Jessica Madison Jacobs (14 November 1990 – 10 May 2008) was an Australian actress and singer. She was best known for her role as Melanie Atwood in the second series of ''
The Saddle Club
''The Saddle Club'' is an Australian-Canadian children's television series developed by Sarah Dodd, based on the books written by Bonnie Bryant. Like the book series, the scripted live action series follows the lives of three best friends in ...
''.
Biography
Born in
Canberra, Australia
Canberra ( ; ) is the capital city of Australia. Founded following the federation of the colonies of Australia as the seat of government for the new nation, it is Australia's largest inland city, and the eighth-largest Australian city b ...
, Jessica Jacobs was the middle child of Joanna and Brendan Jacobs and the sister of Adam, Seth and Charlie Jacobs.
Jacobs began acting at the age of nine. Jacobs appeared as
Marta von Trapp in the Melbourne production of the 1999–2000 Australian stage revival tour of ''
The Sound of Music
''The Sound of Music'' is a musical with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, and a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. It is based on the 1949 memoir of Maria von Trapp, '' The Story of the Trapp Family Singers''. ...
'', taking over from
Rachel Marley who had played the role in the opening Sydney production. In addition to ''
The Saddle Club
''The Saddle Club'' is an Australian-Canadian children's television series developed by Sarah Dodd, based on the books written by Bonnie Bryant. Like the book series, the scripted live action series follows the lives of three best friends in ...
'', Jacobs was featured in the television series ''
Fergus McPhail
Fergus McPhail is an Australian children's comedy series that was released on Network Ten in 2004.
Plot summary
Fergus McPhail stumbles from crisis to crisis, mostly of his own making. His irrationally optimistic alter-ego acts as his conscienc ...
'', ''
Worst Best Friends'', and ''
Holly's Heroes
The following list of programs are currently broadcast by the Nine Network / 9HD, 9Go!, 9Gem, 9Life and 9Rush as well as their regional affiliates, including WIN, NBN and Imparja as well as catch-up service 9Now. Some affiliate stations hav ...
''. Jacobs replaced
Marisa Siketa
Marisa Julia Siketa (born 7 November 1990) is an Australian actress, disc jockey, animal ambassador, and traffic manager. She is best known for her roles as the first actress to play Melanie Atwood on ''The Saddle Club'' and as Summer Hoyland o ...
on ''The Saddle Club'' after she left the show to star on ''
Neighbours
''Neighbours'' is an Australian television soap opera that has aired since 18 March 1985. It was created by television executive Reg Watson. The Seven Network commissioned the show following the success of Watson's earlier soap '' Sons and ...
''. Jessica studied ballet and classical violin when she was six years old. Jacobs eventually learned how to play bass guitar. Until her death she was a member of The Volten Sins. Jacobs and Janelle Corlass-Brown released a CD Single for their song "Trouble" in 2003. Jacobs was in Year 12 at the time of her death. She was six months away from leaving
Sandringham College
Sandringham College, established in 1988, is a two-campus secondary college located in the south-eastern Melbourne suburb of Sandringham.
In 1987 the State Government of Victoria decided to merge four schools: Beaumaris High School, Hampton Hi ...
and getting her
Victorian Certificate of Education
The Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) is the credential available to secondary school students who successfully complete year 10, 11 and 12 in the Australian state of Victoria (state), Victoria as well as in some international schools i ...
.
Jacobs had planned to move in with older brother Adam and attend
Victorian College of the Arts
The Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) is the arts school at the University of Melbourne in Australia. It is part of the university's Faculty of Fine Arts and Music (FFAM). It is located near the Melbourne city centre on the Southbank campus ...
to study bass guitar and establish herself as a musician. Jacobs was a Christian (Anglican Church of Australia). In the months before her death Jacobs took a break from acting to focus on school and music. Jacobs had been working at a local bakery until the day she died.
Prior to her death, Jacobs was working on music for series three of ''The Saddle Club''. A year after Jacobs' death, her mother, Joanna Jacobs. founded the Jessica Jacobs School of Drama.
Death
On 10 May 2008, Jacobs was walking along the platform at
Cheltenham railway station, Melbourne
Cheltenham railway station is a commuter railway station on the Frankston line, which is part of the Melbourne railway network. It serves the south-eastern suburb of Cheltenham, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Cheltenham station is a below ...
, when she tripped and fell onto the tracks and was fatally hit by a train arriving at the platform. The police took several hours to identify her because Jacobs, who was returning from an overnight stay with a friend, was carrying a
fake ID
Identity document forgery is the process by which identity documents issued by governing bodies are illegally copied and/or modified by persons not authorized to create such documents or engage in such modifications, for the purpose of deceivi ...
.
Jacobs was buried in
St Kilda Cemetery
St Kilda Cemetery is located in the Melbourne suburb of St Kilda East, Victoria.
History
St Kilda Cemetery covers a large block bordered by Dandenong Road, Hotham Street, Alma Road and Alexandra Street. It is bounded by a historic wall and cont ...
in
St Kilda, Victoria
St Kilda is an inner seaside suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, southeast of the Melbourne central business district, located within the City of Port Phillip Local government areas of Victoria, local government area. St Kilda recorded a ...
.
Discography
The Saddle Club discography
;Albums
* ''Fun For Everyone'' (2002) – #45 Australia
* ''On Top of the World'' (2003) – #20 Australia
* ''Friends Forever'' (2003) – #38 Australia
* ''
Secrets & Dreams'' (2004) – #49 Australia
* ''Hello World – The Best Of The Saddle Club'' (2004)
* ''Summer With The Saddle Club'' (2008)
* ''The Saddle Club – Greatest Hits'' (2009)
* ''Grand Gallop – Hello World'' (2009) – Released in France only.
Singles
* ''Trouble'' (2003)
* ''Princess Veronica Tour EP'' (2004)
Filmography
See also
*
Juanita Coco, an Australian child singer who was killed in an accident whilst still a teenager
*
Charlotte Long
The Hon. Charlotte Helen Long (9 October 1965 – 6 October 1984) was an English aristocrat and child actress, the youngest daughter of the 4th Viscount Long.
Biography
Born in Devizes, Wiltshire, she attended the Stonar School, Atworth ...
, an English child actress who was killed in an accident whilst still a teenager
References
External links
*
The Volten Sinson MySpace
*
Jessica Jacobs School of Drama
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jacobs, Jessica
1990 births
2008 deaths
Accidental deaths in Victoria (state)
Australian child actresses
Australian television actresses
Actresses from Canberra
Actresses from Melbourne
Railway accident deaths in Australia
Australian Anglicans
20th-century Australian women singers
Burials at St Kilda Cemetery
21st-century Australian actresses