Jean Howard American supporting actress and talented photographer Date of Birth: 13.10.1919 Country: USA

1. Biography of Jean Howard
2. Early Career in Broadway
3. Acting Career in Hollywood
4. Talented Photographer
5. Personal Life and Legacy

Biography of Jean Howard

Jean Howard, born Ernestine Mahoney on October 13, 1910, in Longview, Texas, was an American supporting actress and talented photographer. Despite her powerful talent, Jean's professional acting career lasted just over ten years. After marrying Charles K. Feldman, an influential agent who became a powerful producer, Jean surprisingly chose to become a socialite and dedicate herself to photography, although she had the potential to become a movie star with her husband's support.

Early Career in Broadway

Jean Howard began her career as a model and dancer in Florenz Ziegfeld's famous Broadway shows, inspired by Parisian cabarets. She performed in four Broadway shows over five years. Her debut as a performer was in "The Age of Innocence" in November 1928 when she was just 18 years old. The production lasted for six months. She then joined the long-running revue "Ziegfeld Follies" from 1930 to 1936, followed by the musical "Hot-Cha!". Her last Broadway work was in the play "Evensong," which ran for less than a month.

Acting Career in Hollywood

From 1930 to 1944, Jean appeared in ten films, mostly musicals, including "Broadway to Hollywood," "The Women in His Life," and "Bermuda Mystery." Although she had minor roles, even moments lasting only a few seconds, Jean's performances were memorable and added to the overall atmosphere of the films. Her last film appearance was in the 1988 thriller "B.O.R.N."

Talented Photographer

In addition to her acting career, Jean Howard studied photography at the Los Angeles Art Center. Armed with her camera, she captured interesting moments from everyday life in Hollywood during the 1940s and 1950s. Jean photographed parties, gatherings, sporting events, and numerous movie stars, including Tyrone Power, Gene Tierney, Richard Burton, Cole Porter, Judy Garland, Hedy LaMarr, Laurence Olivier, and Vivien Leigh. In 1989, her book "Jean Howard's Hollywood" was published, featuring her works from the golden era of Hollywood.

Personal Life and Legacy

Jean Howard married producer Charles Feldman in 1934, but they divorced after 14 years. Despite the official separation, the couple continued living together until Feldman's death in 1968. Jean then inherited the estate of Linda and Cole Porter and moved to Capri, where she married Italian musician Tony Santoro. Jean Howard passed away on March 20, 2000, at the age of 89 in Beverly Hills, California.