- Jackie Witte’s was married to actor Paul Newman for nine years and they shared three children
- Her ex-husband was married to Joanne Woodward for five decades until he passed in 2008
- Although she never lived to become a successful actress, her daughter, Susan has been quite successful in the entertainment industry
Jackie Witte gave up her acting career to start a family with actor Paul Newman, but that did not last long as the marriage only lasted for nine years. During the marriage, she and Newman had three children: Scott, Susan, and Stephanie.
While her husband had a successful career as an actor, the same can not be said of her. There was a time she wanted to pursue a career in both acting and modeling but motherhood took a toll on her. She was a full-time mom.
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Who is Jackie Witte?
Born in September 1929, Jackie’s birth name was Jacqueline Emilie Witte. Although not much is known about her background, it has been reported that she was born and raised in Illinois.
Alternatively, Paul Newman was born in Shaker Heights Ohio in 1925 to the family of Theresa Garth and Arthur Sigmund Newman Sr.
Jackie Witte Met Paul Newman at the age of 19
According to reports, Jackie Witte and her ex-husband met when she was just 19 and he was 24. At that time, she was still in college while he was a Navy Veteran. After World War II, they both were living in a small town where they were doing summer stage work together. Later on, the pair moved to Woodstock theatre company where they worked until they got married.
On December 27, 1949, Witte and Newman tied the knot. Despite being madly in love with each other, many people thought Witte was pregnant. Thus their reason for rushing the wedding.
Jackie Witte and Paul Newman Had Three Children During Their Marriage
In 1950, while trying to stabilize in her career, Jackie fell pregnant with their first child Scott. The birth of Scott made Newman give up his career in theatre. Jackie’s family continued to face more challenges especially when her then-father-in-law died. The whole family had to move back to Cleveland in other for Newman to help run the family business.
Jackie had to put her career on hold. But resumed working as a full-time model before she had her second child, Susan in 1953.
However, Jackie was not the only one that had to stop chasing her dreams. Newman also dropped out of Yale University where he was pursuing a Master’s Degree in Theatre.
Shortly afterward, Paul Newman and his first wife welcomed their third child Stephanie in 1954.
Jackie Witte’s Marriage Faced Several Challenges when Paul Newman’s Career Started Thriving
The former couple decided to pursue their dreams after they had their three children. While Paul Newman struggled to become a successful actor, the mother-of-three also tried to seek modeling gigs.
Before Newman started getting minor roles on television and on stage, he worked as a door-to-door encyclopedia salesman. He landed a role in a Broadway play which made him spend more time in Manhattan, far away from his family.
Jackie Witte’s marriage began to shatter as Newman took his acting career more seriously neglecting his role as a husband, father, and business manager. While Witte became a full-time mom, Newman spent more time with his fellow actors. The latter was not just carried away with his newfound fame, but he was also spending more time with a new woman he allegedly fell in love with.
The mother-of-three began to suspend that the father of her children was not only carried away with his job but with another woman called Joanne Woodward. Ironically, at the time Newman’s career skyrocketed the same time the marriage went down the drain. Jackie Witte’s husband of nine years finally opened up to her and told her he wanted a divorce.
Admitting that her husband had fallen in love with another woman was quite tough for the former model. She reportedly tried all she could to save the marriage but the Somebody Up There star was bent on moving with his newfound love.
Paul Newman finally made his relationship with fellow actress Woodward public shortly after he asked for a divorce from Jackie Witte. At first, she didn’t want to sign the divorce papers but after she discovered that Newman’s new woman had taken in, she gave up on the marriage. The divorce was allegedly finalized in 1958.
Take a Look at some Interesting Facts about Paul Newman’s Ex-wife Jackie Witte
1. Her Children were Affected by the Divorce
Following the divorce, Jackie Witte and Paul Newman made new arrangements on how to raise their three children. Also, there are reports that suggest that Newman’s new wife took Jackie’s three children under her care. Although the kids were often with him, the actor was said to be very distant from his children.
Paul Newman was buried in his career as an actor while his children had to shuffle between two homes. Scott, the first child was reportedly overwhelmed by his father’s fame and was known for throwing tantrums as a child. He tried to follow in his father’s footsteps as an actor. However, it was said that he lived in the shadow of his father instead.
2. Jackie Witte’s First Son Scott Died from Drug Overdose
According to reports, Jackie Witte’s son could not keep his job in the entertainment industry due to the fact that he was constantly drunk. He also tried to forge a career in music but that did not work as well.
In November 1978, Scott was found dead in a hotel room in Los Angeles. It was later reported that he died from an accidental drug overdose mixed with alcohol. Several years after he died, his family and friends decided to set up Scott Newman Centre For Drug Abuse Prevention in his honor.
3. Witte’s Daughter Susan Works in the Entertainment Industry
Witte’s two daughters Susan, 71 and Stephanie, 70 are not quite known but it has been reported that Susan is a documentary filmmaker and philanthropist. She also appeared alongside Paul Newman in Slap Shot (1977) and she even earned an Emmy nomination as co-producer of her father’s telefilm The Shadow Box.
4. Jackie Witte’s Ex-husband was Married to Joanne Woodward for Almost 50 Years
Having met Joanne Woodward on the production Picnic on Broadway, Paul Newman tied the knot with the award-winning actress the same year his first marriage ended. Their marriage was blessed with three daughters Elinor, Melissa, and Claire.
Newman and his second wife were regarded as one of Hollywood’s power couples. Their marriage survived for five decades until Newman passed away in 2008. Prior to his death, he was diagnosed with lung cancer and on September 26, 2008, Jackie Witte’s husband died at the age of 83.
5. Where is Jackie Witte Now?
Jackie Witte supposedly disappeared from the spotlight after her marriage with the actor ended. As regards her personal life, it is still unknown if she ever remarried. Nevertheless, there have been speculations that the former actress and model died in 1994 at the age of 64.
Although Jackie Witte never spend all her life with her teenage lover, she might have spent it well with her kids. She was one among quite a number of aspiring actress in Hollywood who lost their husbands/lovers to fame while struggling to raise their children.
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