Adair, Jean (1872–1953)

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Adair, Jean (1872–1953)

Canadian-born stage and screen actress. Name variations: Jennet Adair. Born Violet McNaughton, June 13, 1872, in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; died May 11, 1953, in New York, NY.

Made NY debut as Mary Grayson in It's a Boy (1922); appeared in over 25 plays in such roles as Mertie Ferguson in That Ferguson Family, Mrs. Fisher in The Show Off, Madame Tanqueray in Murder at the Vanities, Demetria Riffle in On Borrowed Time, Cora Swanson in Mornings at Seven, Miss Holyroyd in Bell Book and Candle,; also portrayed Martha Brewster in Arsenic and Old Lace for three years on stage (1941–43) and on film; made film debut in Advice to the Lovelorn (1933).