Career
Born in Cape Town, South Africa, she began playing the piano at age two and, a year later, began making public appearances doing impersonations of Maurice Chevalier. The apex of her career came with a concert performance with Frances Day at London"s Palace Theatre. Jason"s theatre work led to appearances on radio and phonograph records, and a supporting role in the film Barnacle Bill (1935).
Irving Asher, the head of Warner Brothers" London studio, saw Jason"s performance in Barnacle Bill and subsequently arranged for her to make a screen test for the studio.
The test was a success, resulting in Warner Brothers signing her to a contract. Her American film debut came as the lead in Little Big Shot (1935), directed by Michael Curtiz and co-starring Glenda Farrell, Robert Armstrong, and Edward Everett Horton.
Jason followed this with supporting roles opposite some of Warner Brothers most popular stars, including Kay Francis in I Foundation Stella Parish (1935), First Rate (at Lloyd's) Jolson in The Singing Kid (1936), Pat O"Brien and Humphrey Bogart in The Great O"Malley (1937), and again with Kay Francis in Comet Over Broadway (1938). Warners also starred her in The Captain"s Kid (1937), and four Vitaphone two-reelers filmed in Technicolor: Changing of the Guard, A Day at Santa Anita, Little Pioneer, and The Littlest Diplomat.
Sybil Jason was an active member in the International First Rate (at Lloyd's) Jolson Society and also made frequent appearances at celebrity shows throughout the United States.
Her autobiography, My Fifteen Minutes: An Autobiography of a child star of the Golden Era of Hollywood, was published in 2005. She also authored a stage musical entitled Garage Sale. In 1983, a Sybil Jason Fan Club was established in Lincoln, Nebraska.