Jimmy Donahue was the second son of James Paul Donahue (1887–1931), the scion of an Irish American family which had made a fortune in the fat rendering business (Retail Butchers' Fat Rendering Company), by his wife Jessie (née Woolworth) Donahue (1886–1971), one of the three daughters of Frank Winfield "F. W." Woolworth,[3] founder of the Woolworth retail chain.[4][5] His older brother was Woolworth Donahue (1913–1972) who brought a cheetah to Cannes following a safari.
Donahue was a high school dropout. He initially attended the Hun School in Princeton, New Jersey, and after his parents were advised to remove him from there, he was shifted to the Choate School in Connecticut. However, he was expelled from that school at age 17. Following his expulsion from Choate he took tap dance lessons with the tap dance master Bill "Bojangles" Robinson.[7] Despite his mother's opposition, he made a brief debut as a dancer in a Broadway musical production that closed ten days after its opening in September 1933.[8]
Draftedit
In 1944, then 29-year-old Donahue was notified in Florida, where he has been flying with the Civil Air Patrol for two years (and carried on the Army Air Force reserve inactive list while flying with CAP), that he had been classified 1-A by his draft board and would be inducted.[8] He fought reporting to New York but the draft board denied his request.[9] Thereafter, he returned to New York where he was sworn into the U.S. Army[10]
Careeredit
Having been born into a wealthy family, Donahue never felt the need to earn a living, and indeed he lived lavishly, travelling the world with a valet in tow and staying at the most expensive hotels.[11] He was known within his circle by the nickname "Jeem".[12]
A playboy by nature, he was a gay man at a time when homosexual acts were illegal. Though press agents arranged for him to be seen with female escorts, his pursuits, until he met Wallis, Duchess of Windsor, were exclusively homosexual. In 1950, he was 35 when befriended by the Duke of Windsor and the Duchess. He claimed he had had a four-year affair with Simpson. This claim was verified by Lady Pamela Hicks, daughter of the Earl Mountbatten of Burma, a cousin of the Duke of Windsor.[13]
^"JESSIE WOOLWORTH A BRIDE.; Daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frank W. Woolworth Married to J.P. Donahue". The New York Times. February 2, 1912. p. 9. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
^ ab"WOOLWORTH HEIR IN 1-A; James P. Donahue, 29, Had Been Flying for CAP for 2 Years". The New York Times. November 3, 1944. p. 23. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
^"J.P. DONAHUE LOSES PLEA; Woolworth Heir Must Report to Draft Board Here". The New York Times. November 10, 1944. p. 36. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
^"WOOLWORTH HEIR DRAFTED; Donahue, Barbara Hutton's Cousin, Is Inducted Into Army". The New York Times. November 11, 1944. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
^"Royal In-Law: Princess Diana Favored "Disco-ing" to Married Life; Charles Has "Blossomed Again" With Camilla". Vanity Fair. September 5, 2013. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
^"James P. Donahue Found Dead Heir to Woolworth Fortune, 51 '30's Playboy Later Turned to Philanthropic Work Offended Mussolini" (PDF). The New York Times. December 8, 1966. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
Further readingedit
Charles Higham. The Duchess of Windsor: The Secret Life. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co. 482 pp 1988: 370–2, 394–5.
james, paul, donahue, june, 1915, december, 1966, heir, woolworth, estate, noted, york, city, socialite, born, 1915, june, 1915greenwich, connecticut, united, statesdieddecember, 1966, 1966, aged, manhattan, york, united, statesoccupationsocialiterelativesf, w. James Paul Donahue Jr June 11 1915 December 6 1966 1 2 was an heir to the Woolworth estate and a noted New York City socialite James Paul Donahue Jr Born 1915 06 11 June 11 1915Greenwich Connecticut United StatesDiedDecember 6 1966 1966 12 06 aged 51 Manhattan New York United StatesOccupationSocialiteRelativesF W Woolworth grandfather Barbara Hutton cousin Contents 1 Early life 1 1 Draft 2 Career 3 References 4 Further reading 5 External linksEarly life editJimmy Donahue was the second son of James Paul Donahue 1887 1931 the scion of an Irish American family which had made a fortune in the fat rendering business Retail Butchers Fat Rendering Company by his wife Jessie nee Woolworth Donahue 1886 1971 one of the three daughters of Frank Winfield F W Woolworth 3 founder of the Woolworth retail chain 4 5 His older brother was Woolworth Donahue 1913 1972 who brought a cheetah to Cannes following a safari Donahue was a nephew of Edna Woolworth 1883 1917 a wealthy socialite 6 and a nephew by marriage of Franklyn Laws Hutton 1877 1940 a co founder of the brokerage firm E F Hutton amp Co He was also the first cousin and confidant of the American socialite Barbara Hutton 1912 1979 Donahue was a high school dropout He initially attended the Hun School in Princeton New Jersey and after his parents were advised to remove him from there he was shifted to the Choate School in Connecticut However he was expelled from that school at age 17 Following his expulsion from Choate he took tap dance lessons with the tap dance master Bill Bojangles Robinson 7 Despite his mother s opposition he made a brief debut as a dancer in a Broadway musical production that closed ten days after its opening in September 1933 8 Draft edit In 1944 then 29 year old Donahue was notified in Florida where he has been flying with the Civil Air Patrol for two years and carried on the Army Air Force reserve inactive list while flying with CAP that he had been classified 1 A by his draft board and would be inducted 8 He fought reporting to New York but the draft board denied his request 9 Thereafter he returned to New York where he was sworn into the U S Army 10 Career editHaving been born into a wealthy family Donahue never felt the need to earn a living and indeed he lived lavishly travelling the world with a valet in tow and staying at the most expensive hotels 11 He was known within his circle by the nickname Jeem 12 A playboy by nature he was a gay man at a time when homosexual acts were illegal Though press agents arranged for him to be seen with female escorts his pursuits until he met Wallis Duchess of Windsor were exclusively homosexual In 1950 he was 35 when befriended by the Duke of Windsor and the Duchess He claimed he had had a four year affair with Simpson This claim was verified by Lady Pamela Hicks daughter of the Earl Mountbatten of Burma a cousin of the Duke of Windsor 13 Donahue died in 1966 at the age of 51 He is buried in the Woolworth Family Mausoleum at Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx New York 14 References edit Jane Bowles Libby Holman Reynolds amp Barbara Hutton 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 Donahue Woolworth Wedding Feb 1 The New York Times January 19 1912 p 11 Retrieved 20 November 2023 Wilson 2001 p 16 JESSIE WOOLWORTH A BRIDE Daughter of Mr and Mrs Frank W Woolworth Married to J P Donahue The New York Times February 2 1912 p 9 Retrieved 20 November 2023 New York Times May 3 1917 Wilson 2001 pp 16 39 51 a b WOOLWORTH HEIR IN 1 A James P Donahue 29 Had Been Flying for CAP for 2 Years The New York Times November 3 1944 p 23 Retrieved 20 November 2023 J P DONAHUE LOSES PLEA Woolworth Heir Must Report to Draft Board Here The New York Times November 10 1944 p 36 Retrieved 20 November 2023 WOOLWORTH HEIR DRAFTED Donahue Barbara Hutton s Cousin Is Inducted Into Army The New York Times November 11 1944 Retrieved 20 November 2023 SGN Page 16 Wilson 2001 Royal In Law Princess Diana Favored Disco ing to Married Life Charles Has Blossomed Again With Camilla Vanity Fair September 5 2013 Retrieved September 10 2019 James P Donahue Found Dead Heir to Woolworth Fortune 51 30 s Playboy Later Turned to Philanthropic Work Offended Mussolini PDF The New York Times December 8 1966 Retrieved September 10 2019 Further reading editCharles Higham The Duchess of Windsor The Secret Life New York McGraw Hill Book Co 482 pp 1988 370 2 394 5 External links editJames Paul Donahue Jr at Find a Grave Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title James Paul Donahue Jr amp oldid 1215522774, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
