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Jeanne Gray McDonald's multi-faceted career was a true Hollywood story. Born Jeanne Murphy on Sept. 10, 1913, the eldest of five children, she grew up in Old Hollywood during the 1920s. The legendary bygone era of Hollywood glamor and silent movies formed a lasting impression on her childhood memories. Jeanne's father worked as a lighting technician at the Charls Chaplin Studios, so she would bring him lunch and hang around just to catch a glimpse of Charles Chaplin preparing for a scene. Money was tight during the Depression and her parents couldn't afford to take all five children to the movies (25 cents a ticket), so only one
Jeanne Gray McDonald's multi-faceted career was a true Hollywood story. Born Jeanne Murphy on Sept. 10, 1913, the eldest of five children, she grew up in Old Hollywood during the 1920s. The legendary bygone era of Hollywood glamor and silent movies formed a lasting impression on her childhood memories. Jeanne's father worked as a lighting technician at the Charls Chaplin Studios, so she would bring him lunch and hang around just to catch a glimpse of Charles Chaplin preparing for a scene. Money was tight during the Depression and her parents couldn't afford to take all five children to the movies (25 cents a ticket), so only one child could go. Jeanne, the lucky one, was it, but then she had to perform and re-enact all the actors' roles so her family could also enjoy the one great escape that movies offered.
It was during her youth that she developed her love of everything theatrical. She attended Hollywood High School, and while acting in school plays she worked at a "five-and-dime" store as a bookkeeper to help support her family. She also did some modeling, and was "discovered" in 1930; she began auditioning for, and getting, small parts in films. Using the stage name of "Jean Lacy" from ages 18-20, she transformed herself into the archetypal "good girl" blond starlet. She was cast in a number of short, independent (non-studio) features, "film-noie" thrillers, two-reel comedies for Mack Sennett and Hal Roach. She also did two-reelers for Warner Brothers and RKO Pictures. In 1935 Jeanne moved to New York, attending Columbia University, the National Academy of Dramatic Arts and The Juilliard School of Music. She acted in New York theater, singing in the "George White Scandals" revue and dancing in the chorus line of Broadway musicals with Betty Grable. During World War II she was a star vocalist performing in Manhattan's elegant and elite nightclubs, such as The Monte Carlo, Pierre Roof and The Stork Club. She sang at the historic Stage Door Canteen, started by Broadway performers in 1942 as a tribute to young servicemen on their way to war. Returning to Los Angeles in 1945 with lofty ideas, Jeanne wrote, produced, directed and hosted the first women's radio program dedicated to female audiences and their interests, combining news, interviews and applied psychology. "An unheard-of idea at the time, since women didn't have a voice in anything, much less broadcast content," Jeanne later said. "I had a hard time trying to convince men to even use the name 'Women's Voice' for the program." She prevailed by pitching her idea to Millirons Department Store (a Los Angeles retailer interested in reaching targeted women shoppers) to sponsor her radio program. With a sponsor and financing in hand, she sold "The Women's Voice" format to KMPC (formerly known as "The Station of the Stars"). Due to Jeanne's popularity and success on the radio with "The Women's Voice", she was asked to develop and host a TV program in 1949. The new show entitled the "The Jeanne Gray Show" was an interview-style women's commentary program. The show aired five days a week for three years on both CBS-owned Los Angeles TV stations KTTV (Channel 11) and KNXT (Channel 2). A young KNXT staff announcer initially introduced the live TV show, but his exaggerated on-air comical antics when he announced the show - "And Nowww, Thhhe . . . Jeeeeannne . . . Graaaay . . . " didn't mix well with the formality of her talk-show and ruined her glamorous entrance. The young comic announcer who wanted to have his own show was none other than Johnny Carson.
In 1950 Jeanne founded Radio and TV Women of Southern California, which is now known as American Women in Radio and Television. Jeanne was elected the first president of AWRT based on her accomplishments as an early pioneer in radio and TV, and as a leading advocate for women in broadcast during the late 1940 and early 1950s. Her original inspiration and prophetic vision for the organization has continued on for 60 years. If women bond together as a united force they can promote advancement and create positive change for women in the industry. The "Genii Award" was named in her honor (a play on her first name) as the first recipient (the spelling was changed to "Genii", the plural version of "Genius", based on the mythological superior or divine nature of the guardian spirits that are innately present in every individual person, place and thing).
She continued to write, produce and host public service and documentary programs for TV throughout the late 1950s; including "The Speaker's Platform", "Hollywood is the World" and "The Fabulous Boulevard" (historic Wilshire Blvd). She was the West Coast Editor for the national "Home" show with Arlene Francis, an NBC prototype for TV magazines airing mornings following Today (1952).
Retiring from show business in the 1960s, Jeanne became active in civic organizations and founded the Women's Division of Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge (a national organization sponsoring American history, heritage, rights and responsibilities honoring outstanding students and teachers). Jeanne's most cherished tribute remains the words of President Dwight D. Eisenhower (Honorary Chairman), who told the board of directors of Freedoms Foundation, "If we had a few more women like our trustee, Mrs. McDonald, we wouldn't have to be concerned with the future of our organization." In 1976, she authored "The Power of Belonging: Why, Eighty Million Women Can't Be Wrong!", a reference book sharing professional leadership skills gained from involvement in charitable, community and national nonprofit organizations.
Jeanne received many outstanding awards and honors for her programs and public service including an Emmy for "Best Cultural Show 1950" - The Academy of TV Art & Sciences, The Genii - AWRT, The LULU - L.A. Advertising Women, The Francis Holmes Achievement Award - L.A.A.W., Silver Mike Award - NAB, Favorite Commentator Award - Billboard Magazine, George Washington Medal of Honor along with many others. Jeanne Gray McDonald's spirit of entrepreneurial leadership and dedicated hard work ethic lives on. She was an inspiration and early feminist (before it was in vogue) and didn't even know it. Today, still celebrated for her many notable artistic endeavors as one of Hollywood's prominent early women in Radio and Television, she helped pioneer the path for many women in the broadcast industry. Jeanne's positive persona and professional Can Do attitude still serves as a role model, and each year it's exemplified by the outstanding recipients of the coveted Genii Award. Honoring the excellence of exceptionally talented professional women for their significant accomplishments and contributions to the industry.
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