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About The Artist Jack Thurston was a native of the United Kingdom. His wife was born in Paris, France. By 1922, Jack had become known in the London entertainment field. The couple decided to move to the United States and began their radio careers as "Jack and Jill", possibly in Kansas City. Jack would join forces with a young tenor by the name of Billy O'Connor to form a popular duo during the year of 1930 on WSM's Grand Ole Opry. The "Jack and Jill" program first aired over WSM on Saturday night, March 8, 1930 at 7:00pm. They also did a "special pipe organ frolic from the Loew's Theater at 11pm on Wednesday nights. Their real names were Jack and Jacqueline Thurston. He was a native of the United Kingdom; she a native of France. Both were World War I veterans. A column described them as "clever entertainers." It appears they only appeared in that Saturday time slot once. April to November 1930 — Jack and BillStarting with April 5, 1930 through December 20, 1930, the new duo of Jack (Thurston) and Bill (O'Connor) were a popular act on WSM; not only during the week, but also on the WSM Grand Ole Opry on Saturday nights. Let's see what history shows. On April 5, 1930, a new Saturday night show made its debut, "Jack and Bill's Music Shop." Jack played the piano, Bill (Billy O'Connor) was a tenor. That same night, they made their debut on the Opry at 7:00pm for 15 minutes. This would begin a run of continuous performances through the end of November. Gradually readers would learn more about this new team. They were said to have "perfected a team to sing not only the popular numbers of the day but the so-called hokum songs and old ballads." Readers learned that Jack was a pianist and could also play the pipe organ. He had been heard previously in the British Isles and in the United States prior to coming to Nashville in early 1930. He had started in radio in Tulsa, Oklahoma several years prior. Billy O'Connor was a popular Nashville tenor. They had a show on Monday at 10:00pm; Thursday at 8:00pm; and, Saturday night at 7:00pm. During their Opry stints, they would do "old-time songs." Jack also seemed to have a creative side to him. He had the idea that a girls' trio would be appreciated by the WSM audience. He was rehearsing Christine Lamb, Margaret Rich Ackerman and Jusine Dumm. Their first show was to be Monday, August 4, 1930. They were to do "...late songs of a popular nature." However, review of radio logs for WSM did not seem to show a program for them. Or perhaps they were part of the Jack and Bill show. The "Music Shop" concept came about from an idea of pretending to sell songs on the radio. It was meant to be a farce, the selling part. But the idea clicked with the listening audience. When a listener wanted to hear a tune, a letter could be sent or call the radio station. The song is then "sold" to them over the air "promptly." The music shop show was very popular. Reports they were getting "requests by the hundreds." Jack was described as a "pianist with decided ability" and Bill's "tenor voice is a big drawing card."
  Jack also seemed to have a creative side to him. He had the idea that a girls' trio would be appreciated by the WSM audience. He was rehearsing Christine Lamb, Margaret Rich Ackerman and Jusine Dumm. Their first show was to be Monday, August 4, 1930. They were to do "...late songs of a popular nature." However, review of radio logs for WSM did not seem to show a program for them. Or perhaps they were part of the Jack and Bill show.
 
 
  In December of 1930 was featured in a "Tuning In" column by J. W. West, Jr. in the Nashville Banner newspaper. He had taken on a job as the organist for the new Paramount Theatre. Radio station WLAC aired his first efforts on that organ on a Sunday night program. That effort led to several follow-up programs on WLAC. At the time, WLAC was not operating on a full schedule. But reportedly its plans included an hour long program of pipe-organ selections late at night once it went full-time. Jack had previously played the organ at the Paramount Theatre in Kansas City for two years. He had started learning the organ at a very early age. Reportedly, foot pedal extensions had to be added to an organ so he could play when he was in Louisville.
His military service in World War I apparently left him with some scars / wounds from his experience. In August of 1936, he entered the army hospital where he was scheduled to have "... a bit of shrapnel, that he's been carrying around since the World War, removed. Recovery took a few weeks. Bill Pennell told readers in early September 1936 that Jack was on the road to recovery and was expected to be up and about and "..tickling the WQAM ivories shortly." He ran into some misfortune in early 1937. It seems the Miami auto theft division was busy on March 4, 1937 as three cars were reported stolen. One was the auto belonging to WQAM radio announcer Jack Thurston. The police recovered all three autos and had detained a couple of suspects. A practical joke got Jack some unwanted publicity in 1938. Someone called passing themself off as a 'press association representative' reported to an unnamed news outlet that Jack Thurston, the musical director for WQAM, had been killed. The report was forwarded to WQAM and then to Mrs. Thurston. But she nearly feinted when her husband returned home from an errand in perfect health and spirtist. The article stated that Jack "...would like to meet the man who believes death reports are joke material."
In 1915, she enlisted in the WWAC in England and was deployed in France as an ambulance driver. In one instance while driving a load of wonded out of the Verdun sector under heavy enemy fire, "...she was wounded by high explosive shell fragments in both arms and the shecst, and suffered from gas..." but she did get the ambulance and its wonded to the evacuation station. Because of her heroic act, she was decorated by France with the "Croix de Guerre." After her discharge from the service, she went to St. Bartholomew's hospital; she graduated as a nurse and worked in rehabilitation through 1922. She and Jack were married in London in 1916. It was in 1922 that Jack had gained some prominence in the entertainment field in London. She joined him in 1922 in the staging of the Midnight Follies at the Metropole Hotel. The Duke of Windsor (who was the Prince of Wales at the time) paid her a visit at the Midnight Frolics backstage. When she was introduced, she began to curtsy, but the prince stopped her. He said, "It is not for you to pay homage to me; it is for me to pay homage to talent." In 1926, the couple immigrated to the United States and began to work in radio. They were the original "Jack and Jill." They went to Miami for a year in 1925. Their travels took them to Kansas City, Tulsa and Birmingham before returning to Miami in 1931 where they ultimately settled. She went on a pilgrimage of the Legion to France in 1937. She was the official interpreter for the Harvey W. Seeds drum and bugal corps on its "triumphal championshiop tour of Belgium, France and England." On Saturday morning, December 28, 1940, Jack was in Jackson Memorial Hospital recuperating from serious injuries from an automobile accident. His car was struck by a truck while he was on his way to the "Circle of Friends" broadcast. He had leg and chest injuries. In June of 1942, Jack won a judgment in Circuit Court and was awarded $2,250 from the National Produce Co. of Miami, Inc. He had filed a $75,000 suit. A produce truck of the company had struck Jack's vehicle in the accident previously note. Jack died in a New Orleans hospital in August of 1944. No other details of his demise were reported. His body was returned to Florida for funeral arrangements. Credits & Sources
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In Miami, he was one the air but also continued to perform at theaters. Edgar Hay wrote in his October 28, 1933 review of Wally Vernon's "Grab Bag"
that was being presented at the Paramount Theater in Miami. The show featured the Paramount Sparklettes — 'six really
good-looking and versatile girls.' Benny Rothman and Nellie Roberts were a dance team as part of the revue. Jack Thurston
"...pounds the ivories on a baby grand, set out in front of the band. His one-hand interpretation of "The Rosary" is something
worth hearing.
Mrs. Jack Thursten (spelling is as reported) passed away when she was stricken by a potential case of ptomaine poisoning
while attending the Florida state American Legion convention in Orlando with her husband earlier in May 1942. She was
in an Orlando hospital then moved to a Miami facility on May 10, 1942. She died Saturday morning, May 30, 1942.
She was thought to be Miami's only wonded and decorated female veteran of World War I. News articles at her passing
noted she was born in Paris, France. Her father was Col. Patrick Campbell of Scot's Grays. Her name was
Jacqueline Patricia, but for most of her life, she was known as "Jill", as part of the act "Jack and Jill" that
was a popular radio show. She was educated in private schools in England, Germany and France and was fluent in
several languates.
