Dr. John Jay Jaffin (May 30, 1896-April 30, 1964) was “the dentist to Broadway” with a galaxy of famous teeth to care for. His patients were the boldface names of the Jazz Age. Jaffin’s Forty-second Street office was in the heart of the Theatre District and his practice thrived being so close to Broadway. Later he was the first dentist to move into the Empire State Building, when his long-time patient and friend, Governor Al Smith, insisted.
Jaffin was a Lamb for three decades. His 1930s waiting room included many fellow Lambs, and looked like a happy hour at Sardi’s: Among his patients were boxers James J. Corbett and Jack Dempsey, comedian Eddie Cantor, composers Fritz Loewe and Harry Ruby, bandleader Paul Whiteman, showman Billy Rose, as well as Fanny Brice, Mary Eaton, Eddie Foy, Gallagher and Shean, Cary Grant, Gilda Gray, William S. Hart, Bert Lahr, Marilyn Miller, Damon Runyon, and Johnny Weismuller. You might see a beauty such as Noel Francis or Franklin Delano Roosevelt. He treated and vacationed with Victor Herbert. The “Follies” cast all came to see him; Jaffin even married one of the dancers.
He was elected to The Lambs in 1934 and despite being a non-actor, he was cast in Gambol skits and was a good sport to play (and sing) along. He never missed a Gambol or big Lambs trip, whether a “washing” on Long Island or trips to the Shore. Jaffin was also a generous donor to the Percy Williams Home (later merged with the Actors Fund Home). Jaffin quietly donated his skills to treat stagehands, chorus girls, and bit part players who needed dental care and couldn’t afford it.
John Jay Jaffin was born in Jersey City on May 30, 1896, to William Jaffin, a merchandise salesman, and Jennie Cohen. His mother died when he was just five and his younger brother, Ernest, soon after. Young Jaffin went to public schools and graduated from William L. Dickinson High School.
In 1917, right after the U.S. entered World War I, Jaffin applied for the U.S. Army officer corps, but wasn’t called up. He was a student at Columbia, scraping by carrying his classmate’s laundry. Jaffin worked as a freight handler on the city docks, playground coach, and gym teacher to pay for school. Jaffin also had a side hustle: golf pro. “He had never picked up a golf club prior to applying for the position!” his son, William Jaffin, recalled. “Once accepted, he went out and bought a set of golf clubs, unaware that they were left-handed clubs, thus forcing this “golf pro” to learn the game with his non-dominant hand. I always loved that story. He could overcome any adversity that life put in his way.”
Jaffin graduated from Columbia College of Oral and Dental Surgery in 1918. He served as the resident dentist of the New Jersey State Sanitorium for Tuberculosis diseases and later was a lecturer at Union Missionary Training Institute of Brooklyn. Jaffin relocated to Brooklyn and a staff position with the Brooklyn Hospital. His first dental practice was in Brooklyn. A couple of years later he moved to Times Square in the 1920s, to a suite in the Brokaw Building, 1457 Broadway.
To his friends he was “JJJ” and the original “Dr. J.” A natty dresser, his son recalls fondly going with him as a boy to Toth’s Barber Shop for a haircut and a manicure. “Being a dentist, it was of the utmost importance that his fingernails be immaculate when administering to the smiles of a famous clientele, he wrote.”
Journalist Gene Fowler was a close friend and patient of Jaffin. In 1926, on a visit to New York, Marie of Romania, who everyone called the queen, had a bad toothache. Fowler somehow took her to see the dentist who took care of the silent movie stars she loved. Years later, Jaffin related to Fowler one of the great dining-out tales:
Jaffin’s receptionist made an error in scheduling the appointments of two patients, one of whom was the busy Florenz Ziegfeld, Jr., the other a mild-mannered man by the name of George Gerald. Both gentlemen turned up simultaneously at the Jaffin office in Times Square. Ziegfeld merely wanted to have his teeth cleaned so that his smile would be enhanced for the opening of a new edition of the “Follies” that night. The other patient was in the throes of an acute pulpitis, an inflamed tooth. When Jaffin tried to explain to Ziegfeld that the man was in severe pain, and would he mind waiting some 20 minutes for the cleaning job, Ziegfeld looked at Gerald, and said, “I can’t wait. Anyway, this chap doesn’t seem to be as busy as I am.”
Gerald politely but painfully said, “By all means, Mr. Ziegfeld, you go in first.”
In the dental chair Ziegfeld had a twinge of conscience. He confided to Jaffin, “I guess I was sort of rude and selfish, but I have so much to do. That fellow was so polite; I must apologize.”
“Oh, I don’t think that is necessary,” answered the doctor. Neither Ziegfeld nor Jaffin gave much thought to it until one day Ziegfeld telephoned his dentist, “Say do you know who that was that I was so rude to you in your office?”
“Sure,” replied the doctor. “George Gerald.”
“Oh yeah?” replied Ziegfeld. “That may have been the name he gave you, but look in tonight’s paper. That was Gerald Chapman, the notorious murderer!” (Chapman was the first criminal to be dubbed “Public Enemy Number One”).
In 1931 the new Empire State Building was the biggest story in the nation. In charge as showman-salesman was the former governor, and beloved hometown hero, Al Smith. He and his family had been patients of Jaffin’s for many years. He insisted that his dentist move into the building, and chose the 25th Floor office for him, signing lease No. 11 for the office. Luckily for Jaffin, his Broadway clients had no problem walking a little more, to Fifth Avenue.
He seemed to meet and know everyone. “He and the Duke of Windsor became fast friends during a tour of the Empire State Building, learning that each was a fan of physical fitness,” William Jaffin recalled. “In the basement, they both removed their suit jackets and displayed their chin up skills on the overhead water pipes.”
Jaffin was married twice. The raven-haired dancer-singer Fay West was a “Follies” star who visited his office for a toothache. They were married in 1926. The couple lived in suburban New Jersey until they drifted apart and divorced in 1938.
In 1946 Jaffin married actress Addie Merriman, stage name Ann Garland. Their best friends, Tina and Frederick Loewe, were witnesses. Ann had appeared in The Vagabond King. A family story is that Brigadoon was partially composed on the Jaffin home piano in Oldwick, New Jersey, and they were the first to hear the score before it went to Broadway in 1947. As long-time Lambs know, librettist Alan Jay Lerner and composer Frederick Loewe met at The Lambs’ bar, and Loewe left a share of his rights of the Brigadoon royalties to The Lambs Foundation. We still get checks.
The Jaffins had two sons, William and Jonathan. The couple moved to Great Neck and Jaffin filled it with art, books, and signed photos from his famous patients. The family was invited by Loewe to the opening night of My Fair Lady in 1956; William will never forget sitting in the second row so close to Zsa Zsa Gabor.
Dr. John Jay Jaffin died April 30, 1964, in New York of heart disease. He was 68. His memorial service was held at Frank E. Campbell’s, attended by his Brother Lambs. Jaffin is interred in Pinelawn Memorial Park, Farmingdale, Long Island.
In 2021 his oldest son, William, donated to The Lambs a trove of memorabilia and ephemera that his father had saved from 30 years as a Lamb. Included were many signed photos to their favorite dentist.
Researched and written by Club historian Kevin C. Fitzpatrick.