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| Jane Blyler |
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born:
27 July 1889 St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America |
died:
15 October 1973 (last residence) Missouri, United States of America (age 84) |
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American actress and dancer, also known as Jane Ott. Her parents were Elizabeth "Lizzie" (née Hauser, 1864-1927) and Henry C. Schaufert (c. 1860-1938), who married in 1886 in St. Louis, Missouri. She had three siblings: Meta Anna Schaufert (1888-1908), Edna M. Schaufert (m. Slinger & Selkirk, 1893-1988), and Clarence Conrad Schaufert (1895-1985). On 5 February 1910, Jane married noted artist Ralph Chesley Ott (1870-1931) in St. Louis, Missouri, having previously posed as a model for him while working as a stenographer. Shortly after, articles ran all over the papers about how their love affair began thousands of years ago as star-crossed lovers in ancient Egypt, with Jane the reincarnation of Princess Amneris, while Ralph in this former life was "a handsome, but humble artisan in the employ of her father, Pharaoh Krufu." They had two daughters, Mary Jane Ott (m. Allen, 1910-1999) and Arcea Elizabeth Ott (m. Geanette, 1911-1992). Alas, the marriage ran into trouble very soon, with the couple separating and Jane filing for divorce in August 1912, charging Ralph with intense jealousy and drinking to excess as well as throwing a coffee pot at her head, and asking for custody of their two daughters; in December, witnesses testified that Jane left Ralph to take care of their girls while she gallivanted about, and Jane's petition was ultimately rejected. Jane filed another suit in March 1914, but finally, on 22 June 1914, it was Ralph who was granted a default divorce and custody of their two daughters on grounds of desertion. During the mid-1910s, and indeed at the time of the 1914 divorce granting, she was a dancer on the stage with the Vernon Castle troupe, settling in Los Angeles around 1915. In late 1915 and early 1916, Jane was an exhibition dancer partnered with one C. Elliott Griffin -- none other than future Roach actor Carlton Griffin. Not long after, she became involved with musician and Hal Roach associate James Blyler, and in October 1916, Jane gave birth to their son, James Blaine Blyler, Jr., later known as James Robert Johnston (1916-1980). Although they are implied to be married on James, Jr.'s birth certificate, as well as on the elder James' World War I draft registration card (where she is listed as Mrs. Jane Blyler, albeit living in St. Louis to James' Los Angeles), this appears to have been for the sake of "keeping up appearances," and I cannot find an actual marriage record for Jane and James. Instead, on 14 December 1918, Jane married Robert Johnston, Jr. (1886-1953), treasurer and later president of the General Paper Stock Company, in St. Louis. Robert adopted James, Jr., and in April 1920, they had a daughter, Jane E. Johnston (1920-1998). Jane and Robert divorced sometime in the 1920s, and in the 1930 U.S. Census, the two kids are recorded as living with Robert (hmm, echoes of the earlier marriage...); I haven't found Jane in that same Census. In the 1940 U.S. Census, Robert and James are living together, while Jane is living with her widowed sister; the sisters are still living together in the 1950 U.S. Census. An article in the 25 October 1957 edition of the St. Louis Globe-Democrat mentions Jane in an article about her son James, which mentions him planning to visit her and Jane living at 5616 Pershing Avenue (her residence in the 1940 and 1950 Censuses). On James, Jr.'s 1916 birth certificate, both James, Sr. and Jane are recorded as residing at 106 East Washington Street in Los Angeles; Jane is listed as Jane Ott, with her birthplace given as St. Louis, Mo. On James' World War I draft registration card (dated 12 Sep 1918), Mrs. Jane Blyler is listed as his nearest relative, with her address given as 4415 Holly Avenue in St. Louis. Three months later, the same address is given for Jane Ott in the list of marriage licenses (for her marriage to Johnston) in the 15 December 1918 edition of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Putting all of these pieces together gives me the confidence that the Jane profiled above is, in fact, the Jane Blyler who is recorded as working for the Rolin studio during 1917-18. Coincidentally, shortly after his fling with "our" Jane, James Blyler would connect with another Jane, namely noted vaudeville songstress Jane Green (1897-1931). They partnered as early as September 1918, and were married from 1920 until James' passing in 1924, with this Jane later marrying her accompanist, actor/musician/pilot Ron Wilson, before her own early passing in 1931. |
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Real name: Alma Schaufert |
Films listed on this page: complete Hal Roach filmography. |
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