Jan Clayton was a talented actress and singer who starred in the original Broadway production of Carousel and the popular TV series Lassie. She had a successful career, but also faced many personal challenges and tragedies. She died of cancer on August 28, 1983, just two days after her 66th birthday. This article will explore the life and death of Jan Clayton, and how she coped with her losses and struggles.
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Early Life and Career
Jan Clayton was born on August 26, 1917, in Tularosa, New Mexico, as the only child of two schoolteachers. She started singing by age four and showed a natural talent for music. She moved to Los Angeles with her family when she was 12, and attended Hollywood High School. She also studied voice and piano at the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music.
Clayton made her film debut in 1935, and signed a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in the early 1940s. She appeared in several films, but none of them were particularly notable, except for an unbilled role as a singing inmate in The Snake Pit (1948). She also performed on radio and in nightclubs.
Clayton’s breakthrough came in 1945, when she was cast as Julie Jordan in the original Broadway production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s classic musical Carousel. She received rave reviews for her performance, and recorded the original cast album. She also starred in the 1946 Broadway revival of Show Boat, another musical masterpiece by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II. She can be heard on both cast recordings, which are considered among the best versions of these musicals.
Lassie and Fame
In 1954, Clayton became known to TV audiences as Ellen Miller, the mother of Jeff Miller (Tommy Rettig) on the television series Lassie (also known as Jeff’s Collie in syndication reruns). The show was about a loyal collie dog named Lassie, who lived on a farm with her human family and had various adventures. Clayton played the role of a war widow who raised her son with the help of her father-in-law, Gramps (George Cleveland).
Clayton was well-liked by the viewers, who admired her warm and maternal personality. She also had a good rapport with her co-stars, especially Rettig and Cleveland. She occasionally sang on the show, most notably in the episode “The Gypsys”, where she performed the song “Marushka”.
Lassie was a hit show that won several Emmy Awards and became a cultural phenomenon. Clayton enjoyed working on the show, but also felt that it limited her artistic opportunities. She said in a 1976 interview with People magazine: “I took it because I was dying to work.”
Personal Tragedies and Struggles
Clayton’s personal life was not as happy as her professional one. She married three times, and divorced three times. Her first husband was Russell Hayden, an actor who co-starred with her in several films. They had two daughters, Sandra Jane and Robin Lynn. They divorced in 1943.
Her second husband was Robert Lerner, a lawyer and an heir to a women’s clothing chain. They married in 1946, and moved to California. They had two more children, Joseph Robert and Karen Leslie. They divorced in 1958.
Her third husband was George Greeley, a film and television composer who wrote music for Lassie. They married in 1966, but separated after two years.
Clayton suffered a devastating loss in 1956, when her eldest daughter Sandra Jane died in a car accident at age 16. Sandra Jane was driving Clayton’s Cadillac when she ran through a stop sign and crashed into another car. Clayton was heartbroken by her daughter’s death, and turned to alcohol to cope with her grief.
She said in the same interview: “My drinking got worse after my daughter died. Before that, I was a social drinker. But even then, after a few drinks I’d get the sillies, then the cries and finally the meanies.”
Clayton’s drinking problem affected her career and her relationships with her family and friends. She also struggled with depression and anxiety. She tried various treatments, such as psychotherapy and medication, but none of them worked for her.
Recovery and Later Years
Clayton finally found help in 1970, when she joined Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). She attended meetings regularly, and followed the 12-step program of recovery. She also became a counselor for other alcoholics, answering phones at the Alcoholism Council of Greater Los Angeles.
Clayton credited AA for saving her life, and said: “I don’t know where I’d be without AA—probably dead.”
Clayton also resumed her acting career, appearing in several stage productions, such as The Sound of Music, The King and I, and Gypsy. She also guest-starred on various TV shows, such as The Waltons, Barnaby Jones, and Trapper John, M.D.
She also devoted her time to charitable causes, such as animal welfare and environmental protection. She was an active member of the Humane Society of the United States, and supported the preservation of the California redwoods.
Clayton was diagnosed with cancer in 1981, and underwent surgery and chemotherapy. She continued to work and perform until her health deteriorated. She died on August 28, 1983, at her home in West Hollywood, California. She was 66 years old.
She was buried at Fairview Cemetery in Tularosa, New Mexico, next to her parents and her daughter Sandra Jane.
Legacy and Influence
Jan Clayton was a talented and versatile performer who left a lasting impression on the audiences who saw her on stage and screen. She was one of the first stars of Broadway musicals to transition to television, and helped popularize the genre of family drama with Lassie. She also inspired many young actors and singers who admired her voice and her acting skills.
Clayton was also a courageous woman who overcame many challenges and tragedies in her life. She battled alcoholism and depression, and found recovery and peace through AA. She also used her experience to help others who suffered from the same problems. She was a compassionate and generous person who cared for animals and the environment.
Jan Clayton’s life and death are a testament to the human spirit, and the power of art and love to heal and transform. She is remembered as a beloved actress, singer, mother, friend, and role model.
