Jane Connelly (born Ida Dora Belle Tenney; May 2, 1883 – October 25, 1925) was an American stage and silent film actress. She was best known for her vaudeville work alongside her husband,

Erwin Connelly Erwin Connelly (January 14, 1878 – February 12, 1931) was an American actor, known for his contributions to silent films during the 1920s. Before transitioning to a film career, Connelly was a prominent stage performer, particularly in vaudevil ...

, and for her role in '' The Man from Beyond'' (1922) with

Harry Houdini Erik Weisz (March 24, 1874 – October 31, 1926), known professionally as Harry Houdini ( ), was a Hungarian-American escapologist, illusionist, and stunt performer noted for his escape acts. Houdini first attracted notice in vaudeville in ...

Early life and stage career

Jane Connelly was born in Port Huron, Michigan. She and her husband Erwin Connelly began performing in vaudeville around 1907 gaining popularity in the

vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment which began in France in the middle of the 19th century. A ''vaudeville'' was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a drama ...

circuit. The couple built a solid reputation in theatrical circles over the course of nearly two decades. One of their notable performances was in the play ''The Tale of a Shirt''where Jane played a dreamy laundress and Erwin portrayed a kind-hearted character who captured her affections. They performed this play from 1919 until the early death of Jane Connelly in 1925.

Transition to film

After their successful stage career, they both moved to Los Angeles. Jane and Erwin Connelly signed contracts with Metro and

Universal Studios Universal Studios may refer to: * Universal Studios, Inc., an American media and entertainment conglomerate ** Universal Pictures, an American film studio ** Universal Studios Lot, a film and television studio complex * Various theme parks operat ...

, and started appearing together (but not as a duo) in films. In '' The Man from Beyond'' with and produce by Houdini whom they knew well from the vaudeville days and in Keaton’s '' Sherlock Jr.'' While Erwin Connelly primarily focused his career on films after 1923, Jane remained active on the Orphean vaudeville circuit, performing either solo or occasionally alongside her husband in their once-successful act, "Tale of a Shirt." Jane died prematurely at 42 on October 25, 1925,”as a result of a nervous breakdown” bringing an end to their longstanding artistic partnership. Erwin Connelly continued his acting career in films until his own premature death in 1931 at 53.

Filmography

* '' The Man from Beyond'' (1922) as Felice Strange/Felice Norcross * '' Sherlock Jr.'' (1924) as The Mother

References

External links

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Erwin and Jane Connelly
at Vaudeville America {{DEFAULTSORT:Connelly, Jane 1883 births 1925 deaths American stage actresses American silent film actresses American vaudeville performers People from Port Huron, Michigan 20th-century American actresses