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The cabaret star who inspired Downton's Royal gigolo and the real life affair with a countess that rocked the establishment
Hot-stepping his way into the hallowed halls of Downton Abbey, the popular ITV drama's newest star Jack Ross made quite the impression when he made his debut on Sunday night's episode.
Audiences had been eagerly awaiting the jazz singer's first appearance, and although Ross looks set to shake up the Crawleys, his antics will likely pale in comparison to those of the real-life musician on who Downton's newest resident is said to be based.
The show's first black character, played by actor Gary Carr, is thought to have been inspired by Leslie 'Hutch' Hutchinson - the Twenties cabaret star who charmed a string of women, and became embroiled in a scandal with Edwina Mountbatten, Countess Mountbatten of Burma.
Newest star: Jazz singer Jack Ross, said to be based on Leslie 'Hutch' Hutchinson made his Downton debut on Sunday night
First impressions: It remains to be seen if Jack Ross, played by actor Gary Carr, makes the same impact on Lady Rose as real-life singer Hutch had on the women of the 1920s
Huge star: Singer Leslie 'Hutch' Hutchinson found fans among the rich and famous including the Prince of Wales and infamously Edwina Mountbatten
As one of the biggest stars in Britain during the 1920s and 30s, Hutch lived the life of an upper-crust aristocrat, enjoying hunting, fishing and trips to Savile Row in his chauffeur-driven Rolls Royce, according to the Daily Telegraph newspaper.
He found fans among the rich and famous, including the then Prince of Wales, later King Edward VIII, and infamously Edwina, the wife of the Prince's cousin Lord Louis Mountbatten, much to the horror of her Royal in-laws.
Downton's creator, Julian Fellowes, may find that some of Hutch's escapades prove a little too much for cosy Sunday evening audiences - and his boasts of having the largest penis in the world may not make their way into the drama's scripts.
Born Leslie Arthur Julien Hutchinson in Grenada in March 1900, Hutch moved to New York as a teenager to study for a degree in medicine, but became sidetracked when he started playing the piano and singing in bars.
Instant attraction: Wealthy Edwina Mountbatten, married to the Prince of Wales' cousin, was introduced to the talented young singer following a performance of his West End show One Dam' Thing
After moving to Paris to further his musical career, in 1927 he found himself in London where he swiftly became a society darling, and was for a time the highest-paid star in the country.
Despite his success, Hutch found that his rise to the top was hindered by the prejudice of British society at the time, and as a black man he was barred from sharing a stage with white women.
His West End show One Dam' Thing, which boasted costumes designed by Coco Chanel, garnered fantastic reviews - despite the fact that Variety magazine would not include his name in them.
Hutch was one of the first stars in Britain to volunteer to entertain the troops at home and abroad during World War II, but he received no formal recognition for his service, and his name would never appear in any Honours list.
When he entertained at lavish Mayfair parties, his fee was large, but he was often obliged to go in by the servants' entrance.
It was during his performances in One Dam' Thing that Hutch first attracted the attentions of his Royal fans, after the Prince of Wales, Lord Mountbatten - and Edwina - were watching from the theatre's boxes on opening night.
Wealthy Edwina, the daughter of King Edward VII's banker Sir Ernest Cassel, was said to be instantly enthralled and at the post-show party she was introduced to the talented young singer, according to biographer Charlotte Breese.
A few nights later Hutch, who was himself married to wife Ella Bird, was said to have sung directly to Edwina when he performed a late-night set at a London nightspot.
Screen icons: Hutch enjoyed affairs with high-profile actresses Tallulah Bankhead, left, and Merle Oberon, right
'He sang directly to Edwina,' Ms Breese said in the Daily Telegraph.
'[She] took off her chiffon scarf and put it round his neck and kissed him while he was playing.'
At the time Hutch was living with society belle Zena Naylor, and had enjoyed affairs with screen sirens Tallulah Bankhead and Merle Oberon, as well as another bright young thing, 'Babe' Plunkett Greene.
The West End's leading matinee idol, Ivor Novello, was also rumoured to have been one of bisexual Hutch's lovers, and in 1930 he made debutante Elizabeth Corbett pregnant.
When the child was black Elizabeth's Guards officer husband was appalled, and the baby given up for adoption.
None of that seemed to deter Edwina however, with one BBC producer Bobby Jay telling Ms Breese: 'I was at a grand party.
'Edwina interrupted Hutch playing the piano. She kissed his neck and led him by the hand behind the closed doors of the dining-room. There was a shriek, and a few minutes later she returned, straightening her clothes.
'Hutch seemed elated, and before he returned to the piano, told me that, with one thrust, he had flashed [propelled] her the length of the dining-room table.'
Edwina was said to have showered Hutch with presents, including a jewelled gold cigarette case, a gold ring with her coat of arms engraved on the inside and a gold and diamond watch.
She was even thought to have commissioned a jewelled sheath for Hutch's penis, which he would show off to his fellow musicians.
Although the affair caught the attention of American gossip columnists, the British press were doing their best to ignore the scandal, even when Hutch took Edwina with him to perform for inmates at Dartmoor prison.
Happier times: Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma married wife Edwina Mountbatten in July 1922
Eventually in 1932, one paper, The People, cracked and launched a thinly-veiled attack on a 'leading hostess' who was been 'caught in compromising circumstances' with a black man.
Many took the article to mean that Edwina was having a relationship with another black singer, Paul Robeson, and the resulting High Court libel case caused a furore when Edwina boldly told how she had never met Robeson - which he confirmed.
Facing the wrath of the King, The People eventually backed down and shelled out damages to charity, with its barrister, Sir Patrick Hastings, forced to make a grovelling apology - 'genuine and deep regrets' - on behalf of the newspaper's owners.
The Mountbattens were invited to lunch at Buckingham Palace the next day in a public show of marital solidarity.
New arrival: Audiences have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of Downton Abbey's new character Jack Ross
Though still a celebrity, without his Royal approval Hutch began to fall from grace. He was dropped from BBC radio shows and found that he could no longer win bookings at many theatres.
He was struggling to make ends meet and when his wife Ella died in 1958 she was buried in an unmarked pauper's grave at a cost of £12.
By that time, he had six children by different mothers, and was to father a seventh at the age of 64.
With his fortune squandered on gambling, he was forced to sell his house in 1967 for £13,037. Of this, £10,000 went to pay off his debts, leaving him just £3,000 out of the millions he had earned.
When, on August 18, 1969, now ' virtually penniless', he died at the Royal Free Hospital, Hampstead, from ' overwhelming pneumonia' at the age of 69, he left a mere £1,949 and no will. Only 42 mourners showed up at his funeral.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...untbatten.html
- Downton character Jack Ross based on singer Leslie 'Hutch' Hutchinson
- Singer Hutch charmed a string of women including Edwina Mountbatten
- Caberet star embroiled in High Court libel scandal over rumoured affair
- Hutch died 'virtually penniless' after losing riches to gambling debts
Hot-stepping his way into the hallowed halls of Downton Abbey, the popular ITV drama's newest star Jack Ross made quite the impression when he made his debut on Sunday night's episode.
Audiences had been eagerly awaiting the jazz singer's first appearance, and although Ross looks set to shake up the Crawleys, his antics will likely pale in comparison to those of the real-life musician on who Downton's newest resident is said to be based.
The show's first black character, played by actor Gary Carr, is thought to have been inspired by Leslie 'Hutch' Hutchinson - the Twenties cabaret star who charmed a string of women, and became embroiled in a scandal with Edwina Mountbatten, Countess Mountbatten of Burma.
Newest star: Jazz singer Jack Ross, said to be based on Leslie 'Hutch' Hutchinson made his Downton debut on Sunday night First impressions: It remains to be seen if Jack Ross, played by actor Gary Carr, makes the same impact on Lady Rose as real-life singer Hutch had on the women of the 1920s Huge star: Singer Leslie 'Hutch' Hutchinson found fans among the rich and famous including the Prince of Wales and infamously Edwina Mountbatten
As one of the biggest stars in Britain during the 1920s and 30s, Hutch lived the life of an upper-crust aristocrat, enjoying hunting, fishing and trips to Savile Row in his chauffeur-driven Rolls Royce, according to the Daily Telegraph newspaper.
He found fans among the rich and famous, including the then Prince of Wales, later King Edward VIII, and infamously Edwina, the wife of the Prince's cousin Lord Louis Mountbatten, much to the horror of her Royal in-laws.
Downton's creator, Julian Fellowes, may find that some of Hutch's escapades prove a little too much for cosy Sunday evening audiences - and his boasts of having the largest penis in the world may not make their way into the drama's scripts.
Born Leslie Arthur Julien Hutchinson in Grenada in March 1900, Hutch moved to New York as a teenager to study for a degree in medicine, but became sidetracked when he started playing the piano and singing in bars.
Instant attraction: Wealthy Edwina Mountbatten, married to the Prince of Wales' cousin, was introduced to the talented young singer following a performance of his West End show One Dam' Thing
After moving to Paris to further his musical career, in 1927 he found himself in London where he swiftly became a society darling, and was for a time the highest-paid star in the country.
Despite his success, Hutch found that his rise to the top was hindered by the prejudice of British society at the time, and as a black man he was barred from sharing a stage with white women.
His West End show One Dam' Thing, which boasted costumes designed by Coco Chanel, garnered fantastic reviews - despite the fact that Variety magazine would not include his name in them.
Hutch was one of the first stars in Britain to volunteer to entertain the troops at home and abroad during World War II, but he received no formal recognition for his service, and his name would never appear in any Honours list.
When he entertained at lavish Mayfair parties, his fee was large, but he was often obliged to go in by the servants' entrance.
It was during his performances in One Dam' Thing that Hutch first attracted the attentions of his Royal fans, after the Prince of Wales, Lord Mountbatten - and Edwina - were watching from the theatre's boxes on opening night.
Wealthy Edwina, the daughter of King Edward VII's banker Sir Ernest Cassel, was said to be instantly enthralled and at the post-show party she was introduced to the talented young singer, according to biographer Charlotte Breese.
A few nights later Hutch, who was himself married to wife Ella Bird, was said to have sung directly to Edwina when he performed a late-night set at a London nightspot.
Screen icons: Hutch enjoyed affairs with high-profile actresses Tallulah Bankhead, left, and Merle Oberon, right
'He sang directly to Edwina,' Ms Breese said in the Daily Telegraph.
'[She] took off her chiffon scarf and put it round his neck and kissed him while he was playing.'
At the time Hutch was living with society belle Zena Naylor, and had enjoyed affairs with screen sirens Tallulah Bankhead and Merle Oberon, as well as another bright young thing, 'Babe' Plunkett Greene.
The West End's leading matinee idol, Ivor Novello, was also rumoured to have been one of bisexual Hutch's lovers, and in 1930 he made debutante Elizabeth Corbett pregnant.
When the child was black Elizabeth's Guards officer husband was appalled, and the baby given up for adoption.
None of that seemed to deter Edwina however, with one BBC producer Bobby Jay telling Ms Breese: 'I was at a grand party.
'Edwina interrupted Hutch playing the piano. She kissed his neck and led him by the hand behind the closed doors of the dining-room. There was a shriek, and a few minutes later she returned, straightening her clothes.
'Hutch seemed elated, and before he returned to the piano, told me that, with one thrust, he had flashed [propelled] her the length of the dining-room table.'
Edwina was said to have showered Hutch with presents, including a jewelled gold cigarette case, a gold ring with her coat of arms engraved on the inside and a gold and diamond watch.
She was even thought to have commissioned a jewelled sheath for Hutch's penis, which he would show off to his fellow musicians.
Although the affair caught the attention of American gossip columnists, the British press were doing their best to ignore the scandal, even when Hutch took Edwina with him to perform for inmates at Dartmoor prison.
Happier times: Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma married wife Edwina Mountbatten in July 1922 Eventually in 1932, one paper, The People, cracked and launched a thinly-veiled attack on a 'leading hostess' who was been 'caught in compromising circumstances' with a black man.
Many took the article to mean that Edwina was having a relationship with another black singer, Paul Robeson, and the resulting High Court libel case caused a furore when Edwina boldly told how she had never met Robeson - which he confirmed.
Facing the wrath of the King, The People eventually backed down and shelled out damages to charity, with its barrister, Sir Patrick Hastings, forced to make a grovelling apology - 'genuine and deep regrets' - on behalf of the newspaper's owners.
The Mountbattens were invited to lunch at Buckingham Palace the next day in a public show of marital solidarity.
New arrival: Audiences have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of Downton Abbey's new character Jack RossThough still a celebrity, without his Royal approval Hutch began to fall from grace. He was dropped from BBC radio shows and found that he could no longer win bookings at many theatres.
He was struggling to make ends meet and when his wife Ella died in 1958 she was buried in an unmarked pauper's grave at a cost of £12.
By that time, he had six children by different mothers, and was to father a seventh at the age of 64.
With his fortune squandered on gambling, he was forced to sell his house in 1967 for £13,037. Of this, £10,000 went to pay off his debts, leaving him just £3,000 out of the millions he had earned.
When, on August 18, 1969, now ' virtually penniless', he died at the Royal Free Hospital, Hampstead, from ' overwhelming pneumonia' at the age of 69, he left a mere £1,949 and no will. Only 42 mourners showed up at his funeral.