Jane Vivian Kelton (Gans): 1878-1912: Notable Stock Company Actress Who Died Following Surgery

Jane Kelton glamour headshot

Jane "Jenny" Kelton was a popular West Coast stage actress of the early 20th century, best known for her leading roles in the repertory circuits of California, Oregon, Washington and British Columbia. A “stock actress” — meaning a performer who was part of a permanent theater company that presented a rotating schedule of plays — Kelton was celebrated for her versatility and emotional range in major dramatic roles of her era, including Zaza, A Doll’s House, and Sapho.

Jane Kelton Gravestone

Kelton began her theatrical career in California, where she quickly won audiences with her expressive performances and powerful stage presence. She appeared as the leading lady at prominent venues such as Ye Liberty Theatre in Oakland and the Alisky Theatre in Sacramento. In 1905, she performed with distinction in The Light Eternal and appeared in a charity vaudeville production in Berkeley titled The Evolution of an Advertisement, in which she played both a French opera singer and a Geisha girl — showcasing the versatility that would become her hallmark.

Known for her sincerity and grace, Kelton’s portrayals of emotionally demanding characters made her one of the most respected actresses in the West Coast stock circuit. Stock companies, like those she joined, were resident troupes that performed a new play every week or two, relying on a stable of well-rehearsed actors capable of switching rapidly between leading and supporting roles.

Jane Kelton from Lyceum Theater production

In 1909, Kelton made national headlines when she married fellow actor Del Lawrence (Gans), her stage partner and leading man in the Del Lawrence Stock Company. The couple’s romantic partnership had flourished on stage, but their real-life union was overshadowed by legal complications. Just days after their June 13 wedding in Portland, Oregon, it emerged that Kelton’s divorce from her first husband, Arthur Guerin, had not yet received its final decree.

Under California law, a divorce was not final until a specific waiting period had elapsed — meaning that Kelton’s remarriage technically rendered her a bigamist. Newspapers across the Western United States, including The San Francisco Call, covered the scandal in sensational detail, dubbing her a “technical bigamist.” Both Kelton and Lawrence insisted they had relied on mistaken legal advice and acted in good faith. The district attorney declined to prosecute, accepting that the marriage had been entered into “unknowingly and without malice.” Lawrence publicly vowed to remarry Kelton once the decree was official, and the couple continued their theatrical partnership.

Ad for Jane Kelton performance

Following the controversy, the couple continued performing together, moving northward with their company to engagements in Vancouver and other Pacific Coast cities. Kelton’s acting was praised for its emotional depth — especially in French dramas like Sapho, where critics noted her ability to project passion and pathos without artifice.

Tragically, Jane Kelton’s career was cut short when she died in Vancouver, British Columbia, in January 1912. According to reports from the Bakersfield Californian and the Bonners Ferry Herald, she underwent surgery for the removal of a tumor and succumbed to complications a week later. She was remembered as “one of the best known stock actresses on the Pacific Coast.”

Newspaper Death Announcement

Her brother Edward Kelton was also and actor, leading troupe of vaudeville performers. Her mother, Jennie Kelton, often defended her daughter publicly during the press attention surrounding her first marriage. 

Sources: University of Washington - Special Collections; Seattle Star; San Francisco Call; Walla Walla Evening Statesman; Bakersfield Californian; Los Angeles Herald; Salt Lake Telegram; Tacoma Times; Spokane Press; Find a Grave; Ancestry.com