Jane Sherwood Ace

It appears the person you meant by Jane Sherwood Ace is better known as Jane Ace, radio actress and comedian, whose on-air persona used the name “Jane Sherwood.”

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Jane Sherwood Ace – Life, Career, and Famous Quotes

Jane Ace (née Jane Epstein, also billed as Jane Sherwood) was an American radio actress and comedienne famed for her role in the long-running Easy Aces program, where her clever malaprops and comic timing captured hearts. Explore her life, radio legacy, and memorable lines.

Introduction

Jane Sherwood Ace (often simply Jane Ace) remains a beloved figure in the golden age of radio. As the co-star with her husband Goodman Ace in Easy Aces, she perfected a style of subtle comedy built on unexpected turns of phrase (“Jane-isms”) and a disarming, gentle delivery. Her work helped define domestic comedy on radio, and her playful language has echoed in American vernacular long after the show ended.

Early Life and Family

Jane Ace was born Jane Epstein on October 12, 1897 (some sources give alternate birth years) in Kansas City, Missouri. Jane Sherwood for her radio persona.

She and her future husband, Goodman Ace (born Goodman Aiskowitz), met in high school in Kansas City.

They married in 1922.

Youth, Talents & Early Career

Before radio, Jane had no formal acting experience—her comedic persona on Easy Aces grew from improvisation, intuition, and natural rapport with her husband.

Her distinctive voice, poised and somewhat high-pitched, plus her gift for linguistic mishaps, soon made her more than just co-star: she became a comedic voice of her own in radio households.

Career and Achievements

Easy Aces and Radio Success

The Easy Aces show began in 1930 in Kansas City when a fifteen‐minute slot needed filling. Goodman Ace invited Jane to join him in an impromptu chat, and their banter was well received. That led to the launch of Easy Aces, which eventually went national.

On Easy Aces, Goodman played a harried husband (a real estate salesman), while Jane’s character—“Jane Sherwood”—was the well-meaning but often tangled wife, constantly mangling idioms and injecting offbeat humor.

Jane’s malaprops (called “Jane-isms”) became legendary. Some examples:

• “Time wounds all heels.”

• “I am his awfully-wedded wife.”

• “You could have knocked me down with a fender.”

• “He blew up higher than a hall.”

The show ran through 1945 in its original incarnation.

Later Revivals & Other Work

After Easy Aces, the Aces briefly revived the concept in 1948–49 with mr. ace and JANE.

She and her husband also participated in Radio Monitor and other radio projects in the 1950s.

Eventually, Jane mostly retired from public life.

Personality and Style

Jane Ace’s comic persona was not loud or bombastic; instead, she evoked a gentle, homey style—playing the scatterbrained wife with warmth and a surprising sense of logic behind the illogic.

Her gift lay not in broad slapstick but in subtle wordplay and timing. Her malaprops were carefully crafted (often by Goodman) but delivered with such sincerity that they felt spontaneous and personal.

Her public persona was modest; she did not seek stardom beyond the shared partnership with her husband, but her comic voice left a lasting imprint.

Legacy and Influence

• Jane Ace’s malaprops became part of the American comedic lexicon, influencing later radio and television humor styles.

• Easy Aces is remembered as a pioneering domestic radio comedy—quiet, literate, character-driven rather than gag-driven.

• Although she rarely acted outside Easy Aces, her persona remains celebrated in retrospectives of radio’s golden age.

• The Easy Aces program and its stars (Goodman & Jane) were inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame.

Famous Quotes & Malaprops (Jane-isms)

Here are some of her most enduring lines:

• “Time wounds all heels.”

• “I am his awfully-wedded wife.”

• “You could have knocked me down with a fender.”

• “He blew up higher than a hall.”

• “I look like the wrath of grapes.”

• “I wasn’t under the impersonation you meant me.”

These phrases exemplify her style: mangled idioms with a twist, delivered in a voice of cheerful sincerity.

Lessons from Jane Sherwood Ace

1. Humor in understatement. Jane showed that comedy doesn’t require bombast—subtlety and character consistency can be equally powerful.

2. Voice matters. Her comedic style was inseparable from her delivery: sincere, homey, unforced.

3. Partnership in performance. The chemistry with her husband—and her ability to play off his setups—made the show feel authentic and relational.

4. Inventive language. Her malaprops illustrate how bending language can spark laughter while revealing character.

5. Enduring modesty. She never chased fame beyond her art; yet her work continues to be cherished by radio history enthusiasts.

Conclusion

Though perhaps less known today, Jane Sherwood Ace (Jane Ace) was a foundational comedic voice in American radio. As one half of the Easy Aces team, her quirky language, warm delivery, and partnership with Goodman Ace produced a radio show notable not for flash but for its quiet wit and human charm. Her “Jane-isms” live on in anthologies of humor, and her influence continues to echo in the tradition of domestic comedy.