"Introducing Jack Kelly" Pt. II :)

Howdy!

As promised, here's the fantabulous 1951 profile and photo of that "swell fella" Jack Kelly from "The Brown Banner" fan journal. Enjoy! :)

"INTRODUCING JACK KELLY

(PLEASE DO NOT COPY THIS PHOTO)

 

Jack Kelly is a young actor that you've got to know! Not that there is any danger of you not knowing him soon...he's beginning to go places cinematically speaking, in a big way! If you're not familiar with him now...it won't be long.

Jack is a swell fella...he's quite a tease...and life is never dull with him around. He's the boy that's the life of the party! He's right there, too, if there's something to be done and he can be of any help.

Twenty four years-old, Jack is six-foot-one and weighs 190 pounds. Brown hair and eyes help to make him the good looking lad he is.

He's not new to the entertainment world, exactly...in New York he was spotted in such plays as St. Helena with Maurice Evans, Ghost of Yankee Doodle with Miss Ethel Barrymoore, Stopover, Schoolhouse on the Lot, and Swing Your Lady. Also in the East, he appeared on radio in broadcasts of March of Time, Gang Busters, Famous Fortunes, and The Fred Allen Show.

As for television, Jack has served his time in that media too...in N.Y. he did such shows as Studio One, Philco Theatre, The Colgate Show, Kraft Theatre, Chevrolet Theatre, The Bob Ripley Show, and The Fred Waring Show.

In Hollywood, he's been heard on radio via The Lux Radio Theatre, Philip Marlowe, Suspense, and Tell It Again.

Jack's popular sister, Nancy Kelly, has been a well-known actress for several years and now Jack is carrying on the tradition in the family by appearing in many pictures. He's in Fighting Man of the Plains with Randolph Scott; Peggy at Universal with Charles Coburn, Charlotte Greenwood, and Diana Lynn; Call Me Mister with Betty Grable, Dan Dailey and Danny Thomas at 20th Century Fox; New Mexico with Lew Ayres, Marilyn Maxwell, and Ian McDonald; RKO's Where Danger Lives starring Robert Mitchum; and at Warners in West Point Story with James Cagney and Virginia Mayo.

He can currently be seen...or soon will be seen...in such popular releases as Fox's People Will Talk with Cary Grant and Jeanne Crain; Submarine Command at Paramount with William Holden and Bill Bendix; and Republic's Wings Across the Pacific [B27: retitled The Wild Blue Yonder] with James Brown, Wendell Corey, Forrest Tucker, Phil Harris and Vera Ralston.

In the latter film, Jack met Jim [Brown] for the first time and during shooting they became fast friends. Jack is a frequent visitor at 'Brown's Little Acre'; in fact, he's almost one of the family, at present writing.

Again, I say, 'Jack's a swell fella!' and is destined to be one of our top masters of entertainment of the future.

FLASH! As we go to press, comes word that Jack has just signed a wonderful contract at Universal International. He appeared there in a play and was observed by director Budd Boetticher and now has a nice role in Red Ball Express. Be sure to write to Jack at Universal. Mail will help him a lot now!" 

As a bonus, I found a couple more mentions of JK in the fanzine. He attended a surprise birthday party for the "prexy" of the Jim Brown fan club held at the Brown's home. And: "We [the Browns] caught the premiere of A Streetcar Named Desire...and talked Jack Kelly into going. I [Jim Brown] thought the picture very good but Kelly won't forgive us for roping him in. He hates driving up in front of the theatre and being announced. So do I, but Betty [Mrs. Brown] says it's good publicity, so I gave in. Keep your eye on Jack Kelly. He is a likeable guy and a good actor. Look for him in The Wild Blue Yonder." 

Gee, I wonder if that young Kelly fella ever amounted to anything... ;-)