There is precious little about humorist Jackson Paine available on the Internet. In fact, there’s nothing at all. Everything that I know about him is on the back of his 1961 LP, “The Explosive Sounds of Jackson Paine: Humor in its Newest Form.”
My dad got this record when he bought a stereo in 1963, a big GE tabletop console. The turntable had an automatic changer that swung down on a hinge, and it included stereo FM, which was quite new at the time. In fact, my father first brought home a GE stereo radio without a record player, but exchanged it. A wise move.
“The Explosive Sounds of Jackson Paine” is one part comedy record, one part sound effects record, and one part stereo demonstration record. I have very fond memories of listening to it when I was a kid, along with the Audio Fidelity Stereo Spectacular record that I featured over a year ago.
I think a lot of the humor holds up pretty well. It’s a real artifact of its time, created by a New York ad man working in the JFK era, as depicted in Mad Men. Each side is about ten minutes long.
Side 1
[audio:https://s3.amazonaws.com/dogratcom/Audio/2011/Jan/JacksonPaine1.mp3|titles=The Explosive Sounds of Jackson Paine: Side 1]
Side 2
[audio:https://s3.amazonaws.com/dogratcom/Audio/2011/Jan/JacksonPaine2.mp3|titles=The Explosive Sounds of Jackson Paine: Side 2]
I was named after my Uncle Jackson. I found this today:
From Billboard Magazine May 29, 1961: “Jackson Paine, a commercial artist by profession, may find himself a wanted comic after this unusual and often funny new album. It’s a combination of short comic situations combined with sound effect for the punch lines of the gags. Even though some of the gags do not hold up the total effect is very chucklesome.”
They gave this album four stars sales potential.
I can relate based on some experiences I’ve had. People are people.
I met Mr. Paine in 1966. I was 15 at the time and he was briefly dating my mother (a divorcee). In fact, we all spent Thanksgiving Day at my aunt and uncle’s apartment in Astoria, Queens. It started off well enough but, unfortunately, ended badly as Jackson and my grandmother did not get along. Needless to say, the last time I saw him was through a taxi window as it was whisking us back to Manhattan with Jackson standing alone in the street. Being a shy, gawky teen, I remember being quite intimidated by his acerbic demeanor. I imagine his family and friends have fonder memories.
Tina – Thanks very much for stopping here to comment, and for confirming the year of your father’s death. I’ll send you Lori’s e-mail address so you follow up about the Loretta Stortz question.
What a great find to stumble across this page! Jackson Paine was my dad. He died in 1978 in a car accident.
It made me smile to see that folks are still enjoying his album. I’d love to hear some stories from anyone who knew him. I don’t know who Loretta Stortz is, but I must hear more about my potentially long lost sibling.
Lori – I’m curious about your question. I assume you have some background information on this?
Is there any way that Jackson Paine had a relationship with Loretta Stortz in New York? Maybe a child resulted from it?
That’s good information Christie! So Jackson left NY for CA, and he didn’t die in the 1960’s. The creative gene is obviously very strong in that family.
Doug, yes he was very young, too young. Jesse always told me about his dad, and how he was an art producer on the film The Producers. He also did some work for ABC tv in the 70’s. For a time, they lived in LA. Piaquoima(sp?) to be more exact. Their neighbor was Herve Villacheze (Tattoo) from Fantasy Island. Lol! You can see Tina’s website at tinalia.com she lives in Hawaii now, she has incredible tribute dolls on her website. She paints the faces, roots the hair, hand makes the outfits. She’s even been featured in art shows. I believe she was a few years younger than Jesse. Talent and creativity definitely runs in Jackson’s children’s blood.
Christie – I’m glad you found my post. Jesse must have been very young when his dad died. How tragic that auto accidents claimed both father and son.
Hi Doug! I googled my old boyfriend Jesse Lee Paine, Jackson’s son, and nothing came up. Then I googled Jackson and this came up. In 1997, Jesse was killed in a car accident. I still have contact with Jackson’s ex wife ( Jesse’s mother ) and his daughter Tina. Jesse used to tell me that the humor on the record was really dated, and he didn’t even have a copy of it, at least since he was a kid. Jesse would have been in his early 40’s had he lived. He was an terrific artist, like his dad. Jackson also painted and illustrated. Just seeing this page, really put a smile on my face. I will relay the page to Tina. 🙂
T. Mike – Thanks! I’m sorry I missed that. I’ll add it to the Netflix queue. Too bad it isn’t on Watch Instantly.
Hey, I think I saw Jackson Paine’s album in the movie Bells Are Ringing (1960), which was on Turner Classic Movie channel this morning. A couple of teens are listening to records and going through a pile on the bed.
Doug, thanks so much for your email–and for posting my comments on here. Michelle,I am so very sorry to hear about Jackson’s passing– at such an early age. Please give my condolences to your dad and his siter. He was a lovely man, and we were close friends during the time I lived in New York, but we lost contact when I went to Europe and met my English husband.
A very interesting coincidence: a very well known reputable medium gave me the name “Jackson” when I attended a public demonstration of mediumship at the College of Psychic Studies in London in the early nineties. At the time I did not connect this name with anyone, but now it makes sense to me. This is yet another wonderful piece of evidence that our spirits are pure energy and cannot be destroyed only transformed !
Michelle, thanks very much for writing. What a shame that your talented uncle was lost at such a young age. Knowing how he died, the auto insurance joke loses some of its humor.
Some of the gags I couldn’t really appreciate until I was older. For example, “Now you’re running for chief of police” really cracks me up.
Jackson Paine was my uncle, but I never knew him. He died in a car accident, I believe in the late sixties. His brother (my father Howard) and his sister Virginia are still living. It’s great to know that people are still listening to Jackson. My dad will be thrilled…
Hi, Julie! Hey, that’s really cool you knew Paine. Hopefully he’s alive and well. This post is at the top of every Net search for Jackson Paine, so it’s quite possible that if he’s going to make an appearance, it will be here.
Paine was a man after my own heart, combining technical proficiency with talents in cartooning and voice acting. He effectively exploited the audio medium in a way that broke with the conventions of old time radio. Somewhat ironically, later in the 60’s The Firesign Theatre returned to OTR for inspiration.
Hi!
I knew Jackson Paine when I lived in New York in the early 60’s and he actually gave me his record himself. I wonder where he is living now, as i’ve lost contact with him–would be interesting to find old friends!