When people think of Hollywood legends, the name Paul Newman often comes to mind. He was famous for his bright blue eyes, his amazing movies, and his famous salad dressing. He was also famous for his very long marriage to the actress Joanne Woodward. However, many people do not know that Joanne was not his first love. Before he became a worldwide superstar, Paul Newman was married to a woman named Jackie Witte.
Who was she? Why do we know so little about her? For a long time, the story of Jackie Witte was hidden in the shadow of her ex-husband’s fame. She was a beautiful aspiring actress, a mother of three children, and the woman who supported Paul Newman when he was a nobody. This article will tell you the full story of Jackie Witte, from her early dreams to her quiet life after Hollywood.
Quick Bio of Jackie Witte
| Feature | Detail |
| Full Name | Jacqueline Emily Witte |
| Date of Birth | September 15, 1929 |
| Place of Birth | Illinois, USA |
| Date of Death | May 19, 1994 |
| Age at Death | 64 Years Old |
| Place of Death | California, USA |
| First Spouse | Paul Newman (m. 1949–1958) |
| Second Spouse | Richard McDonald |
| Children | Scott, Susan, and Stephanie Newman |
| College | Lawrence College (Wisconsin) |
| Profession | Actress, Model |
| Known For | Being Paul Newman’s first wife |
| Nationality | American |
The Early Life of Jackie Witte
Jackie Witte was born as Jacqueline Emily Witte on September 15, 1929. She was born in the United States, and like many young people in the 1940s, she had big dreams. She was a tall, blonde woman with dark eyes, and she wanted to be a stage actress.
After World War II ended, many young men came back home looking for a new life. One of those men was Paul Newman. In 1949, a 24-year-old Paul Newman joined a summer theater company in Williams Bay, Wisconsin, called the Woodstock Players. This is where he met Jackie Witte.
At that time, Jackie Witte was only 19 years old. She was still in college, attending Lawrence College in Appleton, Wisconsin. Friends from that time said she was very beautiful and had a lot of energy. Paul Newman was not famous yet. He was just a Navy veteran trying to figure out his future. When they met, the attraction was instant. They were the two most beautiful people in the town, and they fell in love very quickly.
A Fast Marriage and a Move to New York
The romance between Jackie Witte and Paul Newman moved at lightning speed. They met in the summer, and by winter, they were married. The wedding took place on December 27, 1949. It was a small event. They did not have much money, but they had a lot of hope for the future.
Soon after getting married, Jackie Witte found out she was pregnant. This changed their plans. Paul Newman realized he needed to get serious about his career to support his new family. However, life was not easy for the young couple. To make ends meet, Paul Newman had to drop out of the Yale School of Drama because he could not afford it.
The couple moved to New York City, hoping to find acting work. In the 1950s, New York was the center of the theater world. But success did not happen overnight. Jackie Witte had to put her own acting dreams on the shelf. Instead of auditioning for plays, she spent her time caring for their baby and their home. She worked as a model sometimes to bring in extra money. She was the primary supporter of the family while Paul Newman ran around the city looking for roles.
The Children of Jackie Witte
During their nine-year marriage, Jackie Witte and Paul Newman had three children. These children were the center of Jackie’s world.
Their first child was a son named Scott Newman, born in 1950. He was a beautiful boy who looked a lot like his father. Later in the article, we will discuss the sad story of Scott Newman, which greatly affected Jackie Witte.
Their second child was a daughter named Susan Kendall Newman, born in 1953. Susan grew up to be a filmmaker and a philanthropist, helping others just like her father did.
Their third child was Stephanie Newman, born in 1954. Stephanie has always been very private. Unlike her siblings or her father, she has stayed completely away from cameras and the news.
For a few years, they looked like a perfect, normal family. Jackie Witte was the mother holding everything together while Paul Newman started to get small parts in television shows and plays.
The Beginning of the End
The trouble for Jackie Witte began when Paul Newman finally got his big break. In 1953, he was cast in a Broadway play called Picnic. This was a huge moment for his career, but it was a disaster for his marriage.
In the cast of Picnic, there was a young understudy named Joanne Woodward. She was talented, smart, and shared Paul Newman‘s deep passion for acting. While Jackie Witte was at home taking care of three small children, Paul Newman was spending every night at the theater with Joanne Woodward.
Rumors started to fly. Jackie Witte eventually realized that her husband was falling in love with someone else. It was a heartbreaking situation. She had supported him when he was poor, but now that he was becoming successful, he was drifting away.
For a long time, Jackie Witte refused to get a divorce. She believed in her marriage vows. She also wanted her children to grow up with their father. Because she would not sign the papers, Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward could not get married. This difficult situation lasted for several years.
The Divorce and Heartbreak
By 1957, the marriage was completely broken. Paul Newman was becoming a movie star, and his relationship with Joanne Woodward was an open secret in Hollywood. Jackie Witte could no longer deny the truth.
The final push happened when Paul Newman admitted that he was leaving for good. In 1958, Jackie Witte finally agreed to the divorce. It was a very painful time for her. The divorce was granted in Mexico, which was a common way for people to get a quick divorce in those days.
Less than one week after the divorce from Jackie Witte was final, Paul Newman married Joanne Woodward in Las Vegas. For Jackie Witte, seeing her ex-husband remarry so quickly must have been incredibly difficult. She was left to raise three children as a single mother, while the world celebrated the new “golden couple” of Hollywood.
Did Jackie Witte Ever Remarry?
After the divorce, many people wondered about the Jackie Witte now status. Did she sit at home and cry? Did she try to become famous? The answer is that she chose a quiet and private life.
People often ask, “Did Jackie Witte ever remarry?” The answer is yes. She did not stay single forever. She eventually met a man named Richard McDonald. They got married, and she changed her name to Jackie McDonald.
She moved away from the crazy lifestyle of Hollywood. She wanted to give her children, Scott, Susan, and Stephanie, a normal life away from the paparazzi. She lived quietly in California and rarely spoke to the press. She did not give interviews about Paul Newman. She kept her dignity and focused on her own life.
The Tragedy of Scott Newman
One of the hardest things Jackie Witte ever had to face was the death of her only son. Scott Newman had a very hard time growing up. It was difficult for him to be the son of the most famous man in the world. He tried to be an actor like his father, but people always compared them.
Scott Newman struggled with drug and alcohol addiction for many years. Both Jackie Witte and Paul Newman tried to help him, but the addiction was too strong.
Sadly, in November 1978, Scott Newman died from an accidental drug overdose. He was only 28 years old. This tragedy broke Jackie Witte‘s heart. No mother should ever have to bury her child. This event also changed Paul Newman forever, leading him to start the Scott Newman Center to help others fight drug abuse. For Jackie Witte, the grief was private, but it was surely the most painful moment of her life.
Jackie Witte Obituary and Confusion About Her Death
There is a lot of confusion on the internet today about when Jackie Witte died. If you search online, you might see keywords like “obituary jackie witte 2017” or “obituary today jackie witte 2017.” This information is often incorrect or refers to a different person with the same name.
Is Jackie Witte Paul Newman’s first wife still alive? The answer is no.
The real Jackie Witte died many years ago. She passed away on May 19, 1994. She was 64 years old at the time of her death.
This means she died long before Paul Newman, who passed away in 2008. The confusion with 2017 likely comes from search engines mixing up different records. It is important to know the correct history. The Jackie Witte obituary from 1994 was not front-page news because she had lived such a private life for 35 years.
Jackie Witte Cause of Death
Because she was a private citizen and not a movie star, the specific Jackie Witte cause of death was not widely publicized in major newspapers. Unlike her famous ex-husband, whose cancer battle was public knowledge, Jackie Witte kept her health matters private.
We know that she died in California. Friends and family knew her as a kind and strong woman who had overcome a lot of emotional pain in her life. While the public searches for “jackie witte death” details, her family has kept those final moments personal, which is what she would have wanted.
Jackie Witte Net Worth
Another common question is about Jackie Witte net worth. People assume that because she was married to Paul Newman, she must have been very rich.
However, we must remember the timing. Jackie Witte and Paul Newman divorced in 1958. At that time, Paul Newman was a rising star, but he was not yet the millionaire business mogul he became later. He had not yet started his food company, Newman’s Own.
Therefore, the divorce settlement was likely enough to help her raise the children comfortably, but it was not a massive fortune. She lived a middle-class life. She was not poor, but she did not live in a mansion like a movie star. Her wealth was in her family and her resilience, not in millions of dollars.
Examining the Search Trends
It is interesting to see what people search for regarding Jackie Witte. Terms like “jackie witte wikipedia” and “pictures of jackie witte” are very popular. This shows that even though she died in 1994, people are still curious about her. They want to see the face of the woman who first captured Paul Newman‘s heart.
You might also see searches for “scott newman jackie witte obituary” or “jackie witte newman obituary.” These searches show that people link her identity forever with her son and her ex-husband. Even though she remarried and became Jackie McDonald, history will always remember her as Jackie Witte, the first Mrs. Newman.
There are very few pictures of Jackie Witte available online compared to Joanne Woodward. The photos that do exist show a striking woman with a bright smile. In the early photos of her and Paul, they look very happy. These images are a sad reminder of a love story that started with hope but ended in pain.
Her Legacy
Why does Jackie Witte matter today? She matters because she is a reminder of the reality behind the Hollywood fairy tale. We often look at celebrity couples and think their lives are perfect. But behind the scenes, there are real people with real feelings.
Jackie Witte was a woman who gave up her dreams for her husband. She raised three children mostly on her own. She survived a very public divorce and the death of her son. She did all of this with dignity. She never wrote a “tell-all” book to say bad things about Paul Newman. She never went on TV to complain. She simply moved on and lived her life.
In the story of Paul Newman, Jackie Witte is the unsung hero. She was the foundation of his early life. Without her support in those early struggling years in New York, Paul Newman might never have become the star we know.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was Jackie Witte?
Jackie Witte was an aspiring actress and the first wife of Hollywood legend Paul Newman. They were married from 1949 to 1958. - Is Jackie Witte still alive?
No, she is not. Jackie Witte died on May 19, 1994, at the age of 64. - Did Jackie Witte ever remarry after divorcing Paul Newman?
Yes, she eventually remarried a man named Richard McDonald and lived a private life away from Hollywood. - How many children did Jackie Witte and Paul Newman have?
They had three children together: Scott Newman, Susan Kendall Newman, and Stephanie Newman. - What was the cause of Jackie Witte’s death?
Her specific cause of death was never publicly released because she was a private citizen, but she passed away in California.
Conclusion
Jackie Witte was more than just a footnote in Paul Newman‘s biography. She was a talented woman, a dedicated mother, and a survivor. From her early days with the Woodstock Players to her quiet years as Jackie McDonald, she lived a life full of highs and lows.
While the internet might be confused with searches like “obituary jackie witte 2017,” we know the truth. Jackie Witte died in 1994, leaving behind a legacy of strength. She is the mother of Susan, Stephanie, and the late Scott Newman.
If you look for pictures of Jackie Witte, look past the old black-and-white grain. Look at the woman who loved a legend before he was a legend, and who had the strength to let him go. Jackie Witte deserves to be remembered not just as Paul Newman‘s first wife, but as a remarkable woman in her own right.
Curious for more? Dive deeper on our site now! News Well
