Who was Jackie Witte? The untold story of Paul Newman's first wife

Who was Jackie Witte? The untold story of Paul Newman's first wife

Paul Newman was a famous American actor, race driver, philanthropist, and entrepreneur. He was best known for his endeavours in film and motorsports. Paul was also a family man, having married twice and divorced once. His first wife, Jackie Witte, has become a topic of interest to the public. What happened to her?

Jackie Witte (L) and her ex-husband Paul Newman (R)
Former American actor Paul Newman (R) and his first wife Jackie Witte (L): Photo: Celluloid Heroes on Facebook, John Springer Collection/Getty Images (modified by author)
Source: UGC

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Jackie Witte rose to fame as the first wife of famous actor Paul Newman. Their union, though fruitful, did not last because of an affair. Their subsequent divorce and Jackie's decision to maintain a life away from the media have led to an interest in her life.

Jackie Witte's profile summary

Full nameJacqueline "Jackie" Emily Witte
GenderFemale
Date of birth15 September 1929
Date of death19 May 1994
Age at death64 years old
Zodiac signVirgo
Place of birthCook County, Illinois, USA
Place of deathNew York City, New York, USA
NationalityAmerican
EthnicityWhite
ReligionChristianity
SexualityStraight
Hair colourBlonde
Eye colourBrown
MotherIrene E. Telgman
FatherFrank Theophilus Witte
Marital statusDivorced
Ex-husbandPaul Newman
ChildrenThree
ProfessionActress, model

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Jackie Witte's biography

Jacqueline "Jackie" Emily Witte was born on 15 September 1929 in Cook County, Illinois, USA. Her parents were Frank Theophilus Witte and Irene E. Telgman. Jackie's father owned a meat market.

Jackie attended Beloit High School in Beloit, Wisconsin, where she graduated in 1947. She was actively involved in the local theatre scene in Beloit.

Was Paul Newman's first wife an actress?

Five facts about Jackie Witte
Top 5 facts about Jackie Witte. Photo: @Celluloid Heroes on Facebook (modified by author)
Source: Original

Jackie was an aspiring actress and a model. However, she was primarily involved in the local theatre scene and never pursued a professional career. After her marriage, Jackie focused on raising her children and forfeited her ambitions of becoming an actress.

According to IMDb, Witte's only acting credit on TV is from a 2022 posthumous self-interview known as The Last Movie Stars.

When did Jackie Witte meet Paul Newman?

Jackie met the American actor in 1949 while on a summer stage work. Jackie was 19, and Paul, a Navy veteran, was 24. They married on 27 December 1949 in Cleveland, Ohio and divorced nine years later on 28 January 1958 in New York City.

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Their union ended because of an extramarital affair. Her former husband, Paul, had begun a romantic relationship with actress Joanne Woodward. The affair was becoming more public, eventually leading Newman to ask Jackie for a divorce.

How many children did Paul Newman have with his first wife, Jackie?

The former couple had three children. They include Scott Newman (1950), Susan Kendall Newman (1953), and Stephanie Newman (1954).

What happened to Paul Newman's son?

Alan Scott Newman, Paul's firstborn, died in 1978, aged 28, of substance abuse in Los Angeles, California. In his posthumous memoir, Paul Newman: The Extraordinary Life of an Ordinary Man, published in 2022, Paul talks about the tragic loss of his first son.

I kept thinking he was going through a phase of adolescent bad judgment. I never thought it would be fatal. Was there some way I might have told him he didn't have to be like me? That he didn't have to do macho things and could just be himself?

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He continues,

Many are the times I have gotten down on my knees and asked for Scott's forgiveness. I ask for forgiveness for that part of me which provided the impetus for his own destruction. What would it have taken to avert that? I'm not certain, but I don't think I could have gone into films and been a movie star. I couldn't have drunk.

Did Jackie Witte ever remarry?

No, there isn't any record showing that she remarried. After the divorce, Jackie led a private life away from the media. Because of her confidential life, details about her dating life post-marriage remain unknown.

What happened to Jackie Witte?

Jackie Witte passed away on 19 May 1994 at the age of 64. According to Find a Grave, she died in New York City, New York, USA. What does Jackie Witte's obituary say about her death? Unfortunately, there isn't any public obituary of her death.

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What caused Paul Newman's death?

Paul reportedly died of lung cancer on 26 September 2008 in Westport, Fairfield County, Connecticut, USA. He was 83 years old at the time of his death.

FAQs

  1. Who was Jackie Witte? She was an American aspiring theatre actress famously known as the first wife of actor Paul Newman.
  2. What happened to Jackie Witte? She died in 1994 at the age of 64.
  3. Who was Newman's first wife? He was married to theatre actress Jackie Witte.
  4. Was Paul Newman's first wife an actress? She was an aspiring actress but only focused on theatre work, which she halted to care for her family.
  5. Are there any Jackie Witte photos? Pictures of the former celebrity wife are online, but only a few exist.
  6. What did Jackie Witte look like? She was tall, blonde and had brown eyes.
  7. Was Paul Newman a smoker? Yes, he was. Paul was once a chain smoker but reportedly quit in 1986.

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The topic of Paul Newman's first wife, Jackie Witte, has generated interest from the public. Jackie was an aspiring actress who married actor Paul Newman in 1949. Their union ended after nine years and resulted in the birth of three children.

Yen.com.gh recently published an informative piece about Thelma Riley. Thelma is a former celebrity spouse who rose to fame after marrying famous musician and media personality Ozzy Osbourne.

Ozzy Osbourne has made a name for himself as one of the best British rockers ever. His success has generated much interest in his personal life, especially his first marriage. What happened to his first wife, Thelma Riley? Find out more in the biography.

Source: YEN.com.gh

Authors:
Chris Ndetei avatar

Chris Ndetei (Lifestyle writer) Christopher Ndetei is a junior reporter writer who joined the Yen team in May 2021. He graduated from the Machakos Technical College in 2009 with a diploma in ICT. Chris has over two years of experience in content creation and more than ten working in the hospitality industry. He covers lifestyle/entertainment, focusing on biographies, life hacks, gaming and guides. In 2023, Christopher finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques. You can reach him at chrisndetei@gmail.com

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