Jack Ross (b 1892 - 1897 [1]) is a black American jazz musician and singer. Formerly from Chicago, he works at the Lotus jazz club in London.
Series 4
One night, Mary Crawley, Rose MacClare, Rosamund Painswick, Tom Branson, Anthony Foyle, and John Bullock visit the Lotus. After a drunken Bullock leaves Rose on the dance floor to go vomit, Jack immediately leaves the stage and starts dancing with her, saving her from humiliation.
Upon seeing Jack and Rose dancing, her relatives, notably Rosamund, are not happy about this because he is an entertainer and that he is black. Not even Tom shakes Jack's hand. But Rose does not mind at all, and smiles at Jack when she leaves the club.
Rose greets Jack upon his arrival at Downton.
When Jack later comes to Downton Abbey to perform there with his fellow band members (as part of a surprise Rose plans for Robert's birthday), Jack enters through the servants quarters, where Rose greets him. Carson is immediately uneasy at seeing Ross, and inquires if he had ever considered visiting Africa. Ross replies he is no more African than Mr Carson. Ross remarks to the servants that Rose is quite a character.
Lord Grantham and the rest of the family meet Ross and his band members in the hall when Rose presents them. He, Edith, and other members of the family are uneasy about seeing a black man in Downton. Later, Jack is spotted by Mary Crawley kissing Rose. She pretends not to see it, and Jack thanks Mary for their hospitality.
Jack later spends a row-boat outing with Rose, where they kiss again. They also meet one another in Thirsk, where Tom spots them. Rose defends Jack when Mary confronts her, and announces she plans to marry Jack, no matter what her parents or anyone in her family think.
But Jack realizes that a relationship between them will not work, despite that he loves her. So he calls their engagement off. As he explains to Mary when she confronts him about the engagement, he does love her but does not want her to be hurt by other people for being with him.
Appearances
Behind the Scenes
- Jack Ross is based to some extent on Leslie Archer "Hutch" Hutchinson, a famous and notoriously scandalous black jazz singer who had a white female lover.
Notes
- Jack is between the ages of 25 and 30 and he is very handsome, with charm and charisma.[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 First black character appears in Downton Abbey, Gordon Smart, The Sun, 26th February, 2013.
2. http://www.idigitaltimes.com/articles/20424/20131018/watch-downton-abbey-season-4-episode-5.htm