Jessica Jacobs
{{Short description|Australian actress and singer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2015}}
{{Use Australian English|date=February 2014}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Jessica Jacobs
| image = Jessica Jacobs.jpg
| imagesize =
| caption =
| birth_name = Jessica Madison Jacobs
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1990|11|14}}
| birth_place = Canberra, Australia
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2008|05|10|1990|11|14}}
| death_place = Cheltenham, Victoria, Australia
| resting_place = St. Kilda Cemetery, St. Kilda, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| education = Sandringham College
| occupation = Actress, singer
| known_for = Melanie Atwood on The Saddle Club
| module = {{Infobox musical artist
| embed = yes
| genre = Dance/electronic
| instruments = Vocals, guitar, violin
| years_active = 1999–2008
}}
}}
Jessica Madison Jacobs (14 November 1990 – 10 May 2008) was an Australian actress and singer. She was best known for her role as Melanie Atwood in the second series of The Saddle Club.{{cite news | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2008-05-15/saddle-club-star-killed-in-tragic-accident/2437338 | title=Saddle Club star killed in tragic accident | date=16 May 2008 | publisher=ABC | accessdate=29 March 2019 }}
Biography
Born in Canberra, Australia, Jessica Jacobs was the middle child of Joanna and Brendan Jacobs and the sister of Adam, Seth and Charlie Jacobs.
Jacobs began acting at the age of nine. Jacobs appeared as Marta von Trapp in the Melbourne production of the 1999–2000 Australian stage revival tour of The Sound of Music, taking over from Rachel Marley who had played the role in the opening Sydney production. In addition to The Saddle Club, Jacobs was featured in the television series Fergus McPhail, Worst Best Friends, and Holly's Heroes.{{cite web|author1=Beck Eleven|author2=Lucy Battersby|title=Train accident claims Saddle Club star|url=http://www.smh.com.au/national/train-accident-claims-saddle-club-star-20080515-2eq1.html|website=smh.com.au|accessdate=15 January 2018|date=16 May 2008}} Jacobs replaced Marisa Siketa on The Saddle Club after she left the show to star on Neighbours. Jessica studied ballet and classical violin when she was six years old.{{cite news | url=https://www.theage.com.au/national/forever-young-mourners-farewell-jessica-20080517-ge72zs.html | title=Forever young: mourners farewell Jessica | date=17 May 2008 | first=Lucy | last=Battersby | newspaper=The Age | accessdate=29 March 2019 }} Jacobs eventually learned how to play bass guitar. Until her death she was a member of The Volten Sins.{{cite news | url=https://www.theage.com.au/national/train-kills-teen-saddle-club-actress-20080516-ge72w7.html | title=Train kills teen Saddle Club actress | date=16 May 2008 | newspaper=The Age | accessdate=29 March 2019 }} Jacobs and Janelle Corlass-Brown released a CD Single for their song "Trouble" in 2003.[http://www.sanity.com.au/products/1152620/Trouble Trouble by Ashley & Melanie (Saddle Club) ] Jacobs was in Year 12 at the time of her death. She was six months away from leaving Sandringham College and getting her Victorian Certificate of Education.{{cite news | url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/saddle-club-actress-killed-by-train-20080516-gdsdrx.html | title=Saddle Club actress killed by train | date=16 May 2008 | newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald | author=AAP | accessdate=29 March 2019 }} Jacobs had planned to move in with older brother Adam and attend Victorian College of the Arts to study bass guitar and establish herself as a musician.[http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/more-news/family-slams-star-death-claim/story-e6frf7kx-1111116346793 Local actress Jessica Jacobs in train tragedy ] Jacobs was a Christian (Anglican Church of Australia).{{cite news | url=https://www.news.com.au/news/tearful-goodbye-to-jessica-jacobs/news-story/bdb3cac5c8bb2f2ae22a8178e961951f | title=Tearful goodbye to Jessica Jacobs, forever young | date=14 September 2009 | publisher=news.com.au | first=Terry | last=Brown | accessdate=29 March 2019 }} In the months before her death Jacobs took a break from acting to focus on school and music.{{cite news | url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/teenage-actress-killed-by-train-20080516-gdsdu5.html | title=Teenage actress killed by train | date=16 May 2008 | newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald | author=AAP | accessdate=29 March 2019 }} Jacobs had been working at a local bakery until the day she died. Prior to her death, Jacobs was working on music for series three of The Saddle Club.{{cite news | url=https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/saddle-club-star-killed-by-train/news-story/f3bd53e97bfca8d3bafb68ca280389d5 | title=Saddle Club star Jessica Jacobs killed by train | date=14 May 2008 | newspaper=The Daily Telegraph | accessdate=29 March 2019 }} A year after Jacobs' death, her mother, Joanna Jacobs. founded the Jessica Jacobs School of Drama.{{Cite web |url=http://bayside-leader.whereilive.com.au/news/story/sandringham-school-girl-jessica-jacobs-honoured/ |title=Sandringham school girl Jessica Jacobs honoured |access-date=3 June 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120330213812/http://bayside-leader.whereilive.com.au/news/story/sandringham-school-girl-jessica-jacobs-honoured/ |archive-date=30 March 2012 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}
Death
On 10 May 2008, Jacobs was walking along the platform at Cheltenham railway station, Melbourne, when she tripped and fell onto the tracks and was fatally hit by a train arriving at the platform.{{cite news | url=https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/national/hundreds-mourn-tragic-jessica/news-story/6ccd1580ba7806de1bf4c437dd028ed2 | title=Hundreds mourn tragic Jessica | date=15 May 2008 | first=Anthony | last=Dowsley | newspaper=HeraldSun | via=Adelaide Now/The Advertiser | accessdate=29 March 2019 }} The police took several hours to identify her because Jacobs, who was returning from an overnight stay with a friend, was carrying a fake ID.{{cite news | url=https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/national/family-slams-no-accident-claim/news-story/2b7a637c64ee9d44579cf96644bf1c23 | title=Family slams 'no accident' claim | date=14 May 2008 | newspaper=The Courier Mail | author=AAP | accessdate=29 March 2019 }}
Jacobs was buried in St Kilda Cemetery in St Kilda, Victoria.{{cite news | url=https://www.news.com.au/national/family-slams-star-suicide-claim/news-story/53b0325f4cbcc6da41303c0beac7f6ff | title=Saddle Club star Jessica Jacobs in suicide claim | date=23 October 2009 | publisher=news.com.au | accessdate=29 March 2019 }}
Discography
=The Saddle Club discography=
;Albums
- Fun For Everyone (2002) – #45 Australia
- On Top of the World (2003) – #20 Australia
- Friends Forever (2003) – #38 Australia
- Secrets & Dreams (2004) – #49 Australia
- Hello World – The Best Of The Saddle Club (2004)
- Summer With The Saddle Club (2008)
- The Saddle Club – Greatest Hits (2009)
- Grand Gallop – Hello World (2009) – Released in France only.
=Singles=
- Trouble (2003)
- Princess Veronica Tour EP (2004)
Filmography
| class="wikitable" |
| style="background:#ccc; text-align:center;"
! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes |
| 2002
|Molly |2002–2003 (13 episodes) |
| 2003
|Melanie Atwood |Season 2 |
| 2004
|Jennifer McPhail |26 episodes |
| 2005
|Emily Walsh |25 episodes |
See also
- Juanita Coco, an Australian child singer who was killed in an accident whilst still a teenager
- Charlotte Long, an English child actress who was killed in an accident whilst still a teenager
References
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|nm1375395}}
- [http://myspace.com/thevoltensins The Volten Sins] on MySpace
- {{Find a Grave |26828709}}
- [http://www.facebook.com/Jessica-Jacobs-School-of-Drama-138709181622/ Jessica Jacobs School of Drama]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jacobs, Jessica}}
Category:Accidental deaths in Victoria (state)
Category:Australian child actresses
Category:Australian television actresses
Category:Actresses from Canberra
Category:Actresses from Melbourne
Category:Railway accident deaths in Australia
Category:20th-century Australian women singers