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, a famed Oscar-winning actor and race driver, 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. Find out what happened to their marriage.

Paul Newman and his first wife Jackie Witte
Paul Newman's first wife, Jackie Witte, was an aspiring actress and model. Photo: @PauLeonardNewman, @oldhollywoodcouples (modified by author)
Source: UGC

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Key takeaways

  • Jackie Witte rose to fame as the first wife of actor Paul Newman.
  • Witte and Paul's union reportedly ended because one of them cheated.
  • 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 Emily Witte
GenderFemale
Date of birth15 September 1929
Date of death19 May 1994
Age at death64 years
Zodiac signVirgo
Place of birthCook County, Illinois, USA
Place of deathNew York City, New York, USA
NationalityAmerican
EthnicityWhite
ReligionChristianity
SexualityStraight
Hair colorBlonde
Eye colorBrown
MotherIrene E. Telgman
FatherFrank Theophilus Witte
Marital statusDivorced
Ex-husbandPaul Newman
Children3
ProfessionActress and model

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Who was Newman's first wife?

Paul Leonard Newman's first wife, Jacqueline Emily Witte, was an American actress and model. She was born in Cook County, Illinois, to Frank Theophilus Witte and Irene E. Telgman. Her father owned a meat market.

Is Jackie Witte, Paul Newman's first wife, still alive?

Jackie was born on 15 September 1929 and died on 19 May 1994 at 64.

What was Jackie Witte's cause of death?

Jackie Witte's obituary was never made public and her family had never disclosed the cause of her demise. According to Find a Grave, she died in New York City, New York.

Five facts about Jackie Witte
Facts about Jackie Witte. Photo: @HollywoodAccess1 (modified by author)
Source: Original

On the other hand, her ex-husband, Paul Newman, died of lung cancer on 26 September 2008 in Westport, Connecticut, USA, aged 83.

The press reported in June 2008 that he had been diagnosed with cancer and was receiving treatment at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.

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Following his demise, a private funeral service was held and Newman's body was cremated afterwards. His second wife, Joanne Woodward, inherited his personal belongings, art, and other properties.

Jackie Witte's educational background

Jackie graduated from Beloit High School in Beloit, Wisconsin, in 1947, and began participating in the local theatre scene in Beloit.

Jackie Witte's career life

Jackie was an aspiring actress and model. She was primarily involved in the local theatre scene and never pursued a career on the big screen.

She gained fame because of her relationship with actor Paul Newman. After getting married, Jackie focused on raising their children and forfeited her acting ambitions.

Paul Newman, Joanne Woodwar, and Jackie Witte posing for photos
Paul Newman married actress Joanne Woodward after divorcing his first wife. Photo: @PauLeonardNewman (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Jackie Witte's movies

According to IMDb, her only acting credit on TV is from a 2022 posthumous self-interview known as The Last Movie Stars, which dived into her life with her ex-husband.

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Film director Ethan Hawke also persuaded Jackie Witte's youngest daughter, TV producer Clea Newman, to tell the unfiltered story of her parents for the series to be created.

Additionally, Ethan used audio interviews that the family's friend, screenwriter Stewart Stern, had done with Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward, and their inner circle in the 1980s and 1990s for a planned memoir.

Since those conversations had invaded his privacy, Newman burned the tapes, not knowing that Stern had made transcripts.

To fill in the details, Ethan called in a couple of friends: George Clooney to speak the words of Newman and Laura Linney for Joanne.

What was Jackie Witte's net worth?

While Jackie Witte's net worth remains unconfirmed in the public domain, her ex-husband, Paul Newman, was worth around $80 million at the time of his death in 2008.

Paul Newman, Joanne Woodwar, and Jackie Witte
Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward had three daughters together. Photo: @PauLeonardNewman (modified by author)
Source: UGC

When did Jackie Witte meet Paul Newman?

Jackie was 19 when she met Paul in the summer of 1949 while on a theater stage work. He was 24 and a Navy veteran at the time.

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Paul Newman and Jackie Witte's marriage

The duo wedded on 27 December 1949 in Cleveland, Ohio, and divorced nine years later on 28 January 1958 in New York City. Their union ended when Paul's extramarital affair with actress Joanne Woodward became public.

In The Last Movie Stars, it was disclosed that Newman felt a guilt that hung on for letting Jackie go, even after marrying Woodward in 1958.

Paul Newman's marriage with Joanne Woodward

The father of three fell for Woodward on the set of his Broadway debut/breakthrough play Picnic. Joanne, 22 at the time, was already making a name for herself on the stage after leaving her native Georgia.

Following their 1958 wedding, Woodward became a stepmother to Newman's three children — son Scott and daughters Susan and Stephanie.

Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward
Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward made headlines for their political activism and philanthropy. Photo: @newman.woodward (modified by author)
Source: UGC

The couple also sired three children together. As pressures of marriage and motherhood mounted, she put her career on hold, while Paul's stardom rose to new heights.

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Due to Paul's alcoholism, Woodward once threw him out of their Connecticut home, forcing him to sleep in his car in their driveway until he agreed to stop drinking, except for beer.

As the couple worked on their relationship, Paul began a new career racing cars and his son passed away. In the wake of his son's death, Joanne entered a career renaissance while the actor dived deeper into car racing.

The couple find solace in charitable work through their company Newman's Own. They even made headlines for their political activism and philanthropy.

Joanne has lived in Westport, Connecticut since Newman died in 2008. She retreated from public life following a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease in 2007. Her last publicly appeared in 2013.

How many biological children did Paul Newman have?

He had six biological children: three with his first wife, Jacqueline Witte, and three with his second wife, Joanne Woodward.

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Legendary American actor Paul Newman
Paul Newman's children lived under his veil of success and fame. Photo: @PauLeonardNewman (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Paul Newman's children with Jackie Witte

Like many other celebrities in Hollywood, Newman passed his acting talent and passion for philanthropy to his children. Here are the kids he had with his first wife:

Alan Scott Newman

Their first child, Alan Scott Newman, was born on 23 September 1950, followed by their daughter, Susan Kendall Newman on 21 February 1953.

Alan Scott was an actor, stuntman, and singer. He dropped out of college in the 1960s to pursue a life in the entertainment industry and appeared in films such as The Towering Inferno (1974) and Breakheart Pass (1975).

Susan Kendall Newman

Susan not only worked in films but appeared on and off Broadway in the late 70s. She also appeared in an uncredited role in her father’s film, Slap Shot, and in I Wanna Hold Your Hand (1978) and A Wedding.

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Since walking away from the acting world, Susan has served as the Executive Director of several nonprofit organizations specializing in alcohol and drug abuse prevention, and then in child welfare.

Paul Newman
Paul Newman passed his acting talent and passion for philanthropy to his children. Photo: @PauLeonardNewman (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Stephanie Newman

Jackie and Paul's youngest child, Stephanie Newman, was born in 1954. Though Stephanie, as a child, made a few appearances alongside her father, she has grown up relatively outside of the spotlight.

Did Paul Newman have a son?

Alan Scott Newman was Paul Newman's first child and only son. He died in 1978 at 28 from substance abuse in Los Angeles, California.

Paul talked about losing his son in his 2022 posthumous memoir, Paul Newman: The Extraordinary Life of an Ordinary Man. He said:

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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Newman continued:

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.
Paul Newman and Scott Newman
Jackie Witte and Paul Newman's son, Scott, died from substance abuse in Los Angeles, California. Photo: @nouvellem, @PauLeonardNewman (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Scott was taking painkillers after a motorcycle accident in 1978. and with his tendency to drink, the mixture of pills and alcohol led to his early demise.

The police ruled his death accidental. Newman started the Scott Newman Center for Drug Abuse Prevention in memory of his son.

Paul Newman's children with Joanne Woodward

Joanne and Newman's children not only lived under the veil of success and fame but also learned much about acting and charity from them. They began acting at a young age and transitioned to philanthropy in adulthood. Here are the kids Paul had with Woodward:

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Elinor Teresa Newman

Paul and Woodward had their first child, Elinor Teresa Newman, on 8 April 1959 and named her after their mums.

Elinor worked as a child actor in the 1960s and 1970s under the name Nell Potts. She appeared in The Effect of Gama Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds.

Nell co-founded and ran Newman’s Own Organics – a branch of Newman’s Own — until 2014. She also founded the Nell Newman Foundation in 2010 and has been married to Gary Irving since 2005.

Melissa Steward Newman

After doing several movies both together and apart, Paul and Woodward's second daughter, Melissa Steward Newman, was born on 17 September 1961.

Like her siblings, Melissa dabbled in the acting world, appearing in movies like See How She Runs, Mr. & Mrs. Bridge, and Sometimes A Great Nation.

Paul Newman posing for a photo
Paul Newman's children, except Stephanie, love being in the spotlight. Photo: @PauLeonardNewman (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Melissa Steward married Raphael P. Elkind in 1995. They have two children– sons Peter and Henry – and she reportedly volunteers at a women’s prison in Connecticut.

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Claire Olivia Newman

Joanne and Newman's last daughter, Claire Olivia Newman, was born on 21 April 1965. She is a film production consultant and has long been involved in philanthropy in Westport and beyond.

Did Jackie Witte ever remarry?

There is no record showing Jackie remarried after her divorce from Paul Newman. Because of her confidential life, details about her dating life post-marriage remain unknown.

What happened to Jackie Witte?

She stayed away from the limelight after divorce until her death on 19 May 1994 at the age of 64 years. The public has never known what led to her demise.

Is Jackie Witte on Wikipedia?

Wikipedia has not featured her story but mentioned her briefly in Paul Newman's biography.

Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman
Joanne Woodward has lived in Westport, Connecticut since her husband, Paul Newman, died. Photo: @PauLeonardNewman (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Facts about Jackie Witte

  • She was actively involved in the local theatre in Beloit.
  • She was an animal lover and was particularly fond of dogs.
  • Jackie found joy in being a homemaker.
  • She was a hands-on parent to her children.
  • Pictures of Jackie Witte are scarce online.

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Much has been written and said about Paul Newman's first wife, Jackie Witte, on blogs. Though the aspiring actress and the famed actor were married for only nine years, her name will forever be mentioned wherever people talk about Newman's love life.

Yen.com.gh 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.

Source: YEN.com.gh

Authors:
Chris Ndetei avatar

Chris Ndetei (Lifestyle writer) Christopher Ndetei is a 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 three 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

Cyprine Apindi avatar

Cyprine Apindi (Lifestyle writer) Cyprine Apindi is a content creator and educator with over six years of experience. She holds a Diploma in Mass Communication and a Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from Kenyatta University. Cyprine joined Briefly.co.za in mid-2021, covering multiple topics, including finance, entertainment, sports, and lifestyle. In 2023, she finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques. She received the 2023 Writer of the Year Award. In 2024, she completed the Google News Initiative course. Email: cyprineapindi@gmail.com

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