Newsletter Editor: Nancy P.

Asst. Editor: Jenni M.

 

August 1998

Who are we? Well, that should be obvious. We are a group of fans of the very talented actor, John M. Jackson, who currently can be seen each Tuesday evening at 8 p.m. (EST) on CBS, as Admiral A. J. Chegwidden on JAG.

Where are we from? Our club members currently come from at least 18 different states - California, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia and Vermont - in the United States, as well as from Canada, Brazil, and the Netherlands.

Why are we? The fan club began to bring together fans and to try to provide them with up-to-date information on Mr. Jackson - such as current projects, favorite charities, interests, and any other information we can find - as well as to support his career through letter-writing campaigns and other appropriate activities. We are also putting together a Lending Library of JMJ Tapes and looking for merchandise our members might enjoy (we currently have access to SEAL stickers, caps, t-shirts, etc.).

This is the inaugural newsletter, which we will publish at least quarterly - monthly if we have enough news to bring you. Please send your comments and critiques to npratt@ma.ultranet.com so we can make this newsletter what you, our members, would like it to be. Your ideas on things you'd like to see included, things you don't care for, suggestions for regular or special features, etc. will be greatly appreciated. You may also post your comments and suggestions to the Message Board at Felicia's "Unofficial" John M. Jackson Page (see our JMJ Website of the Month feature below for the address).

Attention Creative Writers

Do we have any creative writers in the group? If so, it's time to put on your thinking caps and submit your entry to our NAME THE NEWSLETTER CONTEST! Let's face it: The John M. Jackson Fan Club Newsletter is, well, a bit boring!! As our favorite Admiral would say, "Surely you can do better." Obviously, I can't since I couldn't even manage a creative name for our contest, so let's hear your ideas.

Contest rules are simple: there are no rules just some basic guidelines. Your suggestions must be "clean." You can do a play on his name, initials, JAG character, whatever appeals to your creative side. You can send in as many entries as you can come up with. (Duplicate entries -should there be any - will be credited to the first person to submit the name.) Submit your entries via e-mail to npratt@ma.ultranet.com by August 31. The entries will be published in the September newsletter, and everyone can vote on them. The top vote-getter wins, and the author of the winning title wins a small SEAL Team 3 patch (which JAG fans know is the SEAL Team the Admiral lead in Vietnam).

It couldn't be any easier, so what are you waiting for? Send in your suggestion today!

Trivia Corner

From time to time we'll post interesting tidbits about John M. Jackson or Admiral Chegwidden or post trivia questions about the Admiral. To start off, here's an interesting note on the roles JMJ has played over his career. For those roles that we have either seen or could verify to date, JMJ has played:

• Police Officers - 13 times
• Military men - 5 times
• Doctors - 5 times
• Golfers - 2 times

(From "With Intent to Die" - Season 3)

Meet Our Members:

In this regular feature, we'll get to know each other a little. But first, we'll introduce you to the Fan Club officers:

The Club founder is Felicia K., a 16-year-old fan of JAG and the Backstreet Boys from Mississippi. When she's not on the web or watching JAG, she's listening to the Backstreet Boys. Her favorite "Boy" is AJ (do we see a pattern here?). She says "he's like me because he's crazy like me." JAG is a big part of Felicia's life--in December she's going to try to join the Air Force. She wants to become a JAG officer.

Nancy P. is Club Vice President and Newsletter Editor. She's from Central Mass. and is married with 2 kids (ages 5 and 7), 4 cats and 1 dog. Nancy is a stay-at-home mom who also works part-time out of the house. She says "since I have small children, I don't have a life of my own right now. I spend my time driving from Girl Scouts to soccer practice to swimming lessons to Campfires to riding lessons to gymnastics lessons - well you get the general idea. But it's by choice, and I wouldn't have it any other way."

Assistant Newsletter Editor is Jenni M. from San Diego, California. Jenni also has 2 children (7 and 2). She home-schools her older child and is a former Marine. In addition to contributing to this newsletter, Jenni handles Newsletter Editor chores for the Mac Fan Club. "My one passion, besides writing fanfic, is singing. Not professionally, though," she is quick to add.

Next month you'll get to meet our Club Secretaries, Virginia B. and Sandy B. Each month thereafter, we'd like to print a short bio of one or two members - whatever you'd like to share with us - so we can get to know each other. So please send your short bio piece to jenni@home.com and we'll print them in the order we receive them. Don't be shy - it'll be fun!!

(From "Black Ops" - Season 1)

Coming Up:

In future issues we will:

• bring you more information about Mr. Jackson and his character on JAG, including some education on the real Judge Advocate General's office and Navy SEALs.
• spotlight good Websites on JMJ.
• compile as complete a filmography as we can.
• let you know where you can buy or rent his movies.
• let you know where you can see Mr. Jackson on TV during the coming month.
• introduce you to different Club members.
• shine the spotlight on fanfic authors.
• add anything else you let us know you would like to see. Post your suggestions to the JMJ Message Board on Felicia's website (see left) or e-mail suggestions to npratt@ma.ultranet.com.

Favorite Quote:

"I've never met a SEAL yet who didn't like a good bar fight . . . Sir!" (Admiral Chegwidden to another Admiral in "Impact.")

John M. Jackson is a very talented actor and veteran of stage, film and television work for the past 20 years. His current assignment is Rear Admiral (Upper Half) A. J. (Albert Jethro) Chegwidden, the Judge Advocate General of the United States Navy, on the CBS series JAG, which airs Tuesday nights at 8 p.m. (EST). In future issues of this newsletter, we'll tell you more about Admiral Chegwidden and about the real office of the Judge Advocate General.

But for starters, we'd like to tell you a little bit about John M. Jackson. His television credits include numerous television movies and miniseries. A few examples: "Murder in Texas," "Family of Spies," "Switched at Birth," "Deadly Matrimony," "Adam," "Dead Solid Perfect," "Baby Girl Scott," and "Parent Trap IV: Hawaiian Honeymoon." He also made guest appearances on a variety of series including "Northern Exposure," "Beauty and the Beast," "Probe," Party of Five," and "Sisters." His television credits also encompass a recurring role on another CBS series, "Wiseguy."

In feature films, JMJ has worked with Demi Moore in "A Few Good Men," Steven Seagal in "Glimmer Man," Kevin Costner in "A Perfect World," and Ellyn Burstyn in "The Spitfire Grill." Other film credits include "Local Hero" (1983), "The Legend of Billie Jean" (1985), "The Hitcher" (1986), and "Eve of Destruction" (1991). However, if you want to really see Mr. Jackson in action, you should try to find a copy of "Ginger Ale Afternoon" (1989). He starred as Hank Mickers and appears in practically every scene. Those of us who have had a chance to see it have thoroughly enjoyed it. (This movie is now out of print, but we have a copy in the JMJ Tape Lending Library - more on that in future issues - if you can't find it at your local video store.)

On stage, John M. Jackson has appeared in such plays as "The Deal," "A Voice in the Theatre," "Ringers," "Are You Now or Have You Ever Been," and "Ginger Ale Afternoon" (yes, this is the play on which the movie was based).

John M. Jackson recently celebrated a birthday on June 1. !

(This is an original composition for this newsletter taken from information found on various filmographies on the web as well as promotional materials supplied by JAG Productions.)

JMJ Website of the Month:

This month we invite you all to check out "Felicia's "Unofficial" John M. Jackson Page." Felicia has put together one of the best web pages around on Mr. Jackson. It includes pictures, fanfic, links, JMJ Movie Reviews, and a Message Board. The address for this great site is: http://home.talkcity.com/LetsDoLunchLn/chegwidden_fan/. Go up and check it out - and be sure to sign the Guest Book before you leave!

In future issues, we will spotlight other web pages either dedicated solely or partially to John M. Jackson. If you know of a good site, please submit it to us either through the Message Board at Felicia's site or via e-mail at npratt@ma.ultranet.com.