Jane Gail

Biography

Born Ethel Magee in Salem, New York, in 1890, the actress who would become Jane Gail first stepped into the spotlight on the 1905 stage. Her transition to the silent screen began in 1912 as an uncredited extra, but by the following year, she had already ascended to leading lady status. She achieved international stardom in 1913 for her portrayal of Dr. Jekyll’s imperiled fiancée in the classic 'Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.' In 1914, her career took her across the Atlantic to England, where she became a fixture of the London Film Company, frequently collaborating with director George Loan Tucker. She returned to the United States in 1916 to grace the Broadway stage. Despite her early success, Gail’s cinematic journey ended at just 30 years old with her final performance in 1920’s 'Bitter Fruit.' The wife of writer Edwin C. Hill, she eventually retired to St. Petersburg, Florida, where she passed away in 1963 at the age of 72.