Fame started early for Jane Withers. 30 to Jul. Anyone can read what you share. She later moved to Los Angeles with her mother and made her acting debut in 1932 in the film "Handle with Care." Jane Withers, a former child movie star who won hearts during Hollywood's Golden Age, has died aged 95.. She was 95. Withers married Texas oilman William P. Moss in 1947 and retired from acting, but the couple divorced after six years. Temple was the sweet kid of the Smythes maid. The cause of Withers death was not disclosed. Withers died Saturday in Burbank, her daughter Kendall Errair announced. Weve updated the security on the site. Jane Withers, the former child actor who bedeviled Shirley Temple on the screen and went on to star in a series of B movies that made her a box-office champion, has died, her daughter said. In 2003, she received the Living Legacy Award from the Womens International Center. The Atlanta-born actress died on Saturday evening in Burbank, California, surrounded by . The main advantage, she said, was that unlike the Broadway offers she was getting, the job didnt interfere with her home life in Hollywood. In 1988 she reported that she owned 12,000 dolls and 2,500 teddy bears which were boxed and crated in a 27,000-square-foot warehouse. Try again later. 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Ready for Tolkien Battle, Aminah Nieves, Mo Brings Plenty on Why 1923 Doesnt Look Away: We Have to Allow the Audience to Witness, The Definitive Voice of Entertainment News. The bratty Bright Eyes performance got Withers a contract at Fox and starring roles, often as annoying but somehow appealing kids, in such films as Ginger (1935) which began production on her eighth birthday the musical Paddy ODay (1935), The Farmer Takes a Wife (1935), Little Miss Nobody (1936) and The Holy Terror (1937). He was born on July 29, 1923, the son of German immigrants. At her peak, she was earning $2,500 a week and $50,000 a year in endorsements. She was also an active member of St. Thomas Episcopal Church in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va., and St. Michael's Episcopal Church on Sanibel Island, Fla. At St. Michael's, she enjoyed working at Noah's Ark thrift shop. Oh, the money is nice, all right, she told the Los Angeles Times in 1963. Together Jane and Scott were residents of White Sulphur Springs, WV and Sanibel Island, FL and had three children. Oh, the money is nice, all right, she told the Los Angeles Times in 1963. Its as if I killed somebody. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. Read More . She was preceded in death by her loving husband, the late Dr. Herbert "Scott" Withers. He kind of dibble-dabbled in real estate in a marvelous way.. Her mother had greater ambitions, and she persuaded her husband to move the family to Hollywood. We were in fifth place in the market when we started the commercials. GREAT NEWS! Try our free interactive obituary template. JANE GARRISON DEMAREST WITHERS passed on Saturday, June 29, 2019, in peace surrounded by her loved ones at the age of 86. She lit up a room with her laughter, but she especially radiated joy and thankfulness when talking about the career she so loved and how lucky she was.. She lit up a room with her laughter, but she especially radiated joy and thankfulness when talking about the career she so loved and how lucky she was., Born on April 12, 1926 in Atlanta, Ga., Withers was already a seasoned show business professional by the time she was six. She enjoyed playing tennis, bridge, doing crossword puzzles, and making her famous pickles, "Jane's Gems." Withers proved less of a draw as a teenager, and her career dwindled. Jane Withers, the former child actor who bedeviled Shirley Temple on the screen and went on to star in a series of B movies that made her a box-office champion, has died, her daughter said. Burbank, Los Angeles County, California, USA. Her offbeat, irreverent non-child-star-style generated a string of starring roles in Ginger [1935], This is the Life [1935], Paddy ODay [1936], Pepper [1936] and Angels Holiday [1937]. As Withers grew older, she expanded into writing, penning the screenplay for the film Small Town Deb under the pseudonym Jerrie Walters. She was 95. Jane was born on April 7, 1933, in New. My mother was such a special lady, Errair said. Jane Withers first became famous as a child star. During World War II, she performed in more than 100 bond and camp tours for the war effort and sent her extensive collection of 3,500 dolls, most received as gifts from her fans, on tour to raise money. An interviewer in 1974 asked Withers how she managed to escape the troubles that plagued many child stars in adulthood. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. Actress. Even though B pictures were aimed for the bottom half of double bills, a theater owners poll named Withers one of the top money-making stars in 1936 and 1937. Withers proved less of a draw as a teenager, and her career dwindled. She married wealthy Texas oil baron William Moss in 1947, and had two children in the short-lived marriage. At the age of four, she appeared on local radio, doing impersonations of famous celebrities like Maurice Chevalier and Greta Garbo. in Dietetics and Nutrition in 1953. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. Ms. Withers may never have surpassed Ms. Temples popularity on the screen. Jane is survived by all of her children: Jennifer Johnson and husband Rick of Charleston, W.Va., Dr. Laura Withers-Boyles and husband Dr. Glenn of Fairmont, W.Va., and Alex Withers and wife Sharie of Athens, Texas; and her sister-in-law, Catherine Aker of Dallas, Texas. In her later years, Withers transitioned to voice work, recording several lines as Laverne the Gargoyle in Disneys The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996) after the death of the roles originator, Mary Wickes. A year later, she played the title role in Lewis Seilers comedy Ginger, as an orphan living in a New York slum apartment with her Uncle Rex, an aging Shakespearean actor. You can always change this later in your Account settings. He coached her and afterward praised her professionalism. I ran over Shirley with a tricycle, and a baby buggy. cemeteries found in will be saved to your photo volunteer list. In 1955, she wed Kenneth Errair, a member of the vocal band The Four Freshmen; he was killed in a plane crash in California in 1968. She returned to Hollywood and was paralyzed with arthritis. As a girl, she landed leading roles that were the antidote to Shirley Temples. For four years, Fox ground out three or four Withers films annually at budgets far lower than the Temple specials. 2023 Variety Media, LLC. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? Children wrote fan letters admiring what she did to Shirley because shes so perfect.. She was 14 at the time. Id always call and say, Is Mrs. Black at home? and theyd ask, Whos calling? and Id say, Tell her its Joy Smythe. . My mother was such a special lady, Errair said in a statement. I will always remember and treasure her smile, laughter, and beautiful blonde hair. Of the late Frank . Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. I wasnt allowed to shoot in Westwood until Shirley left the studio, she said. My mother was such a special lady, she said in a statement. Born April 12, 1926, in Atlanta, she had appeared as Dixies Dainty Dewdrop on local radio by the age of 3. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. During a casting call for Bright Eyes, director David Butler asked Withers to imitate a machine gun. Withers later was featured in Lewis Milestones wartime propaganda film The North Star (1943), starringDana Andrews and Anne Baxter. It was a point of pride for her father, a Goodrich executive, that his salary paid the familys expenses. There is a problem with your email/password. Among the titles: Ginger, Paddy ODay, Little Miss Nobody, Wild and Wooly and Arizona Wildcat.. My heartfelt sympathy to her family. In the 1960s, Withers gained mainstream popularity once again as Josephine the Plumber in Comet cleansers television ads. But after a number of years we reunited with White Sulfur Springs not that far from Charlotte, NC and had some wonderful experiences together as my Wife, Leah shared a family connection to The Greenbrier Resort and The Old White. Withers film appearances as an adult were sporadic, partly because of three marriages and five children. He was EDMONTON A Edmonton homeless man whose spontaneous piano performance was viewed on theinternetby millions ofpeople has died. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. She was best known as one of the most popular child stars in the 1930s and early 1940s, with her films ranking in the top ten list for box-office gross in 1937 and 1938. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. Christine, I have known Jane for more than 20 years, and have always enjoyed our association in the south Fort Myers, FL area. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. Sharing an Obituary has traditionally been difficult. Please try again later. Grief researchers say holding that missing funeral service, even a year or more later, can still help us heal. In the 1950s, she resumed her acting and later appeared in such films as "Giant" (1956) and "Captain Newman, M.D.." (1963) In 1949, she made her "small screen" debut on the series "The Chevrolet Tele-Theatre." Oops, something didn't work. Her mother, who was destined to make her daughter a star, paid for her to have dance and singing lessons at an early age. She w Variety and the Flying V logos are trademarks of Variety Media, LLC. He coached her and afterward praised her professionalism. A celebration of Jane's life will be held at St. Thomas's Episcopal Church in White Sulphur Springs, WV on Saturday, September 7th, 2019 at 11 AM. Jane played bit roles in movies and supplied voices for the Willie Whopper and the Looney Tunes cartoons. Jane Withers, the talented child star who tormented Shirley Temple in Bright Eyes and years later became a trusted confidant of James Dean in his final days on the set of Giant, has died. Withers big break came in 1934, when she was cast opposite Shirley Temple in 1934s Bright Eyes. Withers played Joy Smythe, a spoiled, mean foil to Temples sweet character. Emma Sisk Obituary We are sad to announce that on October 1, 2022, at the age of 91, Emma . She returned to Hollywood and was paralyzed with arthritis. The home popcorn will be available in select Walmart stores on March 11, the day before the 95th Academy Awards. Jane Withers, a top child star in the 1930s who played tough, tomboyish brats in more than two dozen B films and achieved a second burst of fame as an adult as Josephine the Plumber in commercials for Comet cleanser, died on Saturday in Burbank, Calif. She was 95. Fox boss Darryl F. Zanuck figured there was room for another child actress at the studio, and she was signed to a contract. The best poems for funerals, memorial services., and cards. Your search results for obituary: 8 newspaper articles contained information about obituary filtered by: Newspaper title: Faversham News Date from: 1st Jan 1940 - Date to: 7th Jan 1940 Her death was confirmed by her daughter Kendall Errair. Jane Withers, a child star of the 1930s and 1940s who specialized in impish roles an antidote to the cloying sweetness of Shirley Temple and who later became a TV fixture as Josephine the. In 1988 she reported that she owned 12,000 dolls and 2,500 teddy bears which were boxed and crated in a 27,000-square-foot warehouse. On television, she appeared on episodes of Bachelor Father, The Munsters, The Love Boat, Hart to Hart, Murder, She Wrote and Amazing Grace. Withers reprised the role in the films sequel in 2002. Variety is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. Learn more about managing a memorial . She had two more children with second husband Kenneth Errair, one of the Four Freshmen singing group, who died in 1968. Although her Hollywood success did not survive adolescence, Ms. Withers was the rare child actor who entered adulthood prepared for the real world and with money in the bank. Gloria L. Tellor Obituary. Try again. During her childhood she started collecting dolls and teddy bears, and she continued throughout her lifetime. Editor Star: Last Wednesday, October 18, the friends of Dr. J. V. Withers and wife, to the number of 75, met at the their home, two and one-half miles north of Newark, to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of their married life. I had to play the meanest, creepiest little girl that God ever put on this planet, Withers recalled in 2000. In the 21st century, it's not just urns and gravestones anymore. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. If youre in charge of handling the affairs for a recently deceased loved one, this guide offers a helpful checklist. I will miss her. WE RUN ALL OBITUARIES FREE OF CHARGE (2 comments) Tuesday, July 3, 2012. From film historian and author James R Parish . Withers was one of the last remaining stars from the 1930s and 1940s, the height of Hollywood studio dominance. Jane was much loved by her family and friends and will be missed dearly by all. When she won her first starring role, he sent her two large bouquets and a note saying, I know youre going to knock them dead in `Ginger and youre going to have a fantastic career.. During shooting of the film, she and Dean were close. Ways to honor Jane Withers's life and legacy. (Information on her survivors was not immediately available.). The minute they slapped me in Bright Eyes, everybody just yelled and waved, they were so happy. The couple had three children together. As a child star in the 1930s, she was one of the top box-office draws in Hollywood, playing tomboyish brats. As an adult, she was known as Josephine the Plumber in ads for Comet cleanser. Jane was born on April 7, 1933 in New Brunswick, NJ to the late Fredrick Van Buskirk Demarest and Myrtle Ramey Demarest. 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