Jonathan Jack Dunham, born September 10, 1910 and resident of Montreal since 1955 has died. When? I'm not sure but it seems it was a few months ago. That's him on the right alongside the legendary Tex Avery.I met Jack Dunham about three years ago. I intended to write a story about his unusual homeless situation for the Globe and Mail. Ironically, the more interesting the stories Dunham told, the less the paper was interested. They thought that surely the old man - around 95 at the time - could not have done all that he had claimed and nobody else lived long enough to confirm his tales.
Dunham's documents were in storage in Lasalle and he couldn't find the key, so we left it at that. They eventually turned up later.
At the time, the 6'4" Dunham, then confined to a wheelchair, was in that French hospital on Dorchester near Berri with his third wife Dorothy. She had a habit of drinking a 26 ouncer of Chivas every day. The two had been kicked out of their apartment at 1225 St. Mark because it was very dirty. They didn't want to be in the hospital and the hospital sure didn't want them there. Everybody was screaming at everybody. The duo - both originally Americans neither of whom could speak French - kept trying to escape.
They had a drug-addicted son that they hadn't seen since 1977. He was either "dead, gay or lives in France."
Dunham's former neighbour, a friendly guy from BC - whose name I'll plug in here once I find it -found Dunham endlessly fascinating, in fact he loaded up a bunch of vids of Dunham discussing his life on this page.
Dunham was a champion name dropper. One night in California he drank so hard with Humphrey Bogart that he never drank again after that.
Jack became a manager at a fledgling Walt Disney studios in 1932. He learned about animationin Chicago and became an animation instructor. He hung out with the President of Mexico and Nelson Rockefeller as well as Salvador Dali.
In 1964 Jack says he worked on the 34 th floor of Place Ville Marie at a fledling company called Reinic Films, owned by a woman named Sicotte, the wife of Canada's Transport Minister. She was a drug smuggler from Argentina and her associate, Reinic was a count who lost his money in Europe. The duo was money laundering and drug importing and Jack eventually realized that the company was just a shell for her real operations. It all eventually blew up and she was suspected of killing a guy in Toronto. She ended up in Europe with Reinic and it ended badly for them.
Check out the link above for Dunham spinning his own yarns.
Dunham met with Walt Disney every Monday for years. Roy Disney, Walt's brother, was a close friend until Roy died in 1971.
After 1947 went on to make commercials in New York and worked security in a hotel. He was hired in Montreal in 1955 to work for Associated Screen News.
One of his first projects in Montreal involved him working on a commercial for Coke. The people had mistakenly thought it was written Koke. Dunham couldn't persuade them otherwise. It was a fiasco.
Dunham drew the St. Hubert BBQ chicken. They told him he'd have free St. Hubert for life but never took a piece. They're still using the same logo.
Dunham lost a finger in a lawnmower at age five in Bismarck ND. His father Otis was a lumber owner. His property bordered on a piece belong to Roosevelt. Dunham's father knew Buffalo Bill and Teddy Roosevelt.
Jack's days at Disney ended when he had a feud with Cardin Walker who accused Jack of sleeping with his wife.
Jack was the best man at Tex Avery's wedding. Tex got sick with cancer and his wife left him.
In 1964 Jack says he worked on the 34 th floor of Place Ville Marie at a fledling company called Reinic Films, owned by a woman named Sicotte, the wife of Canada's Transport Minister. She was a drug smuggler from Argentina and her associate, Reinic was a count who lost his money in Europe. The duo was money laundering and drug importing and Jack eventually realized that the company was just a shell for her real operations. It all eventually blew up and she was suspected of killing a guy in Toronto. She ended up in Europe with Reinic and it ended badly for them.
Jack documents included a letter from Roy Disney, a $3,000 cheque and letters asking him to return to work for Disney.
Dunham's first wife was Virginia Lucas. She inherited some money and bought a place in Napa Valley.
Jack's second wife was an up and coming starlet. They met at Costello's Bar. Abbott also had a bar in the San Fernando Valley.
Jack's second wife was an up and coming starlet. They met at Costello's Bar. Abbott also had a bar in the San Fernando Valley.
Dunham's third wife Dorothy's parents were both doctors in NY. She once lived with an actor named Tyson Powers. She was wealthy and spoiled as a child. She lived in the Astoria Hotel in her youth.
Dunham probably left some valuables. He had some handpainted acetates, known as shells, from Lady in the Tramp, worth a lot of money.
Great yarn, who cares if it's true?
ReplyDeleteToo bad it wasn't Tyrone Powers...
the Weaver
Fascinating story. But I think by "shells" you meant "cels", as in celluloid films.
ReplyDeleteVery well done Kristian. I didn't know you had this much of Jack's history. The only slight corrections I believe would be:
ReplyDeleteJack's first wife was a devoted Catholic named Mary who left for Napa Valley after her inheritance.
His 2nd wife was Virginia Lucas, the "up and coming starlet" (Rainbow Island 1944) that he met at Costello's bar...but much like Jack's 3rd and final wife Dorothy, Virgina liked the bottle a little too much.
It was architecture that Jack was studying in Chicago before coming to work for Disney at 22 yrs old. It was with his architecture classes that he got a lot of practice drawing.
His first job at Disney in 1932 was working as a production artist,learning what animation was while drawing the in-betweens for Walt's animated shorts and first feature films. His starting pay was $15/week. After working at Disney for 2 years he left and went to work with Walter Lantz and Tex Avery at Universal in 1934. -There is currently a Universal staff photo from 1934 for sale online where all the artists and animators are in it with their names printed in the backdrop behind them. Along with Jack are about 49 others which include Tex Avery, Walter Lantz and a cut-out of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, who later became the famous Mickey Mouse.
At Universal Jack worked as an animator and was credited for a couple films (1936 & 1937 on IMDB.com)
He then came back to Disney in 1938. (verified re: 1938-1947 US Social Security Administration records) where he taught animation for 4 years before becoming a Unit Manager. (title for producer/ production manager position) He met with Walt and Roy Disney at least once a week overseeing the production of many short films and features. It was with this management position that Jack represented Walt and the Disney company in Mexico, taking a crew down and handling the production details for Saludos Amigos and The Three Caballeros during WW2. (see youtube video:)
These films were filmed under the auspices of the Inter-American Affairs Dept of the US Government. (stated in the film's beginning credits) This department was headed by Nelson Rockefeller and was to help build rapport between the US and Mexico (and South America) which Jack soon learned was being occupied by the Germans during the war. (Re: Jack's video on Saludos Amigos on YouTube)
Re: Salvador Dali, Dali was in Jack's unit when hired for creativity sometime in the 1940s. (saw clips on some of these Disney Dali collaborated films on Youtube. Pretty neat to see Dali's style of work animated like that.
There is a short video of Jack discussing a memory of he and Dali on Youtube as well) Thanks for reading and more of Jack's videos coming soon.
A friend emailed me about your piece on Jack. When I started my animation company, Disada Productions, in 1971 Jack was my first employee. We did films together in between fine times when he would talk about the old days and I'd make notes. Those were good years and he could still animate well as his work and drawings show. I've proposed writing about him but as your writer says, no one wanted to hear about him. A lot of what was written here is correct, and there is lots, lots more of course.
ReplyDeletePeter Adamakos, President, Disada Productions.
Boy what can I say I had the privilege of knowing Jack back in 2005 when he would come by my father's bistro in Montreal. He was such a charming and fascinating man who's mind was so full of stories with people that I only saw on the silver screen. They were so accurate that one would have to be a complete tool to not believe it. I hope some one documented these stories and it could have been me but I was going through my own shit during that time. I left for Australia a few years back and I got Jack's blessing. I hope he's doing what he knows best where ever he is.( probably being a lifeguard at some beach lol)
ReplyDeleteDorothy lives in the nursing home I work now. She is trying to find her son: Courtney and Grandson Yvan. If any of you have any information, about there where abouts, I will relate it to her. Thank you on her behafl!
ReplyDeleteRalf_hawkins@hotmail.com
I wish I could of met my grandparents before their passing, I found out a week after Dorthy my grand mother passed away. Thank you for this article. Apart from my grandfather's work with disney it's one of the only and more personal things I have to remember them by.
ReplyDelete