Celebrity for the week ending
Saturday, 25 October 2003
Clara Jecks (1857-1951)
English actress and singer
Clara Jecks in F.C. Burnand's extravaganza,
Kissi-Kissi; or, The Pa, The Ma, and The Padishah,
Opéra Comique, London, 12 July 1873.
(photo: The London Stereoscopic & Photographic Co, London, 1873)
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'JECKS, CLARA, daughter of Mrs. Jecks (HARRIET COVENEY), commenced her dramatic career in July 1873 at the Opéra Comique in Burnand's Kissi-Kissi. In the same year, during the autumn, she played a round of soubrette parts at Drury Lane Theatre; and at Christmas sustained a leading part there in Blanchard's pantomime of Jack-in-the-Box. She has appeared in other pantomimes at the same theatre. At the Adelphi Theatre in 1877, in the character of Lord Eden in Formosa, she "displayed both good taste and spirit in a considerable degree" (Times, November 2, 1877); and in the two following years acted there in Proof, The Crimson Cross (as Gontran), The Ticket-of-Leave Man (as Sam), Amy Robsart (as Janet Foster), &c. Miss Clara Jecks is a promising pianist and vocalist, a pupil of Madame Helen Greiffenhagen.'
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Clara Jecks
(photo: Walery, London, circa 1888)
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'Miss CLARA JECKS, whose photograph is given in the present issue, is the only daughter of Mr. Charles Albert Jecks, business manager of the Adelphi. Mrs. Jecks was the well known actress, Miss Harriet Coveney, and from her her daughter early took histrionic lessons, though at first it was thought that music was likely to be her profession eventually, her childish aptitude for the piano having been very remarkable. She made her début [sic] in the Drury Lane pantomime of Aladdin [1874], as the Genie of the Lamp, remaining there for three years, during which she played a round of small parts varying from pantomime to tragedy. She then obtained an engagement at the Adelphi, where, with only occasional absences, her entire theatrical career has been run. Her first part there was Lord Eden in [a revival of] Formsa, in which she immediately achieved a success. After accompanying her mother on tour with the Sourcerer - understudying the part of the Charity Girl, and sustaining one nightly in the curtain raiser, Breaking the Spell - she returned to the Adelphi, where she played François to Herman Vezin's Richelieu, The Middy, in the Middy Ashore (one of her most successful impersonations), Joseph (Never Too Late to Mend), Tilda (Nicholas Nickleby) and Sam Willoughby, besides many parts in farce. She then sustained a part in the Covent Garden pantomime, returning to the Adelphi in 1882 to play Dan in The Streets of London. A provincial tour intervening, she next appeared at the Adelphi, in Love and Money, in which she succeeded to Miss Sophie Eyre's part. In 1883 she scored heavily at the Globe as Starlight Bess in Flowers of the Forest, afterwards appearing at Drury Lane as the Stowaway in A Sailor and his Lass, and at Covent Garden in the pantomime of Little Red Riding Hood, proceeding thence to the Novelty with Nita's First [4 March 1884], and – after a short engagement at Her Majesty's – understudying Miss [Nellie] Farren at the Gaiety, where during that lady's absence in 1884 she met with much success as Sally Scraggs (Stage Struck), Laertes (Little Hamlet), and Lady Aqua Tofana (More Than Ever), afterwards playing Miss Farren's part with Mr. Edward Terry at the Standard and the Grand. Jessie (The Great Pink Pearl) at the Prince's succeeded, and then Miss Jecks returned to "the dear old Adelphi" – her long absence from which was due to the extended run of In the Ranks in which there was no suitable part for her – to commence the series of impersonations in melodrama with which her name is now identified, and of which Louisa Ann Ferguson (The English Rose [2 August 1890]) will perhaps be the best remembered, though in all of them she has had numerous admirers. In the matinée performance of Her Oath by Mrs. Henry Wylde, in 1891, she was of great assistance. In the two rare appearances which Miss Clara Jecks has made in tragedy and high comedy, she has given evidence of unusual powers; and it will be a source of regret to many if her great popularity in the class of parts in which she has been generally seen should cause her to devote herself entirely to melodrama; as there is not to-day too great a "wale" of actresses of the highest attainments.'
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Clara Jecks
(photo: unknown, United Kingdom, circa 1900)
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'Jecks, Clara. – This established Adelphi favourite is the daughter of the talented lady who has so long adorned the stage under the name of Harriet Coveney, and her father, Mr. Charles Jecks, is the well-known acting manager of the theatre with which she is associated. Miss Jecks was born in the profession, and as a child accompanied her mother on tour, appearing occasionally as a fairy in pantomime. It was, however, originally intended that she should follow a musical career, and she was trained for a pianiste, but the hereditary passion was too strong, and carried her to the footlights. In a long and varied career she has played nearly two hundred characters. She first appeared in 1873 at the Opera Comique in Kissi Kissi, and afterwards in Drury Lane pantomime, as Genie of the Lamp in Aladdin, and she supported the Vokes [Family] when they were in the zenith of their fame. A season with Mr. Barry Sullivan followed, and that eminent "heavy" was so taken with her loud and deep-toned voice that he suggested her building a tragédienne's career around it. But Miss Jecks modestly concluded that she was not tall enough! She played three seasons at Drury Lane, and then joined the Adelphi Company, where as Lord Eden (a boy's part) in Formosa, she made her first success, playing it so well that Mr. Chatterton paid her the practical compliment of doubling her salary. Space forbids anything but a mere summary of her subsequent career, though special mention must be made of another boy's part in The Middy Ashore, in which she greatly distinguished herself. She has been chiefly connected with the Adelphi, although she has on occasions toured the provinces, and accepted passing engagements at Covent Garden, Her Majesty's, the Globe, the Prince of Wales', and the Novelty theatres, besides understudying Nelly Farren [at the Gaiety], whom she describes as the kindest and most charming of women, and who specially taught her "business." Miss Jecks very naturally regards the Adelphi as her theatrical home, and she has been seen in most of its famous melodramas, and is actually an integral portion of Adelphi farce. In August, 1890, she appeared in The English Rose, wherein she and Mr. J.L. Shine prove themselves par excellence the comic stage lovers of the day, and was in the curtain raiser – of course. On the production of The Trumpet Call, in 1891, Miss Jecks filled an important rôle' * * * * * * * * Clara Jecks's subsequent London appearances included parts in A Trip to Chinatown (Tootle's, September 1894), with Arthur Roberts in Gentleman Joe (Prince of Wales's, March 1895), the pantomime Aladdin (Drury Lane, Christmas 1896), Oh! Susannah (Royalty, October 1897), The Royal Star and La Poupée (Prince of Wales's, 1898 and 1899), a revival of One of the Best (Princess's, June 1899), and In London Town (Crown, Peckham, August 1899). She then seems to have retired from the stage, making only one other appearance of any note by taking part in the Gala performance at His Majesty's on the occasion of the Coronation of George V in June 1911. Clara Jecks died on 5 January 1951. For further references to her, see The Adelphi Theatre Project, and David Stone's The D'Oyly Carte Opera Company.
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© John Culme, 2003