James Paul Donahue Jr.
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Jimmy Donahue | |
|---|---|
| Born | James Paul Donahue, Jr. June 11, 1915 |
| Died | December 6, 1966 |
| Education | High school dropout |
| Occupation(s) | Heir; socialite |
| Relatives | F.W. Woolworth |
James Paul Donahue, Jr. (June 11, 1915[1] – December 6, 1966),[2] known professionally as Jimmy Donahue,[3][4] was an heir to the Woolworth estate and a noted New York gay socialite.[5][6]
Early life
Jimmy Donahue was born the second son of James Paul Donahue, an Irish American whose family had made a fortune in the fat rendering business, and Jessie Woolworth Donahue, one of three daughters of Frank Winfield Woolworth, the founder of the Woolworth retail chain.[7]
He was the nephew of Edna Woolworth (1883–1917),[8] and by marriage Franklyn Laws Hutton (1877–1940), a co-founder of the brokerage firm E. F. Hutton & Co..
A high school dropout, who attended the Hun School at Princeton, and Choate[disambiguation needed], from which he was expelled at age 17, Donahue was the first cousin and confidante of Barbara Hutton (1912 – 1979), the American socialite. Following his expulsion from Choate he took tap dance lessons with the tap dance master Bill "Bojangles" Robinson.[9]
Claimed affair with Wallis, Duchess of Windsor
Although openly acknowledged as gay, Donahue claimed he had a four year affair with Wallis, Duchess of Windsor, the wife of the Duke of Windsor, the former King Edward VIII. However, Donahue was notorious for his inventive pranks and rumor-mongering. In those days he was known as "Jeem".[10]
Burial
He is buried in the Woolworth Family Mausoleum at Woodlawn Cemetery in Bronx, New York.[1]
References
- ^ a b Find-a-grave
- ^ http://www.paulbowles.org/photosjanebowles.html
- ^ http://www.paulbowles.org/photosjanebowles.html
- ^ Wilson, Christopher (2001), Dancing with the Devil: The Windsors and Jimmy Donahue, London: St. Martin's Press, pp. 22–45, ISBN 0-312-27204-9
- ^ http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews34_01/page16.cfm
- ^ http://www.zimbio.com/Marlene+Dietrich/articles/10/Cruise+History+1930s+home+movies+aboard+liner (Article is blank)
- ^ Wilson 2001, p. 16
- ^ New York Times, May 3, 1917
- ^ Wilson 2001, pp. 16, 39–51
- ^ Wilson 2001
Further reading
- Charles Higham. The Duchess of Windsor: The Secret Life. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co. 482 pp 1988: 370-2, 394-5.