Jackie Jordan
Model and Actress
Biography by Jo DeLozier
Show Business Notes by C.R. Mitchell
Jackie was born Dec 21, 1921 in Barbourville, KY, the daughter of Attorney Victor A. Jordan and his wife, Maude. She died July 8, 1979.
Jackie attended Barbourville High School where she was in the marching band. After graduating, she attended Eastern Kentucky University. While at Eastern, she accepted a job with an athletic club in Cincinnati. She was very successful and was transferred to a branch club in California. This was a good career move because it gave her the opportunity to begin modeling clothing for stores and magazines. Her image was seen in many magazines and on billboards. She became known as " The Face."
While in California, she was discovered by Earl Carroll, a well-established show producer in Los Angeles, New York, and Las Vegas. Jackie appeared in his review entitled "Vanities."
Jackie's discoverer, Earl Carroll (1893 - 1948) was a producer and songwriter of musicals and entertainment for Broadway theaters, staging eleven editions of "Earl Carroll Vanities" as well as "Earl Carroll Sketch Book," and other shows, many in his own theater. Most of his shows were based on lavish displays of dozens of glamorous young ladies, in direct and often successful competition to Florenz Ziegfield's "Follies" and George White's "Scandals," the spectacular New York musical productions of the 1920s and 30s. Biographer John Kenrick reported of Carroll, "At the backstage entrance to the Earl Carroll Theater, a sign boasted, 'Through these portals pass the most beautiful girls in the world. '"
Jackie fit the bill - Carroll liked to fill his chorus with tall gorgeous blondes. Her boss also produced several movies during the 1930s and 1940s, some as late as 1945 and 1946, but whether Jackie appeared in any of them is not known. (1)
After leaving the Earl Carroll Show, Jackie became one of the Goldwyn Girls, the musical stock company of Metro-Goldwy-Mayer (MGM) Studio in Hollywood. Most of the Goldwyn Girls' movies involved dancing but not always. Some of Jackie's productions featured models in high fashion clothing. Like the Ziegfield Girls, the women of the company were often listed in casts as "showgirls," "models," or "chorus girls" Several of the Goldwyn Girls broke into starring movie careers, including Lucille Ball, Betty Grable, Ann Miller and Paulette Goddard. Virginia Mayo, who shared the screen with Jackie in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, began as a Goldwyn Girl. One of Jackie's old boss's shows, The Earl Carroll Review, featured the Goldwyn Girls. Jackie may have made the jump to the more prestigious Goldwyn Girls at this time. (2)
Jackie appeared in movies with Milton Berle and Danny Kaye, and romantic films, including The Lost Weekend (1945) with Ray Milland and in The Razor's Edge (1946) with Tyrone Power and Gene Tierney. In the latter, she is cast as a "showgirl" and is listed in the unofficial credits as "Jackson Jordan" (3) She was quite prominent in several sequences in the Secret Life of Walter Mitty starring Danny Kaye and Virginia Mayo. In that movie, she has some spoken lines and appears as a game room Belle in the Mississippi Riverboat Gambler daydream and as a model quarreling over a costume with star Virginia Mayo in the fashion show segment.
Jackie modeled clothing, furs, jewelry, shoes, hats, etc. This took her to Europe, including London and Paris. She lived in New York but commuted regularly to California. Later, Jackie purchased a home in Miami in the early 1960s where she continued to live and work until her death in 1979.
(1) Earl Carroll died in a plane crash in 1948. See his Internet Movie database at imdb.com and John Kenrick's "Who's Who in Musicals," At www.musicals101.com/who2.htm
(2) Jackie Jordan is listed among the performers as a Goldwyn Girl in "Dance History Archives" at www.swingstreet.com/histmai2/d2gldwn1.htm
(3) Razor's Edge full credits at www.imdb.com and Walter Mitty full credits at www.imdb.com
Model and Actress
Biography by Jo DeLozier
Show Business Notes by C.R. Mitchell
Jackie was born Dec 21, 1921 in Barbourville, KY, the daughter of Attorney Victor A. Jordan and his wife, Maude. She died July 8, 1979.
Jackie attended Barbourville High School where she was in the marching band. After graduating, she attended Eastern Kentucky University. While at Eastern, she accepted a job with an athletic club in Cincinnati. She was very successful and was transferred to a branch club in California. This was a good career move because it gave her the opportunity to begin modeling clothing for stores and magazines. Her image was seen in many magazines and on billboards. She became known as " The Face."
While in California, she was discovered by Earl Carroll, a well-established show producer in Los Angeles, New York, and Las Vegas. Jackie appeared in his review entitled "Vanities."
Jackie's discoverer, Earl Carroll (1893 - 1948) was a producer and songwriter of musicals and entertainment for Broadway theaters, staging eleven editions of "Earl Carroll Vanities" as well as "Earl Carroll Sketch Book," and other shows, many in his own theater. Most of his shows were based on lavish displays of dozens of glamorous young ladies, in direct and often successful competition to Florenz Ziegfield's "Follies" and George White's "Scandals," the spectacular New York musical productions of the 1920s and 30s. Biographer John Kenrick reported of Carroll, "At the backstage entrance to the Earl Carroll Theater, a sign boasted, 'Through these portals pass the most beautiful girls in the world. '"
Jackie fit the bill - Carroll liked to fill his chorus with tall gorgeous blondes. Her boss also produced several movies during the 1930s and 1940s, some as late as 1945 and 1946, but whether Jackie appeared in any of them is not known. (1)
After leaving the Earl Carroll Show, Jackie became one of the Goldwyn Girls, the musical stock company of Metro-Goldwy-Mayer (MGM) Studio in Hollywood. Most of the Goldwyn Girls' movies involved dancing but not always. Some of Jackie's productions featured models in high fashion clothing. Like the Ziegfield Girls, the women of the company were often listed in casts as "showgirls," "models," or "chorus girls" Several of the Goldwyn Girls broke into starring movie careers, including Lucille Ball, Betty Grable, Ann Miller and Paulette Goddard. Virginia Mayo, who shared the screen with Jackie in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, began as a Goldwyn Girl. One of Jackie's old boss's shows, The Earl Carroll Review, featured the Goldwyn Girls. Jackie may have made the jump to the more prestigious Goldwyn Girls at this time. (2)
Jackie appeared in movies with Milton Berle and Danny Kaye, and romantic films, including The Lost Weekend (1945) with Ray Milland and in The Razor's Edge (1946) with Tyrone Power and Gene Tierney. In the latter, she is cast as a "showgirl" and is listed in the unofficial credits as "Jackson Jordan" (3) She was quite prominent in several sequences in the Secret Life of Walter Mitty starring Danny Kaye and Virginia Mayo. In that movie, she has some spoken lines and appears as a game room Belle in the Mississippi Riverboat Gambler daydream and as a model quarreling over a costume with star Virginia Mayo in the fashion show segment.
Jackie modeled clothing, furs, jewelry, shoes, hats, etc. This took her to Europe, including London and Paris. She lived in New York but commuted regularly to California. Later, Jackie purchased a home in Miami in the early 1960s where she continued to live and work until her death in 1979.
(1) Earl Carroll died in a plane crash in 1948. See his Internet Movie database at imdb.com and John Kenrick's "Who's Who in Musicals," At www.musicals101.com/who2.htm
(2) Jackie Jordan is listed among the performers as a Goldwyn Girl in "Dance History Archives" at www.swingstreet.com/histmai2/d2gldwn1.htm
(3) Razor's Edge full credits at www.imdb.com and Walter Mitty full credits at www.imdb.com
Jackie Jordan
Model and Actress
Biography by Jo DeLozier
Show Business Notes by C.R. Mitchell
Jackie was born Dec 21, 1921 in Barbourville, KY, the daughter of Attorney Victor A. Jordan and his wife, Maude. She died July 8, 1979.
Jackie attended Barbourville High School where she was in the marching band. After graduating, she attended Eastern Kentucky University. While at Eastern, she accepted a job with an athletic club in Cincinnati. She was very successful and was transferred to a branch club in California. This was a good career move because it gave her the opportunity to begin modeling clothing for stores and magazines. Her image was seen in many magazines and on billboards. She became known as " The Face."
While in California, she was discovered by Earl Carroll, a well-established show producer in Los Angeles, New York, and Las Vegas. Jackie appeared in his review entitled "Vanities."
Jackie's discoverer, Earl Carroll (1893 - 1948) was a producer and songwriter of musicals and entertainment for Broadway theaters, staging eleven editions of "Earl Carroll Vanities" as well as "Earl Carroll Sketch Book," and other shows, many in his own theater. Most of his shows were based on lavish displays of dozens of glamorous young ladies, in direct and often successful competition to Florenz Ziegfield's "Follies" and George White's "Scandals," the spectacular New York musical productions of the 1920s and 30s. Biographer John Kenrick reported of Carroll, "At the backstage entrance to the Earl Carroll Theater, a sign boasted, 'Through these portals pass the most beautiful girls in the world. '"
Jackie fit the bill - Carroll liked to fill his chorus with tall gorgeous blondes. Her boss also produced several movies during the 1930s and 1940s, some as late as 1945 and 1946, but whether Jackie appeared in any of them is not known. (1)
After leaving the Earl Carroll Show, Jackie became one of the Goldwyn Girls, the musical stock company of Metro-Goldwy-Mayer (MGM) Studio in Hollywood. Most of the Goldwyn Girls' movies involved dancing but not always. Some of Jackie's productions featured models in high fashion clothing. Like the Ziegfield Girls, the women of the company were often listed in casts as "showgirls," "models," or "chorus girls" Several of the Goldwyn Girls broke into starring movie careers, including Lucille Ball, Betty Grable, Ann Miller and Paulette Goddard. Virginia Mayo, who shared the screen with Jackie in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, began as a Goldwyn Girl. One of Jackie's old boss's shows, The Earl Carroll Review, featured the Goldwyn Girls. Jackie may have made the jump to the more prestigious Goldwyn Girls at this time. (2)
Jackie appeared in movies with Milton Berle and Danny Kaye, and romantic films, including The Lost Weekend (1945) with Ray Milland and in The Razor's Edge (1946) with Tyrone Power and Gene Tierney. In the latter, she is cast as a "showgirl" and is listed in the unofficial credits as "Jackson Jordan" (3) She was quite prominent in several sequences in the Secret Life of Walter Mitty starring Danny Kaye and Virginia Mayo. In that movie, she has some spoken lines and appears as a game room Belle in the Mississippi Riverboat Gambler daydream and as a model quarreling over a costume with star Virginia Mayo in the fashion show segment.
Jackie modeled clothing, furs, jewelry, shoes, hats, etc. This took her to Europe, including London and Paris. She lived in New York but commuted regularly to California. Later, Jackie purchased a home in Miami in the early 1960s where she continued to live and work until her death in 1979.
(1) Earl Carroll died in a plane crash in 1948. See his Internet Movie database at imdb.com and John Kenrick's "Who's Who in Musicals," At www.musicals101.com/who2.htm
(2) Jackie Jordan is listed among the performers as a Goldwyn Girl in "Dance History Archives" at www.swingstreet.com/histmai2/d2gldwn1.htm
(3) Razor's Edge full credits at www.imdb.com and Walter Mitty full credits at www.imdb.com
Model and Actress
Biography by Jo DeLozier
Show Business Notes by C.R. Mitchell
Jackie was born Dec 21, 1921 in Barbourville, KY, the daughter of Attorney Victor A. Jordan and his wife, Maude. She died July 8, 1979.
Jackie attended Barbourville High School where she was in the marching band. After graduating, she attended Eastern Kentucky University. While at Eastern, she accepted a job with an athletic club in Cincinnati. She was very successful and was transferred to a branch club in California. This was a good career move because it gave her the opportunity to begin modeling clothing for stores and magazines. Her image was seen in many magazines and on billboards. She became known as " The Face."
While in California, she was discovered by Earl Carroll, a well-established show producer in Los Angeles, New York, and Las Vegas. Jackie appeared in his review entitled "Vanities."
Jackie's discoverer, Earl Carroll (1893 - 1948) was a producer and songwriter of musicals and entertainment for Broadway theaters, staging eleven editions of "Earl Carroll Vanities" as well as "Earl Carroll Sketch Book," and other shows, many in his own theater. Most of his shows were based on lavish displays of dozens of glamorous young ladies, in direct and often successful competition to Florenz Ziegfield's "Follies" and George White's "Scandals," the spectacular New York musical productions of the 1920s and 30s. Biographer John Kenrick reported of Carroll, "At the backstage entrance to the Earl Carroll Theater, a sign boasted, 'Through these portals pass the most beautiful girls in the world. '"
Jackie fit the bill - Carroll liked to fill his chorus with tall gorgeous blondes. Her boss also produced several movies during the 1930s and 1940s, some as late as 1945 and 1946, but whether Jackie appeared in any of them is not known. (1)
After leaving the Earl Carroll Show, Jackie became one of the Goldwyn Girls, the musical stock company of Metro-Goldwy-Mayer (MGM) Studio in Hollywood. Most of the Goldwyn Girls' movies involved dancing but not always. Some of Jackie's productions featured models in high fashion clothing. Like the Ziegfield Girls, the women of the company were often listed in casts as "showgirls," "models," or "chorus girls" Several of the Goldwyn Girls broke into starring movie careers, including Lucille Ball, Betty Grable, Ann Miller and Paulette Goddard. Virginia Mayo, who shared the screen with Jackie in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, began as a Goldwyn Girl. One of Jackie's old boss's shows, The Earl Carroll Review, featured the Goldwyn Girls. Jackie may have made the jump to the more prestigious Goldwyn Girls at this time. (2)
Jackie appeared in movies with Milton Berle and Danny Kaye, and romantic films, including The Lost Weekend (1945) with Ray Milland and in The Razor's Edge (1946) with Tyrone Power and Gene Tierney. In the latter, she is cast as a "showgirl" and is listed in the unofficial credits as "Jackson Jordan" (3) She was quite prominent in several sequences in the Secret Life of Walter Mitty starring Danny Kaye and Virginia Mayo. In that movie, she has some spoken lines and appears as a game room Belle in the Mississippi Riverboat Gambler daydream and as a model quarreling over a costume with star Virginia Mayo in the fashion show segment.
Jackie modeled clothing, furs, jewelry, shoes, hats, etc. This took her to Europe, including London and Paris. She lived in New York but commuted regularly to California. Later, Jackie purchased a home in Miami in the early 1960s where she continued to live and work until her death in 1979.
(1) Earl Carroll died in a plane crash in 1948. See his Internet Movie database at imdb.com and John Kenrick's "Who's Who in Musicals," At www.musicals101.com/who2.htm
(2) Jackie Jordan is listed among the performers as a Goldwyn Girl in "Dance History Archives" at www.swingstreet.com/histmai2/d2gldwn1.htm
(3) Razor's Edge full credits at www.imdb.com and Walter Mitty full credits at www.imdb.com
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