Russell Wade

born: 21 June 1917
Ada, Oklahoma,
United States of America
died: 09 December 2006
Riverside, California,
United States of America
(age 89)

American actor. Records give Wade Fischbeck (plus several variations) birth years of 1914, 1915, and 1917. Absent a birth record or newspaper announcement,1917 in Ada, OK is most likely. His Mom registered him for school in McAlester, OK on Jan. 02, 1924 saying he was age 6 and born Jun 19, 1917. His tumultuous early life may explain the variations in the "facts" of his life.
His parents, Zenobia Thomason (1891-1968) and William August Fischbeck (1882-1919) were married in Ada, OK on Valentine's Day of 1911. The Dad went by "William" and "Willie" and his older brother (1875-1918) went by "August". During the 1918 Flu Epidemic, "uncle" August caught flu and died of pneumonia: the next day his wife died: next their less than 1 year-old son died leaving 3 young boys. Less than a year later, 2 year-old Wade's Dad died but he and his Mom survived and moved in with her parents in Ada.
In Aug 1921, Zenobia married divorced lawyer David S Swihart. His ex-wife was in a TB Sanitarium in OK for 20 years and their 3 young boys were with their Dad. The youngest grew up to spend a number of years in Leavenworth and Alcatraz Prisons for burglary. After about a year, Zenobia and David divorced. She claimed "extreme cruelty" and had a restraining order against him. He died in 1925.
By the 1930 Census, Wade is age 13 and living with his Mom, widow "Zenobia Delacourt", in Ft. Worth, TX where she is proprietress of a hotel. In 1936, Wade is acting in movies in Los Angeles and marries Jane Bell who is a fashion model. She is also a socialite thru her wealthy manufacturing family in Kansas City. She and Wade were married until her death in 1999. Tragically, in 1945, their 7 year-old daughter, Joan, accidently drowned in the swimming pool.
Wade's Mom, Zenobia died in Ft. Worth, TX in 1968 as the widow "Smith" of pneumonia.
Real name: Wade Fischbeck
Height: 5'11"
Films listed on this page: complete Hal Roach filmography.

2


1937
Topper
Nightclub patron

1941
Niagara Falls
Newlywed on bench

Acknowledgements:
https://www.familysearch.org/tree/pedigree/landscape/LLQG-SHS ("Russell Wade Fischbeck" Family Tree at FamilySearch.org)
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MSRY-SNQ (1900 C Chickasaw Co, OK: Father & grandparents: farmers)
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GBDK-79X?cc=1709399 (1911 Feb 14 Ada, OK Zenobia Thomason marr Wm A Fischbeck:future parents)
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KZDY-Z3P (1918 Sep 12 Ada, OK: Father WWI Draft: "William August Fischbeck": Lumber salesman)
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MN1T-Z2D (1920 Jan Census Allen Twp, Pontotoc Co, OK:"Wade Fishback": age 2; with Mom & her parents)
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VR3N-BR4 (1921 Aug 15 McAlester, OK: Mom marries lawyer Davis S. Swihart. He dies in OK in 1925)
https://www.newspapers.com/image/592789432/?terms=%22DAVID%20swihart%22&match=1 (1922 Jul 13 McAlester OK: Mom divorces: "extreme cruelty")
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2N7-27CP 1924 (Jan 2 McAlester,OK: reg for sch:"age 6" : "b. 1917 Jun 19":"Wade Fischbeck")
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:HVNZ-ZMM 1930 (C Ft Worth, TX: age 13:w Mom Zenobia Delacour (widow): Hotel proprietor)
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K8FN-HFF 1936 (Nov 20 Orange, CA: marr Jane Bell (1915-1999): model / socialite of wealthy KCMO family)
Ancestry.com (WWII Young Mens Draft Cards 1940 Oct LA : Ht.5'11": b.1915 (sic) Jun 21: Oklahoma, OK: emp.Central Casting)
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPW2-MNM7 (1945 Apr 10 LA: Dau Joan age 7 drowns accidentally in swimming pool)
https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/60500992:2272 (1968 Feb 23 Ft Worth,TX:Mom Zenobia Smith (nee Thomason), widow dies: pneumonia)
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V3YP-V2D (Soc Sec Death Index 2006 Dec 09: Riverside Co, CA: b 1917 Jun 22 (sic))
Jim Jarvis (bio notes and research)

This page was last updated on: 17 July 2024