Jennie Mannheimer [right] working as a drama and elocution coach, ca. 1922. Her pupil is silent screen star Vilma Banky.

Etiquette and Elocution

Jennie Mannheimer (1872-1943) grew up in Cincinnati and in 1897 was one of the first women to earn a Bachelor of Hebrew letters from the Hebrew Union College (HUC). Her father, Sigmund, was a distinguished member of the HUC faculty. In addition to teaching elocution at HUC she was the principal of the Cincinnati School of Expression, which taught the creative and performing arts. She assumed the stage name Jenny Manner, under which she traveled across the country running lectures and conducting recitals. After moving to New York she opened the Jenny Manner Studio and coached actors in drama and elocution.