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Frederick J. Jackson

For other people with the same name, seeFrederick Jackson.

Frederick J. Jackson,also known professionally asFred JacksonandFrederick Jacksonand under thepseudonymVictor Thorne,(September 21, 1886 – May 22, 1953) was an American author,playwright,screenwriter,novelist,and producer for both stage and film.[1]A prolific writer ofshort storiesandserialized novels,most of his non-theatre works were published inpulp magazinessuch asDetective Story MagazineandArgosy.Many of these stories were adapted into films by other writers.[2]

Frederick J. Jackson
Born(1886-09-21)September 21, 1886
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
DiedMay 22, 1953(1953-05-22)(aged 66)
Hollywood, California
OccupationScreenwriter
Years active1912-1946

Jackson was also a productive screenwriter, penning more than 50 films between 1912 and 1946.[3]He was the author of more than sixty plays.[3]Over a forty-year span, a dozen of his plays were produced onBroadway,and he also had several other plays produced in London'sWest End.Many of his plays were turned into films; usually by other screenwriters.

Life and career

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Jackson published scores of stories in magazines; "Winged Feet" appeared inThe Argosyin 1914.
Walter Connollyas the Bishop of Broadminster in the Broadway production ofThe Bishop Misbehaves(1935)

Frederick J. Jackson was born inPittsburgh, Pennsylvaniaon September 21, 1886.[4]He was educated atWashington & Jefferson CollegeinWashington, Pennsylvania.[3]He began his career as a writer in 1905 working for the American magazine publisherFrank Munseywith whom he was under contract for many years.[3]

Under Munsey,[3]Jackson became a prolific writer ofshort storiesandserialized novels,and most of his non-theatre works were published inpulp magazinessuch asDetective Story MagazineandArgosy.[1]He wrote a wide array of fiction and produced works in nearly every genre in the field in Munsey's magazines; including mystery, romance, westerns, science fiction, and fantasy among others.[3][1]He did publish some novels in book format using the name Fred Smith with other publishing companies, includingThe Hidden Princess: a modern romance(1910, George W. Jacobs & Co., Philadelphia) andThe Third Act(1914, Desmond Fitzgererald Inc., New York).[5]He also published a third novel,Anne Against the World: a love story(1925,Chelsea House) under the pseudonym Victor Thorne;[5]a name he also periodically used as a playwright and short story writer.[3]

Several of Munsey's short stories and serialized novels were turned into films by other screenwriters. Among these films areAnnie-for-Spite(1917),Tinsel(1918),High Speed(1924),The Lone Chance(1924),Love Letters(1924),Her Man o' War(1926), andLadies Beware(1927).[2]

In 1912 Jackson began his career as ascreenwriter,and by 1946 he had penned the screenplays for more than 50 films.[1]His first work for the screen was the 1912 short filmA Detective Strategywhich was a starring vehicle for thesilent filmactorCharles Claryand which Jackson based on his own short story "Thistledown".[6]Much of his early work as a screenwriter was devoted to writing for thePearl White serials,[3]such asThe Fatal Ring(1917).[7]Some of his notable later films includedWells Fargo(1937),Stormy Weather(1943),Hi Diddle Diddle(1943), andClub Havana(1945, also known asTwo Tickets to Heaven).[3]

Jackson was also a prolific writer for the theatre, producing more than sixty plays during his lifetime.[3]Only a fraction of these managed to make it toBroadway.

He died inHollywood, Californiaon May 22, 1953.[3]He was married to Florence Howe.[3]

Partial list of works

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Musicals

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Novels

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  • The Hidden Princess: a modern romance(1910)[5]
  • The Third Act(1914)[11]
  • The Precious Packet(1916);[2]adapted byGeorge B. Seitzinto the 1916Pathéfilm of the same name[12]
  • Anne Against the World: a love story(1925, published under thepseudonymVictor Thorne)[5]

Plays

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Screenplays

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Short stories

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  • Adele(?); adapted by screenwriter Wallace Clifton into the filmTinsel(1918)[2]
  • Annie for Spite(1916); adapted by screenwriter Julian La Mothe into the filmAnnie-for-Spite(1917)[2]
  • Beauty to Let(?); adapted into the filmMoney Isn't Everything(1918)[2]
  • Black Marriage(?); adapted into the filmHer Man o' War(1926)[2]
  • The Gray Parasol(1918); adapted into the filmThe Gray Parasol(1918)[2]
  • Her Martyrdom(?); adapted by screenwriter Harry Chandlee into the filmHer Martyrdom(1915)[51]
  • High Speed(1918); adapted into the filmHigh Speed(1924)[2]
  • Jack of Diamonds(?); adapted into the filmLadies Beware(1927)[2]
  • The Lone Chance(?); adapted into the filmThe Lone Chance(1924)[52]
  • Morocco Box(1923); adapted into the filmLove Letters(1924)[2]
  • Thistledown(?); adapted by Jackson into the short filmA Detective Story(1912)[6]

Citations

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  1. ^abcdWlaschin, pp. 256-257
  2. ^abcdefghijklmnopqrstuGoble, p. 240-241
  3. ^abcdefghijkl"F. JACKSON DEAD; WRITER-PRODUCER I; Author of Stage, Film and TVI Successes Started in Movies' With Pearl White Serials".The New York Times.May 24, 1953. p. 88.
  4. ^Vazzana, p. 168
  5. ^abcdSmith, p. 348
  6. ^abcWlaschin, p. 65
  7. ^abWlaschin, p. 83
  8. ^Pollack, pp. 235-236
  9. ^Rosenberg, p. 428
  10. ^"FOR GOODNESS SAKE' BRISK; Good Comedians Make New Musical Comedy Entertaining".The New York Times.February 22, 1922. p. A22.
  11. ^"THE THIRD ACT. By Fred Jackson".The New York Times.January 18, 1914. p. 28.
  12. ^Mavis, p. 249
  13. ^"A FULL HOUSE' IS AN AMUSING FARCE; New Entertainment at the Longacre Is Compounded of Cheerful Nonsense".The New York Times.May 11, 1915. p. 15.
  14. ^Dietz, 466-468
  15. ^"A Full House".silentera.com.RetrievedJanuary 22,2015.
  16. ^Wainscott, p. 56
  17. ^"LOSING ELOISE' HAS AN AMUSING IDEA; A High-Class Farce Built About the Eloping Wife and Her Lover".The New York Times.November 19, 1917. p. 9.
  18. ^Soister, Nicolella, & Joyce, pp.273-274
  19. ^Beck, p. 153
  20. ^Hischak, p. 87
  21. ^J. P. Wearing · 2014 (May 15, 2014)."Her First Affaire".The London Stage 1930-1939: A Calendar of Productions, Performers, and Personnel.Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.pp. 52–53.ISBN9780810893047.{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  22. ^"The Ninth Man".The Observer.February 15, 1931. p. 13.
  23. ^Gifford, p. 363
  24. ^Bordman, p. 98
  25. ^Bordman, p. 323
  26. ^Hischak, p. 107
  27. ^Rainey, p. 444
  28. ^"Pathé Announces" Darkhorse Film "; 'For Sale' to Be Released June 9, A Story by Fred Jackson with a Plot of Big Interest".Motography.XIX(23): 1096.
  29. ^Richard Koszarski, ed. (1987). "The Man Hunt".Film History: An International Journal.1:182.
  30. ^abNash and Ross, p. 1433
  31. ^"Casts of Current Photoplays;" Fools and Riches "".Photoplay:112. 1923.
  32. ^Wlaschin, p. 79
  33. ^Solomon, p. 287
  34. ^Delgado, p. 74
  35. ^Higham, p. 18
  36. ^Wlaschin, p. 117
  37. ^Gifford, p. 368
  38. ^Frank S. Nugent(July 12, 1937)."THE SCREEN; 'The Great Gambini' Solves a Murder at the Criterion".The New York Times.p. 20.
  39. ^Katchmer, p. 611
  40. ^Hoffmann, p. 30
  41. ^Avallone, p. 456
  42. ^Frank S. Nugent(December 1, 1938)."THE SCREEN IN REVIEW; The Paramount's 'Say It in French' Heads the List of the Five New Pictures Shown Yesterday".The New York Times.
  43. ^Martin, p. 218
  44. ^Fetrow, p. 190
  45. ^Fetrow, p. 188
  46. ^Fetrow, p. 481
  47. ^Fetrow, p. 203
  48. ^Dunkleberger & Hanson, p. 446
  49. ^Fetrow, p. 32
  50. ^Fetrow, p. 24
  51. ^Lauritzen & Lundquist, p. 256
  52. ^Kear and King, p. 141

Bibliography

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