Why Jack?

What's with the calling people Jack in the 30s?
Joseph A Gayek (effects) was called Jack Gayek...
And here are three directors:
John Frederick Hannah was called Jack Hannnah...
James Patton King was called Jack King...
John Kinney was called Jack Kinney...
And I guess there were several others! But why?

Comments

  1. AnonymousFebruary 18, 2007 at 11:39 AM

    There were also Jack (John Morin) Bradbury (animator/comic book artist) and Jack (Carlton) Boyd (effects animator).

    ReplyDelete
  2. ThadFebruary 18, 2007 at 2:20 PM

    Don't forget Jack (John) Mercer.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Nicolas BarbanoFebruary 18, 2007 at 2:55 PM

    And John Eichelbaum became Jack L. Warner! According to Wikipedia, "Jack" was originally a nickname for John and Jacob, and traditionally refers to a sailor, as in "Jack tar", or any other non-specific labourer, as in "lumberjack" and "Jack of all trades".

    ReplyDelete
  4. Boris HiestandFebruary 19, 2007 at 2:06 AM

    John becomes Jack, like Richard becomes Dick, and James becomes Jim, William becomes Bill.. the English have a strange way of abbreviating names.. doesn't make a lot of sense to me!

    groetjes

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hans PerkFebruary 19, 2007 at 2:13 AM

    Ah, Boris - but Dick is SHORT for Richard, Jim is SHORT for James and Bill is SHORT for William. Jack can never be short for John...
    (Groetjes terug!)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Joe CampanaFebruary 21, 2007 at 9:40 AM

    Oh Thad... "Jack" Mercer was actually Winfield Mercer.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Larry TFebruary 21, 2007 at 11:30 AM

    Also WB animator John Carey was consistently referred to as "Jack" Carey.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Jack The RipperFebruary 21, 2007 at 8:56 PM

    Hit the road, Jack!

    ReplyDelete

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