Jean Acker (born Harriet Ackers; October 23, 1892 – August 16, 1978) was an American actress. Best known for her brief marriage to screen idol Rudolph Valentino, Acker's career began in the silent film era and extended into the 1950s.
Early life and career
Jean Acker was born Harriet Ackers on October 23, 1892 in Trenton, New Jersey to Joseph and Margaret Ackers. The 1900 census indicates an 1891 birthdate, and other sources have suggested an 1893 birthdate. However, her burial plot says 1892. Her mother was Irish and her father part Cherokee. They divorced when she was young.
Her father remarried to Eleanor Bruseren in 1906. They had two sons together, both named Joseph. Their first son died at 4 months old in 1907, and their second son was a stillbirth. Eleanor and Joseph divorced in 1912, and he married a third time to Virginia Erb. Her father managed the Casino Bowling Alley and The Ritz Restaurant, and later owned the Boston Shoe Store on Valley Street. He also managed several bowling alleys in the Philadelphia area.
In 1906, the family moved to Lewistown. Growing up on a farm, Ackers became an expert horsewoman. She attended St. Mary's Seminary in Springfield, New Jersey for a time.
In a 1913, Acker remarked, "On Sundays I answer to the name of Miss Jean Acker, and weekdays I'm just Billie." She claimed to have been born in St. Louis to Spanish parent. Acker soon regretted the marriage and reportedly locked Valentino out of their hotel room on their wedding night. Following their separation on their wedding night, Valentino sought a reconciliation and wrote a letter to Acker urging her to return. The couple briefly reunited after meeting at a party the next month and spent one night together on December 5, but Acker left him again the next day. An agreement between their attorneys provided for temporary payments of $50, which Acker later alleged were not maintained. Acker testified that Valentino's fame had altered him, stating, "He deserted me. He was nothing when I married and when he arrived he lost interest in me." Valentino said that a financial settlement was the motive for her action. "Her telegrams and letters were filled with sweetness, but her words were bitter... Work has forced me to go my way, though I have always wished for her happiness." However, Valentino agreed to cover her medical expenses and pay temporary alimony of $175 per month. In 1923, Acker sued Valentino for the legal right to call herself Mrs. Rudolph Valentino.
In the 1977 film Valentino a character loosely based on Acker is played by Carol Kane. In the credits, the character is simply called Starlet.
Relationships
thumb|Acker photographed by [[James Abbe in Photoplay, November 1922]]
Russian actress Alla Nazimova included Acker in what was dubbed the Sewing Circle, a group of actresses forced to conceal the fact that they were lesbian or bisexual. Then, she was in the news over her relationship with Rahmin Bey. In 1930, after she lost her fortune in the 1929 stock market crash, she sued William Delahanty, claiming that he agreed to pay her $18,400 per year if she gave up her film career. The married politician denied that he made such a promise but admitted that he spent thousands of dollars on Acker.
Acker met Chloe Carter (June 21, 1903 – October 28, 1993), a former Ziegfeld Follies girl, who was the first wife of film composer Harry Ruby. Acker remained with Carter for the rest of her life. The couple owned an apartment building together in Beverly Hills.
Death
Acker died of natural causes in 1978 at the age of 85, and is buried next to Carter at the Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California.
Legacy
Although not born in the Central Pennsylvania town of Lewistown, Jean Acker is considered a local celebrity. Her face dominates an outdoor mural titled "Mifflin County Movie History" and is located on Monument Square in Downtown Lewistown. The mural was painted in 2012 by Dwight Kirkland of Blackleaf Studio, Mifflintown, Pennsylvania.
Filmography
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|+ Jean Acker filmography
|-
! scope="col"|Year
! scope="col"|Title
! scope="col" width = 20% class="unsortable" |Role
! scope="col" width = 30% class="unsortable"|Notes
! scope="col" class="unsortable" |
|-
!scope="row"|1913
|The Man Outside
|Helen Lattimore
|Short <br /> Lost film
|align="center"|
|-
!scope="row"|1913
|In a Woman's Power
|Marcelle – the Wife
| Lost film
|align="center"|
|-
!scope="row"|1913
|Bob's Baby
|Bob's Cousin
|Short <br /> Lost film
|align="center"|
|-
!scope="row"|1913
|The Daredevil Mountaineer
|
|Short <br /> Lost film
|align="center"|
|-
!scope="row"|1914
|The $5,000,000 Counterfeiting Plot
|Helen Long
|Dramascope Co. <br /> Lost film
|align="center"|
|-
!scope="row"|1915
|Are You a Mason?
|
|Alternative title: The Joiner<br />Famous Players Film Company <br /> Lost film
|align="center"|
|-
!scope="row"|1919
|Never Say Quit
|Vamp
|Fox Film <br /> Lost film
|align="center"|
|-
!scope="row"|1919
|Checkers
|Pert Barlow
|Fox Film <br /> Lost film
|align="center"|
|-
!scope="row"|1919
|Lombardi, Ltd.
|Daisy
|Metro Pictures
|align="center"|
|-
!scope="row"|1919
|The Blue Bandanna
|Ruth Yancy
|Jesse D. Hampton Productions <br /> Lost film
|align="center"|
|-
!scope="row"|1920
|The Ladder of Lies
|Dora Leroy
|Famous Players–Lasky Corp. <br /> Lost film
|align="center"|
|-
!scope="row"|1920
|An Arabian Knight
|Zorah
|Haworth Pictures Corp. <br /> Lost film
|align="center"|
|-
!scope="row"|1920
|Help Wanted – Male
|Ethel
|Jesse D. Hampton Productions <br /> Lost film
|align="center"|
|-
!scope="row"|1920
|The Round-Up
|Polly Hope
|Famous Players–Lasky Corp.
|align="center"|
|-
!scope="row"|1921
| See My Lawyer
|Betty Gardner
|Christie Film Company <br /> Lost film
|align="center"|
|-
!scope="row"|1921
|Brewster's Millions
|Barbara Drew
|Famous Players–Lasky Corp. <br /> Lost film
|align="center"|
|-
!scope="row"|1921
|Wealth
|Estelle Rolland
|Famous Players–Lasky Corp. <br /> Lost film
|align="center"|
|-
!scope="row"|1921
|The Kiss
|Isabella Chavez
|Universal Pictures <br /> Lost film
|align="center"|
|-
!scope="row"|1922
|Her Own Money
|Ruth Alden
|Famous Players–Lasky Corp. <br /> Lost film
|align="center"|
|-
!scope="row"|1923
|The Woman in Chains
|Felicia Coudret
|Credited as Mrs. Rudolph Valentino<br />Amalgamated Producing Corp.
|align="center"|
|-
!scope="row"|1925
|Braveheart
|Sky-Arrow
|Cinema Corp. of America
|align="center"|
|-
!scope="row"|1926
|The Ace of Cads
|
|Rumored to be cast, but no show<br />Famous Players–Lasky Corp. <br /> Lost film
|align="center"|
|-
!scope="row"|1927
|The Nest
|Belle Madison
|Excellent Pictures Corp.
|align="center"|
|-
!scope="row"|1933
|No Marriage Ties
|Adrienne's Maid
|Listed in pre-production notes only
|align="center"|
|-
!scope="row"|1934
|Miss Fane's Baby Is Stolen
|Friend of Miss Fane
|Uncredited<br />Paramount Pictures
|align="center"|
|-
!scope="row"|1935
|The Lone Wolf Returns
|Unknown
|Billed as Jean Acker Valentino<br />Columbia Pictures
|align="center"|
|-
!scope="row"|1935
|It's in the Air
|
|Rumored to be cast, but no show<br />MGM
|align="center"|
|-
!scope="row"|1936
|San Francisco
|
|Rumored to be cast, but no show<br />MGM
|align="center"|
|-
!scope="row"|1937
|Vogues of 1938
|Extra
|Uncredited
|align="center"|
|-
!scope="row"|1939
|Good Girls Go to Paris
|Bit Part
|Uncredited
|align="center"|
|-
!scope="row"|1940
|My Favorite Wife
|Postponed case witness
|Uncredited<br />RKO Pictures
|align="center"|
|-
!scope="row"|1942
|Obliging Young Lady
|Cousin
|Uncredited<br />RKO Pictures
|align="center"|
|-
!scope="row"|1945
|The Thin Man Goes Home
|Tart
|Uncredited<br />MGM
|align="center"|
|-
!scope="row"|1945
|The Stork Club
|Saleslady
|DeSylva Productions, Inc.
|align="center"|
|-
!scope="row"|1945
|Spellbound
|Matron
|Selznick International Pictures
|align="center"|
|-
!scope="row"|1946
|It's a Wonderful Life
|Townswoman
|Uncredited<br />Liberty Films
|align="center"|
|-
!scope="row"|1947
|The Peril of Pauline
|Switchboard operator
|Uncredited<br />Paramount
|align="center"|
|-
!scope="row"|1948
|Isn't It Romantic?
|Townswoman
|Uncredited<br />Paramount
|align="center"|
|-
!scope="row"|1951
|The Mating Season
|Party guest
|Uncredited<br />Paramount
|align="center"|
|-
!scope="row"|1952
|Something to Live For
|Wife
|Uncredited<br />Paramount
|align="center"|
|-
!scope="row"|1955
|How to Be Very, Very Popular
|Minor Role
|Rumored to be cast, but no show<br />20th Century Fox
|align="center"|
|}