Gibbs) and Ruth Etting. The music was written by Ray Henderson, wit ...
" with
Ona Munson Ona Munson (born Owena Elizabeth Wolcott; June 16, 1903 – February 11, 1955) was an American film and stage actress. She starred in nine Broadway productions and 20 feature films in her career, which spanned over 30 years. Born and raised in ...
, "Too Good To Be True", and "To Know You Is to Love You" with Munson (all songs by Ray Henderson,
Lew Brown Lew Brown (born Louis Brownstein; December 10, 1893 – February 5, 1958) was a lyricist for popular songs in the United States. During World War I and the Roaring Twenties, he wrote lyrics for several of the top Tin Pan Alley composers, esp ...
and Buddy DeSylva). Whiting then immediately joined the cast of ''Heads Up!'', which opened on November 11, 1929 and ran for 144 performances until March 15, 1930. He played the role of Lieutenant Jack Mason, and sang "Why Do You Suppose?" and "It Must be Heaven", both with Barbara Newberry, and "A Ship Without a Sail" (all songs by Hart and Rodgers).


1930–1935: Early films, more Broadway musicals, "I've Got Five Dollars"

In 1930, Whiting turned to acting in three musical comedy films in succession. In June of that year, he joined the cast of '' College Lovers'', in which he starred in the role of Frank Taylor alongside
Marian Nixon Marian Nixon (born Marja Nissinen; October 20, 1904 – February 13, 1983) was an American film actress. Sometimes credited as Marion Nixon, she appeared in more than 70 films. Career Born in Superior, Wisconsin, to parents of Finnish descent, ...
. He was Jerry Brooks in '' Top Speed'' with
Joe E. Brown Joseph Evans Brown (July 28, 1891 – July 6, 1973) was an American actor and comedian, remembered for his friendly screen persona, comic timing, and enormous elastic-mouth smile. He was one of the most popular American comedians in the 19 ...
and Bernice Claire, and A. J. Smith in '' The Life of the Party'' with
Winnie Lightner Winnie Lightner (born Winifred Josephine Reeves; September 17, 1899 – March 5, 1971) was an American stage and motion picture actress. Perhaps best known as the man-hungry Mabel in ''Gold Diggers of Broadway'' (1929), Lightner was often typ ...
and Irene Delroy. The following year, he starred opposite Irene Delroy again, this time in the role of Jack Ames in '' Men of the Sky'', a spy drama film with songs. On February 10, 1931, Whiting opened Rodgers and Hart's '' America's Sweetheart'' in the role of Michael Perry, singing three songs with
Ann Sothern Ann Sothern (born Harriette Arlene Lake; January 22, 1909 – March 15, 2001) was an American actress who worked on stage, radio, film, and television, in a career that spanned nearly six decades. Sothern began her career in the late 1920 ...
(): "
I've Got Five Dollars "I've Got Five Dollars" is a 1931 popular song composed by Richard Rodgers, with lyrics by Lorenz Hart for the musical '' America's Sweetheart'' (1931) where it was introduced by Harriette Lake (aka Ann Sothern) and Jack Whiting. Popular recordin ...
", "We'll Be the Same", and "Hello Folks! Goodbye Folks!", as well as "How About It?" with
Inez Courtney Inez Courtney (October 12, 1897 – April 5, 1975) was an American actress on the Broadway stage and in films. Early years Born in Amsterdam, New York, Courtney came from a large Irish-American family. After her father's death when she was fif ...
. On February 13, Whiting also recorded the first two of these songs for
Brunswick Records Brunswick Records is an American record label founded in 1916. History From 1916 Records under the Brunswick label were first produced by the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company, a company based in Dubuque, Iowa which had been manufacturing prod ...
. The ''
New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' said: "Jack Whiting of the blonde hair and baritone voice and Harriette Lake are a personable pair of musical comedy bandmasters. 'I've Got Five Dollars' is far more romantic than it sounds. It is the pet melody of Jack Whiting and H.L. the inevitable love interest." The show closed on June 6, 1931, after 135 performances. He played three roles in '' Take A Chance'': Kenneth Raleigh, Ronald in scene "Blackmail", and Daniel Boone in scene "Daniel Boone's Defense". The show opened on November 26, 1932 and closed on July 1, 1933 after 243 performances. He sang "So Do I" and "I Long To Belong To You", both with June Knight, "Tickled Pink" with the Girls, and "Turn Out the Light" with
Sid Silvers Sid Silvers (January 16, 1901 in Brooklyn, New York – August 20, 1976 in Brooklyn) was an American actor, comedian, lyricist, and writer. Silvers began his career in vaudeville in the early 1920s as a comedy partner of Phil Baker. As part of ...
,
Jack Haley John Joseph Haley Jr. (August 10, 1897 – June 6, 1979) was an American actor, comedian, dancer, radio host, singer and vaudevillian. He was best known for his portrayal of the Tin Man and his farmhand counterpart Hickory in the 1939 Metro-G ...
, June Knight and the Girls (all by
Nacio Herb Brown Ignacio Herbert "Nacio Herb" Brown (February 22, 1896 – September 28, 1964) was an American writer of popular songs, movie scores and Broadway theatre music in the 1920s through the early 1950s. Amongst his most enduring work is the scor ...
, Richard A. Whiting and Buddy DeSylva), In December 13, 1934, he featured as himself in
Harry Akst Harry Akst (August 15, 1894 – March 31, 1963)
- accessed November 19, 2011
was an American Lew Brown Lew Brown (born Louis Brownstein; December 10, 1893 – February 5, 1958) was a lyricist for popular songs in the United States. During World War I and the Roaring Twenties, he wrote lyrics for several of the top Tin Pan Alley composers, esp ...
's ''
Calling All Stars Calling All Stars may refer to: *Calling All Stars (1934 musical), a 1934 Broadway musical *Calling All Stars (1937 musical) ''Calling All Stars'' is a 1937 British musical comedy film directed by Herbert Smith and starring Arthur Askey, Evely ...
'', singing three songs with Mitzi Mayfair: "Thinking Out Loud", "I Don't Want To Be President", and "I'd Like To Dunk You In My Coffee", as well as "If It's Love" with Ella Logan,
Martha Raye Martha Raye (born Margy Reed; August 27, 1916 – October 19, 1994), nicknamed The Big Mouth, was an American comic actress and singer who performed in movies, and later on television. She also acted in plays, including Broadway. She was honored ...
,
Judy Canova Judy Canova (November 20, 1913 – August 5, 1983),Although one source gives her birth date as November 20, 1916, (DeLong, Thomas A. (1996). ''Radio Stars: An Illustrated Biographical Dictionary of 953 Performers, 1920 through 1960''. McFarland ...
, plus Boys and Girls. The show closed on January 12, 1935, after 36 performances.


1935–1937: Musicals in London West End, ''Sailing Along''

In early 1935, Whiting and his wife Beth travelled to London to join her son, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., for the celebrations of George V's silver jubilee, which took place on May 6. During their break in England, Whiting was offered the lead role of Billy Crocker in C. B. Cochran's London production of Cole Porter's ''
Anything Goes ''Anything Goes'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter. The original book was a collaborative effort by Guy Bolton and P. G. Wodehouse, heavily revised by the team of Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. The story concerns madcap ant ...
'', which opened on June 14. He sang "
I Get a Kick Out of You "I Get a Kick Out of You" is a song by Cole Porter, which was first sung in the 1934 Broadway musical '' Anything Goes'', and then in the 1936 film version. Originally sung by Ethel Merman, it has been covered by dozens of prominent performers, ...
" and "
You're the Top "You're the Top" is a Cole Porter song from the 1934 musical '' Anything Goes''. It is about a man and a woman who take turns complimenting each other. The best-selling version was Paul Whiteman's Victor single, which made the top five. It was th ...
" with
Jeanne Aubert Jeanne Aubert (born Jeanne Perrinot, February 21, 1900 – March 6, 1988) was a French singer and actress. Biography Aubert was born in Paris, France, to a single mother, Augustine Marguerite Perrinot, who pushed her daughter into a career in ...
, " All Through the Night" with Adele Dixon, and "
Anything Goes ''Anything Goes'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter. The original book was a collaborative effort by Guy Bolton and P. G. Wodehouse, heavily revised by the team of Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. The story concerns madcap ant ...
" with the Entire Company. The show closed on January 18, 1936, after 261 performances. In May 1936, he starred in the London production of ''Rise and Shine'' by Harry Graham & Desmond Carter and
Robert Stolz Robert Elisabeth Stolz (25 August 188027 June 1975) was an Austrian songwriter and conductor as well as a composer of operettas and film music.Stanley Sadie Ed. (2002) ''The New Grove Dictionary of Opera'', Oxford University Press Biogra ...
, in which he played Jack Harding, with Binnie Hale as Anne. One of the show's songs was "I'm Building Up to an Awful Letdown", written by Fred Astaire and Johnny Mercer. On May 8, ''
The Times ''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper '' The Sunday Times'' (f ...
'' commented that while the piece had every possible element of a spectacular musical, it lacked "the impact of a unifying and selective personality." The show was considered a flop and closed on June 13, 1936, after 44 performances. Still in London, the premiere of ''
On Your Toes ''On Your Toes'' (1936) is a musical with a book by Richard Rodgers, George Abbott, and Lorenz Hart, music by Rodgers, and lyrics by Hart. It was adapted into a film in 1939. While teaching music at Knickerbocker University, Phil "Junior" Dolan ...
'' took place on February 5, 1937, and when Whiting joined the others in the company for the traditional first night celebrations at the Savoy Grill, "he was once again cheered to the rafters". In the lead role of Phil Dolan III, "Junior", he sang the title song, and "
There's a Small Hotel "There's a Small Hotel" is a 1936 song composed by Richard Rodgers, with lyrics by Lorenz Hart. Originally written for but dropped from the musical ''Billy Rose's Jumbo'' (1935), it was used in '' On Your Toes'' (1936), where it was introduced by ...
" with
Vera Zorina Vera Zorina (January 2, 1917 – April 9, 2003), born Eva Brigitta Hartwig, was a Norwegian ballerina, theatre and film actress, and choreographer. Today, she is chiefly remembered for her films choreographed by her then-husband George Bala ...
. The show ran for 123 performances and closed on May 29, 1937. Just over a week earlier, on May 21, Whiting and the cast's other main characters appeared in a viewing of excerpts from the same show, televised by the BBC as part of the British series '' Theatre Parade''. Whiting, backed by the New Mayfair Orchestra, also recorded two medleys from the show: one comprised "There's a Small Hotel", "
Glad to Be Unhappy "Glad to Be Unhappy" is a popular song composed by Richard Rodgers, with lyrics by Lorenz Hart. It was introduced in their 1936 musical '' On Your Toes'', sung by Doris Carson and David Morris, although it was not popular at the time, as there wa ...
", "Quiet Night", and a reprise of "There's a Small Hotel"; the other "It's Got to Be Love", "On Your Toes", "The Heart Is Quicker Than the Eye", and "Slaughter on Tenth Avenue" from the musical ballet of the same name. All of Whiting's recording from ''On Your Toes'' are included in the collection ''Jack Whiting & Jessie Matthews'', along with two songs from the 1935 production of ''Anything Goes'': "All Through the Night" sung by Whiting, and "You're the Top" by Whiting and Jeanne Aubert. Whiting also starred with Jessie Matthews in the British film ''
Sailing Along ''Sailing Along'' is a 1938 British musical comedy film directed by Sonnie Hale and starring Jessie Matthews, Barry MacKay, Jack Whiting, Roland Young, Frank Pettingell, Noel Madison and Alastair Sim. It includes many staged song and dance ...
'', shot at Pinewood Studios from August to December 1937. Playing the part of a Broadway star named Dicky Randall, he sang and danced solo to "Souvenir of Love", and with Matthews to "Your Heart Skips a Beat", two songs written by Arthur Johnston and Maurice Sigler. The contemporary ''
Monthly Film Bulletin ''The Monthly Film Bulletin'' was a periodical of the British Film Institute published monthly from February 1934 to April 1991, when it merged with '' Sight & Sound''. It reviewed all films on release in the United Kingdom, including those with ...
'' stated that "Matthews sings adequately and dances superbly, but Whiting matches her in dancing ability and outshines her in singing and acting". For the final big dance number—"My River", which lasted seven minutes on screen—the camera followed Whiting and Matthews for nearly a mile, and the set was so large that it had to be built across two studios. Including rehearsals, the pair danced an estimated twenty miles to complete that single scene. The film opened at the Gaumont Haymarket on April 17, 1938, and was generally released on August 29, 1938.


1937–1944: Return to Broadway, ''Give Me a Sailor'', national tours

Whiting resumed working in the US in late 1937 and joined
Yip Harburg Edgar Yipsel Harburg (born Isidore Hochberg; April 8, 1896 – March 5, 1981) was an American popular song lyricist and librettist who worked with many well-known composers. He wrote the lyrics to the standards "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" ( ...
and Harold Arlen's ''
Hooray for What! ''Hooray for What!'' is an anti-warConnema, Richar''Hooray for What!'' is a Hilarious Send-up of America Talkin' Broadway Regional News & reviews: San Francisco, undated but presumably November 2004 when 42nd Street Moon Productions performed the ...
'', which ran from December 1, 1937 until May 21, 1938, for a very successful 200 performances. In the role of Breezy Cunningham, he sang five songs with
June Clyde June Clyde (born Ina Parton, December 2, 1909 – October 1, 1987) was an American actress, singer and dancer known for roles in such pre-Code films as ''A Strange Adventure'' (1932) and ''A Study in Scarlet'' (1933). Early years June Clyd ...
: "God's Country" (plus dancers), "I've Got Romantic on You", "Napoleon's a Pastry", "
Down With Love ''Down with Love'' is a 2003 American romantic comedy film directed by Peyton Reed. It stars Renée Zellweger and Ewan McGregor and is a pastiche of the early-1960s American "no-sex sex comedies", such as '' Pillow Talk'' and '' Lover Come Back ...
" (plus
Vivian Vance Vivian Vance (born Vivian Roberta Jones; July 26, 1909 – August 17, 1979) was an American actress and singer best known for playing Ethel Mertz on the sitcom '' I Love Lucy'' (1951–1957), for which she won the Primetime Emmy Award for Out ...
and Ensemble), and "In the Shade of the New Apple Tree" (plus
Ralph Blane Ralph Blane (July 26, 1914 – November 13, 1995) was an American composer, lyricist, and performer. Life and career Blane was born Ralph Uriah Hunsecker in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. He attended Tulsa Central High School. He studied singing with ...
,
Hugh Martin Hugh Martin (August 11, 1914 – March 11, 2011) was an American musical theater and film composer, arranger, vocal coach, and playwright. He was best known for his score for the 1944 MGM musical ''Meet Me in St. Louis'', in which Judy Garland ...
, and dancers). During the opening night in New York, Whiting became ill with a cold and a temperature of 102 degrees, and was replaced by Roy Roberts. From mid-April until early June 1938, Whiting also joined the cast of ''
Give Me a Sailor ''Give Me a Sailor'' is a 1938 comedy film directed by Elliott Nugent, starring Martha Raye, Bob Hope, Betty Grable and Jack Whiting. This was Raye and Hope's third film together, the first in which they played the leads. Plot Jim and Walter B ...
'', a
comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...
directed by
Elliott Nugent Elliott Nugent (September 20, 1896 – August 9, 1980) was an American actor, playwright, writer, and film director. Biography Nugent was born in Dover, Ohio, the son of actor J.C. Nugent. He successfully made the transition from silent fil ...
in which he starred alongside
Bob Hope Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was a British-American comedian, vaudevillian, actor, singer and dancer. With a career that spanned nearly 80 years, Hope appeared in Bob Hope filmography, more than 70 short and ...
,
Martha Raye Martha Raye (born Margy Reed; August 27, 1916 – October 19, 1994), nicknamed The Big Mouth, was an American comic actress and singer who performed in movies, and later on television. She also acted in plays, including Broadway. She was honored ...
and
Betty Grable Elizabeth Ruth Grable (December 18, 1916 – July 2, 1973) was an American actress, pin-up girl, dancer, model, and singer. Her 42 films during the 1930s and 1940s grossed more than $100 million; for 10 consecutive years (1942–1951) she reign ...
. On November 17, 1939, he returned to Broadway to play Johnny Graham in
Jerome Kern Jerome David Kern (January 27, 1885 – November 11, 1945) was an American composer of musical theatre and popular music. One of the most important American theatre composers of the early 20th century, he wrote more than 700 songs, used in ove ...
and Oscar Hammerstein II's ''
Very Warm for May ''Very Warm for May'' is a musical composed by Jerome Kern, with a libretto by Oscar Hammerstein II. It was the team's final score for Broadway, following their hits ''Show Boat'', '' Sweet Adeline'', and '' Music in the Air''. It marked a return ...
'', singing "Heaven In My Arms" with
Frances Mercer Frances Mercer (October 21, 1915 – November 12, 2000) was an American film actress. Biography She appeared in the films ''Vivacious Lady'', ''Blind Alibi'', '' Crime Ring'', ''Smashing the Rackets'', ''The Mad Miss Manton'', '' Annabel Take ...
and
Hollace Shaw Hollace Shaw (July 24, 1913 – March 2, 1976) was a coloratura soprano who performed on old-time radio and on the stage. Early years Shaw was born in Fresno, California.DeLong, Thomas A. (1996). ''Radio Stars: An Illustrated Biographical Dicti ...
(also with dancers), "Scottische Scena" with Grace McDonald, and "All In Fun" with Mercer. The show closed on January 6, 1940, after 59 performances. On June 4, 1940, he joined ''Walk With Music'' in the role of Wing D'Hautville and sang "Even If I Say It Myself" with Alice Dudley and Kenneth Stock, "Walk with Music" with
Kitty Carlisle Kitty Carlisle Hart (born Catherine Conn; September 3, 1910 – April 17, 2007) was an American actress, singer, and spokeswoman for the arts. She was the leading lady of the Marx Brothers movie '' A Night at the Opera'' (1935) and was a regular ...
and Ensemble, "Break It Up, Cinderella" with
Mitzi Green Mitzi Green (born Elizabeth Keno; October 22, 1920 – May 24, 1969) was an American child actress for Paramount and RKO, in the early "talkies" era. She then acted on Broadway and in other stage works, as well as in films and on television ...
and Ensemble, "Smile for the Press" and "Friends of the Family" with Carlisle and
Art Jarrett Arthur L. Jarrett Jr. (July 20, 1907 – July 23, 1987) born to stage actor and playwright Arthur L. Jarrett Sr. (1884–1960). Art Jr. was an American singer, actor, and bandleader in the 1930s and 1940s. Early career Near the end of the 19 ...
, "Today I Am a Glamour Girl" with Carlisle, Green, Jarrett,
Betty Lawford Betty Lawford (February 1, 1912 – November 20, 1960) was a United States-based English film and stage actress. Her parents, Ernest Lawford and Janet Slater Lawford, were also actors, and she was a cousin of the actor and socialite Peter Lawfo ...
and Marty May (all songs by Johnny Mercer and
Hoagy Carmichael Hoagland Howard Carmichael (November 22, 1899 – December 27, 1981) was an American musician, composer, songwriter, actor and lawyer. Carmichael was one of the most successful Tin Pan Alley songwriters of the 1930s, and was among the first ...
). The show closed on July 20, 1940 after 55 performances. On September 11, 1940, Whiting played the role of Pete in '' Hold On to Your Hats'' and sang two songs with Eunice Healey and others: "The World Is in My Arms" and "Don't Let It Get You Down" (all songs by
E. Y. Harburg Edgar Yipsel Harburg (born Isidore Hochberg; April 8, 1896 – March 5, 1981) was an American popular song lyricist and librettist who worked with many well-known composers. He wrote the lyrics to the standards "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" ( ...
and Burton Lane). It ran for 158 performances and closed on February 1, 1941. Later in 1941, Whiting joined the 1941–1942 national roadshow of the play '' Arsenic and Old Lace'', which travelled to 57 cities in about 18 months. He shared the role of Mortimer Brewster with
Clinton Sundberg Clinton Charles Sundberg (December 7, 1903 (some sources say 1906) – December 14, 1987) was an American character actor in film and stage. Early years Sundberg was born in Appleton, Minnesota. He graduated from Hamline University in St. Pau ...
alongside Erich von Stroheim's Jonathan Brewster. On October 14, 1942, he returned to a musical theatre role by playing Damon Dillingham in ''
Beat the Band ''Beat the Band'' is a musical quiz show heard on NBC radio from 1940 to 1944 in two distinctly different series. The program popularized the show business catch phrase, "Give me a little traveling music", often uttered on TV a decade later by Ja ...
'', which ran for 67 performances and closed on December 12, 1942. In this, he performed two songs with Susan Miller: "Keep It Casual" and "Let's Comb Beaches", as well as "Proud of You", "America Loves a Band", "Steam Is on the Beam", "Every Other Heartbeat", and "The Four Freedoms—Calypso" (all songs by George Marion Jr. and Johnny Green). On July 6, 1943, he joined Kitty Carlisle and Philip Huston for eight performances of Noël Coward's comedy play ''
Design for Living ''Design for Living'' is a comedy play written by Noël Coward in 1932. It concerns a trio of artistic characters, Gilda, Otto and Leo, and their complicated three-way relationship. Originally written to star Lynn Fontanne, Alfred Lunt and Cowa ...
'' at the
Hanna Theatre The Hanna Theatre is a theater at Playhouse Square in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is one of the original five venues built in the district, opening on March 28, 1921. The Hanna Theatre reopened in 2008 as the new home of Great La ...
in
Cleveland Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...
,
Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...
, where "critics and public alike cheered the superb performance of Coward's entertaining work". On September 17–18, 1943, Whiting was again playing his role of Mortimer Brewster—at the Playhouse in
Wilmington, DE Wilmington (Lenape: ''Paxahakink /'' ''Pakehakink)'' is the largest city in the U.S. state of Delaware. The city was built on the site of Fort Christina, the first Swedish settlement in North America. It lies at the confluence of the Christina ...
—as part of another tour of ''Arsenic and Old Lace'', with
Boris Karloff William Henry Pratt (23 November 1887 – 2 February 1969), better known by his stage name Boris Karloff (), was an English actor. His portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in the horror film '' Frankenstein'' (1931) (his 82nd film) established ...
as Jonathan Brewster. In January 1944, he joined yet another tour of the same play throughout the Midwest and East Coast, this time with
Bela Lugosi Béla Ferenc Dezső Blaskó (; October 20, 1882 – August 16, 1956), known professionally as Bela Lugosi (; ), was a Hungarian and American actor best remembered for portraying Count Dracula in the 1931 horror classic ''Dracula'', Ygor in ''S ...
as Jonathan Brewster, for a run of 80 performances that lasted until June 1944.


1945–1958: Post-war years on Broadway, national tours, television

On February 6, 1945, Whiting played Jack Overton in ''The Overtons'', a non-musical play which ran until July 7, for a total of 175 performances across three New York theatres. The following year, he played Con Kidder in replacement of Michael O'Shea in ''
The Red Mill ''The Red Mill'' is an operetta written by Victor Herbert, with a libretto by Henry Blossom. The farcical story concerns two American vaudevillians who wreak havoc at an inn in Holland, interfering with two marriages; but all ends well. The musica ...
'' (1945–1947) at least once on February 18, 1946, for an unknown period. After the Broadway run ended on January 4, 1947, Whiting reprised the role full-time during the play's national tour in 1947. In that role, he sang "Whistle It", "(Always) Go While the Goin' Is Good", "Good-a-bye, John", and "
The Streets of New York (In Old New York) The Streets of New York is a song originally published by M. Witmark & Sons. The song was from the musical comedy ''The Red Mill''. The song was composed by Victor Herbert and typically plays at the end of Act II in ''The Red Mill''. History ...
". He then embarked on another national tour by joining ''
High Button Shoes ''High Button Shoes'' is a 1947 musical with music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Sammy Cahn and book by George Abbott and Stephen Longstreet. It was based on the semi-autobiographical 1946 novel ''The Sisters Liked Them Handsome'' by Stephen Longs ...
'' (1948–1949), which opened in Boston (April 14, 1948), and ran for at least 16 shows throughout the Midwest and Great Plains, including Chicago, Denver, Minneapolis, Los Angeles (August 15, 1949), and closing in Kansas City (December 31, 1949), although the show ran again for two weeks the following year (from June 12 through June 25, 1950) at the State Fair Auditorium in
Dallas, TX Dallas () is the third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 million people. It is the largest city in and seat of Dallas County wi ...
. Playing the leading role of Henry "Papa" Longstreet, he sang "Get Away for a Day in the Country" with Andy Sanders as Stevie Longstreet, "Papa, Won't You Dance with Me?" and "I Still Get Jealous" with
Audrey Meadows Audrey Meadows ( Cotter, February 8, 1922 – February 3, 1996) was an American actress best known for her role as the deadpan housewife Alice Kramden on the 1950s American television comedy ''The Honeymooners''. She was the younger sister of ...
as Sara Longstreet, and "He Tried to Make a Dollar" with the entire company. After the 1950 rerun of ''High Button Shoes'', Whiting joined Herbert Kenwith's fourth summer season, playing the lead role of Guy Holden in Cole Porter and Dwight Taylor's musical play ''
Gay Divorce ''Gay Divorce'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter and book by Dwight Taylor, adapted by Kenneth Webb and Samuel Hoffenstein. It was Fred Astaire's last Broadway show and featured the hit song " Night and Day" in which Astaire da ...
''—advertised under the title of the 1934 film, ''The Gay Divorcee''. The musical ran for four weeks, opening on July 17 in East Hampton, NY, and closing on August 19 in Stockbridge, MA, after 28 performances; other cast members included Carol Stone and Lenore Lonergan. The following year, Whiting played the role of Benjamin Tauber in ''Springtime Folly'', a non-musical comedy play in three acts which ran for less than two weeks at the end of February 1951. He returned to the musical stage in May 1952, playing three roles (The Chief Justice, Guide, and Senator from Massachusetts) in George and Ira Gershwin's ''
Of Thee I Sing ''Of Thee I Sing'' is a musical with a score by George Gershwin, lyrics by Ira Gershwin and a book by George S. Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind. The musical lampoons American politics; the story concerns John P. Wintergreen, who runs for President o ...
'', which opened at the Ziegfeld Theatre and ran for 72 performances until July 5. Whiting sang "(Entrance of) The Supreme Court Justices" with Male Ensemble, and "The (Senatorial) Roll Call" with
Paul Hartman Paul Hartman (March 1, 1904 – October 2, 1973) was an American dancer, stage performer and television actor. Early years Born in San Francisco, California, Hartman was the son of Ferris Hartman, who was sometimes called the "Ziegfeld of ...
, Donald Foster,
Howard Freeman Howard Freeman (December 9, 1899 – December 11, 1967) was an American actor of the early 20th century, and film and television actor of the 1940s through the 1960s. Biography Freeman was born in Helena, Montana, and began working as ...
, Mort Marshall and Male Ensemble. This 1952 revival was recorded by
Capitol A capitol, named after the Capitoline Hill in Rome, is usually a legislative building where a legislature meets and makes laws for its respective political entity. Specific capitols include: * United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. * Numerous ...
(LP S-350). In 1953, Whiting played the Mayor of New York in the very successful ''
Hazel Flagg ''Hazel Flagg'' is a 1953 musical, book by Ben Hecht, based on a story by James H. Street. The lyrics are by Bob Hilliard, and music by Jule Styne. The musical is based on the 1937 screwball comedy film '' Nothing Sacred'', the primary screenwrit ...
'', which opened on February 11 and ran for 190 performances before closing on September 19. He sang Jule Styne and
Bob Hilliard Bob Hilliard (born Hilliard Goldsmith; January 28, 1918 – February 1, 1971) was an American lyricist. He wrote the words for the songs: "Alice in Wonderland", "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning", " Any Day Now", " Dear Hearts and Gentle ...
's "Every Street's A Boulevard In Old New York" to great critical acclaim, and Robert Coleman in the ''
Daily Mirror The ''Daily Mirror'' is a British national daily tabloid. Founded in 1903, it is owned by parent company Reach plc. From 1985 to 1987, and from 1997 to 2002, the title on its masthead was simply ''The Mirror''. It had an average daily print c ...
'' wrote that "Jack Whiting had the audience blistering their palms" for encores of that song. Shortly after the opening, his name was placed above the title. He also sang "Everybody Loves to Take a Bow" with
Benay Venuta Benay Venuta (born Benvenuta Rose Crooke, January 27, 1910 – September 1, 1995) was an American actress, singer and dancer. Early life Born in San Francisco, Venuta was a graduate of Hollywood High School. She attended finishing school in G ...
. On June 20, Whiting won the 10th Annual
Donaldson Award The Donaldson Awards were a set of theatre awards established in 1944 by the drama critic Robert Francis in honor of W. H. Donaldson (1864–1925), the founder of ''The Billboard'' (now ''Billboard'') magazine. Categories included "best new pla ...
for Best Musical Supporting Performance in ''Hazell Flagg''. The cast recording was released by RCA Victor (LP # 1010). On October 29, he was J. G. in ''A Girl Can Tell'', a comedy play in three acts which ran for 60 performances, until December 19. The following year, he played the role of Hector Charybdis, Mayor of Rhododendron and one of "The Heroes" in '' The Golden Apple'', a light-hearted adaptation of Homer's ''
Iliad The ''Iliad'' (; grc, Ἰλιάς, Iliás, ; "a poem about Ilium") is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest extant works of literature still widely read by modern audiences. As with the '' Odys ...
'' and ''
Odyssey The ''Odyssey'' (; grc, Ὀδύσσεια, Odýsseia, ) is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest extant works of literature still widely read by modern audiences. As with the ''Iliad'', th ...
'' transposed to the United States during the first decade of the twentieth-century. It opened on April 20, 1954 and ran until August 7, for a total of 125 performances. Whiting sang "Hector's Song", four songs with The Heroes: "The Heroes Come Home", "It Was a Good Adventure", "Helen Is Always Willing" and "The Church Social"; "The Departure for Rhododendron" with The Company; "The Taking of Rhododendron" with Stephen Douglass (Ulysses) and Jonathan Lucas (Paris); and "Scylla and Charybdis" with Dean Michener (who played both Menelaus and Scylla).
Brooks Atkinson Justin Brooks Atkinson (November 28, 1894 – January 14, 1984) was an American theatre critic. He worked for '' The New York Times'' from 1922 to 1960. In his obituary, the ''Times'' called him "the theater's most influential reviewer of hi ...
in the ''
New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' quipped that "Jack Whiting was now probably destined to play mayors for the remainder of his career", since he had "stopped the show" as New York's mayor in ''Hazell Flagg''. RCA Victor recorded a single LP of the show's musical highlights, released on LP #1014. In 1956, he played the role of Jack in the musical ''Strip For Action'', which opened on March 17 at the Shubert Theatre (New Haven, CT) and ran there for an unknown duration before relocating to the Shubert Theatre (Philadelphia, PA) on March 27 until April 7, and then moved on to the Nixon Theatre (Philadelphia, PA) on April 9, where it closed on April 14. He sang "Dame Crazy" with Yvonne Adair, "I Just Want to Be a Song and Dance Man", and "Good Old Days of Burlesque" with Adair,
Danny Dayton Danny Dayton (born Daniel David Segall, November 20, 1923 – February 6, 1999) was an American actor and television director. Beginning in the 1950s, he played many roles in film and on TV. He had a recurring role as Hank Pivnik on ''All i ...
, Jessica James and Lilly Christine. Whiting's final New York stage appearance was as agent Charlie Davenport at the
New York City Center New York City Center (previously known as the Mecca Temple, City Center of Music and Drama,. The name "City Center for Music and Drama Inc." is the organizational parent of the New York City Ballet and, until 2011, the New York City Opera. and t ...
's 1958 revival of '' Annie Get Your Gun'', in which he opened Act I singing "Colonel Buffalo Bill" with Ensemble, and "
There's No Business Like Show Business "There's No Business Like Show Business" is an Irving Berlin song, written for the 1946 musical '' Annie Get Your Gun'' and orchestrated by Ted Royal. The song, a slightly tongue-in-cheek salute to the glamour and excitement of a life in show b ...
" with James Rennie, David Atkinson and
Betty Jane Watson Elizabeth Jane Watson (December 28, 1921 – February 21, 2016) was an American actress and singer known for her roles in musical theatre, especially Laurey in ''Oklahoma!'', creating the role in the London premiere. She also performed in nightcl ...
. The show ran for only 15 performances from February 19 to March 2. On television, Whiting secured minor roles in drama series such as the ''
Armstrong Circle Theatre ''Armstrong Circle Theatre'' is an American anthology drama television series which ran from June 6, 1950, to June 25, 1957, on NBC, and from October 2, 1957, to August 28, 1963, on CBS. It alternated weekly with '' The U.S. Steel Hour''. It fi ...
'' (1952 and 1954), '' Studio One'' (1955), ''
Star Stage ''Star Stage'' is a half-hour American television anthology series that began on September 9, 1955, and ended on September 7, 1956. It was sponsored on alternate weeks by Chesebrough-Ponds and Campbell Soup Company and hosted by Jeffrey Lynn, ...
'' (1955), and ''
The Alcoa Hour ''The Alcoa Hour'' is an American anthology television series that was aired live on NBC from 1955 to 1957. The series was sponsored by Alcoa. Overview Like the ''Philco Television Playhouse'' and ''Goodyear Television Playhouse'' that had prec ...
'' (1955), as well as '' The Joseph Cotten Show: On Trial'' and '' The Marge And Gower Champion Show'' (both 1957). He also performed in ''Paris in the Springtime'' (1956), a live telecast produced by
Max Liebman Max Liebman (August 2, 1902 – July 21, 1981) was a Broadway theater and TV producer-director sometimes called the "Ziegfeld of TV", who helped establish early television's comedy vocabulary with ''Your Show of Shows''. He additionally helped bring ...
and starring
Dan Dailey Daniel James Dailey Jr. (December 14, 1915 – October 16, 1978) was an American dancer and actor. He is best remembered for a series of popular musicals he made at 20th Century Fox such as '' Mother Wore Tights'' (1947). Biography Early life D ...
,
Gale Sherwood Gale Sherwood (born Jacqueline Nash;Sherwood stated in 1967 that her birth name was Jacqueline Nutt. See Thomas, Bob"Gale Sherwood, Eddy Partner, Makes Debut" ''The San Bernardino Sun'', September 19, 1967, p. B-9 March 4, 1929 – December ...
and
Helen Gallagher Helen Gallagher (born July 19, 1926) is an American actress, dancer, and singer. She is the recipient of three Emmy Awards, two Tony Awards, and a Drama Desk Award. Early years Born in Brooklyn, she was raised in Scarsdale, New York, and the ...
, in which he reprised "Down With Love" from ''Hooray for What!''


Personal life

In early 1929, Anna Beth Fairbanks ( Sully;
Douglas Fairbanks Douglas Elton Fairbanks Sr. (born Douglas Elton Thomas Ullman; May 23, 1883 – December 12, 1939) was an American actor, screenwriter, director, and producer. He was best known for his swashbuckling roles in silent films including '' The Thi ...
's ex-wife; born June 20, 1888 ), attended a performance of ''Hold Everything!'', in which Whiting was the leading man. They met and became inseparable. They were witnesses at the June 3, 1929 wedding of her son Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. and
Joan Crawford Joan Crawford (born Lucille Fay LeSueur; March 23, ncertain year from 1904 to 1908was an American actress. She started her career as a dancer in traveling theatrical companies before debuting on Broadway theatre, Broadway. Crawford was si ...
, then got married themselves a few weeks later, on June 28, and moved into an apartment on East 52nd Street. In his 1988 autobiography, Fairbanks, Jr. wrote: "Jack was a handsome redhead, about twenty-seven or -eight years old, with a virile baritone that helped make 'You're the Cream in My Coffee' a successful song. (...) Jack was warm and friendly, and we hit it off handsomely. (...) I had a new stepfather – charming, gifted, and only eight or nine years older than I." Despite the difference in age between Whiting and his wife, he was devoted to her and remained so all his life. Although Whiting was earning a good deal of money at the time ("for the theater, that is ..."), he was assisting his father—Albert Draper Whiting, Sr., a retired doctor—and mother, and Beth was helping her siblings, Gladys and William. For the rest of Whiting's life, he and Beth remained in regular, close contact with her son, who also extended financial support to them when Whiting was out of work, or when his jobs on Broadway were short-lived. When he was in New York, Whiting would frequent The Lambs Club—which he had joined in 1926—where he and John Hundley (and the other Lambs) periodically performed in sketches called "Lambs' Gambols"; as such, he featured among the stars lined up on the occasion of the big
World's Fair A world's fair, also known as a universal exhibition or an expo, is a large international exhibition designed to showcase the achievements of nations. These exhibitions vary in character and are held in different parts of the world at a specif ...
gambol performed at the
Imperial Theatre The Imperial Theatre is a Broadway theater at 249 West 45th Street ( George Abbott Way) in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1923, the Imperial Theatre was designed by Herbert J. Krapp and was constructed ...
on April 23, 1939.


Death

Whiting died of acute
coronary thrombosis Coronary thrombosis is defined as the formation of a blood clot inside a blood vessel of the heart. This blood clot may then restrict blood flow within the heart, leading to heart tissue damage, or a myocardial infarction, also known as a heart at ...
in his Manhattan apartment on Wednesday, February 15, 1961, while watching television with his wife Beth.


Work


Musical theatre

In the table below, all theatres are located in New York, NY, except where indicated. (*) In replacement of Michael O'Shea, at least once on February 18, 1946, for an unknown period.


Theatre

In the table below, all theatres are located in New York, NY, except where indicated.


Films

* '' College Lovers'' (1930), as Frank Taylor * '' Top Speed'' (1930), as Gerald Brooks * '' The Life of the Party'' (1930), as the real Jerry "A.J." Smith * '' Men of the Sky'' (1931), as Jack Ames * ''
Sailing Along ''Sailing Along'' is a 1938 British musical comedy film directed by Sonnie Hale and starring Jessie Matthews, Barry MacKay, Jack Whiting, Roland Young, Frank Pettingell, Noel Madison and Alastair Sim. It includes many staged song and dance ...
'' (1938), as Dicky Randall * ''
Give Me a Sailor ''Give Me a Sailor'' is a 1938 comedy film directed by Elliott Nugent, starring Martha Raye, Bob Hope, Betty Grable and Jack Whiting. This was Raye and Hope's third film together, the first in which they played the leads. Plot Jim and Walter B ...
'' (1938), as Walter Brewster


Selected recordings

* ''Anything Goes'' (Prism 938, 2003) – CD of 1935 original recording by London cast * ''On Your Toes Medley'' (Pearl 114, 2001) – CD of 1937 original recording by London cast * ''Very Warm for May'' (AEI 8, 1995) – CD of 1939 original recording by Broadway cast * ''Of Thee I Sing'' (Angel 65025, 1994) – CD of 1952 original recording by Broadway cast * ''Hazel Flagg'' (Masterworks Broadway RCA Victor 05097, 2009) – CD of 1953 original recording by Broadway cast * ''The Golden Apple'' (RCA 09026-68934-2, 1997) – CD of 1954 original recording by Broadway cast * ''Jack Whiting & Jessie Matthews'' (Monmouth Evergreen MES/7049, 1972) – Vinyl LP


Television

* '' Theatre Parade'', in a BBC broadcast of excerpts from ''On Your Toes'', such as "Slaughter on Tenth Avenue", the "Princess Zenobia ballet", and others (May 21, 1937) – with Vera Zorina, Olive Blakeney, Marjorie Browne and Eddie Pola * ''
Armstrong Circle Theatre ''Armstrong Circle Theatre'' is an American anthology drama television series which ran from June 6, 1950, to June 25, 1957, on NBC, and from October 2, 1957, to August 28, 1963, on CBS. It alternated weekly with '' The U.S. Steel Hour''. It fi ...
'', in "The Nothing Kid" (December 16, 1952) * ''
Armstrong Circle Theatre ''Armstrong Circle Theatre'' is an American anthology drama television series which ran from June 6, 1950, to June 25, 1957, on NBC, and from October 2, 1957, to August 28, 1963, on CBS. It alternated weekly with '' The U.S. Steel Hour''. It fi ...
'', in "The Pride of Jonathan Craig" (February 2, 1954) * ''
The Ed Sullivan Show ''The Ed Sullivan Show'' is an American television variety show that ran on CBS from June 20, 1948, to March 28, 1971, and was hosted by New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan. It was replaced in September 1971 by the '' CBS Sunday Night M ...
'', in a song-and-dance routine with Audrey Meadows (August 8, 1954) * '' Studio One'', as Tim O'Hara in "A Likely Story" (October 3, 1955) * ''
Star Stage ''Star Stage'' is a half-hour American television anthology series that began on September 9, 1955, and ended on September 7, 1956. It was sponsored on alternate weeks by Chesebrough-Ponds and Campbell Soup Company and hosted by Jeffrey Lynn, ...
'', in "Trumpet Man" (October 21, 1955) * ''
The Alcoa Hour ''The Alcoa Hour'' is an American anthology television series that was aired live on NBC from 1955 to 1957. The series was sponsored by Alcoa. Overview Like the ''Philco Television Playhouse'' and ''Goodyear Television Playhouse'' that had prec ...
'', as J.G in "A Girl Can Tell" (November 13, 1955) * '' Max Liebman Presents: Paris in the Springtime'', as himself, singing "Down With Love" (January 21, 1956) * '' Arthur Godfrey and His Friends'', as himself (February 27, 1957) * '' The Joseph Cotten Show: On Trial'', as Hartford in "The Case of Double Trouble" (March 1, 1957) * '' The Marge And Gower Champion Show'', as Marge's father (March 31, 1957 – June 9, 1957) * ''The Vic Damone Show'', as himself, singing "You're the Cream in My Coffee" (August 7, 1957)


Awards

* 1953: Won the 10th Annual
Donaldson Award The Donaldson Awards were a set of theatre awards established in 1944 by the drama critic Robert Francis in honor of W. H. Donaldson (1864–1925), the founder of ''The Billboard'' (now ''Billboard'') magazine. Categories included "best new pla ...
(1952–1953) for Best Musical Supporting Performance in ''Hazell Flagg''. * 1954: Runner-up (to
Harry Belafonte Harry Belafonte (born Harold George Bellanfanti Jr.; March 1, 1927) is an American singer, activist, and actor. As arguably the most successful Jamaican-American pop star, he popularized the Trinbagonian Caribbean musical style with an interna ...
's win for ''
John Murray Anderson's Almanac ''John Murray Anderson's Almanac'' is a musical revue, featuring the music of the songwriting team of Richard Adler and Jerry Ross, as well as other composers. It was conceived by John Murray Anderson. Productions ''John Murray Anderson's Almanac ...
'') at the 11th Annual Donaldson Award (1953–1954) for Best Musical Supporting Performance in ''Golden Apple''.


Explanatory footnotes


References


Citations


Sources


Books

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Theatre programs/playbills

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Liner notes

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Newspapers

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Websites

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External links

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Jack Whiting Shows
at playbill.com
Jack Whiting: The Life of the Party
at travsd.wordpress.com

at rickontheater.blogspot.com {{DEFAULTSORT:Whiting, Jack 1901 births 1961 deaths 20th-century American male actors 20th-century American male singers 20th-century American singers 20th-century American dancers American ballroom dancers American crooners American male child actors American male dancers American male musical theatre actors American male stage actors American male film actors American male television actors American tap dancers Donaldson Award winners Dancers from Pennsylvania Male actors from Pennsylvania Male actors from Philadelphia Singers from Pennsylvania Brunswick Records artists Capitol Records artists RCA Victor artists Vaudeville performers Members of The Lambs Club Deaths from coronary thrombosis