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Joan Davis

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For the cricketer, see Joan Davis (cricketer).
Joan Davis
Davis on I Married Joan (c. 1952/53)
Born
Josephine Davis

(1912-06-29)June 29, 1912
Saint Paul, Minnesota, U.S.
DiedMay 23, 1961(1961-05-23) (aged 48)
Palm Springs, California, U.S.
Resting placeHoly Cross Cemetery, Culver City
Occupation(s)Actress, vaudevillian
Years active1935–1955
Spouse
Si Wills
​
​
(m. 1931; div. 1948)​
ChildrenBeverly Wills

Josephine "Joan" Davis (June 29, 1912 – May 23, 1961) was an American comedic actress whose career spanned vaudeville, film, radio, and television. Remembered best for the 1950s television comedy I Married Joan, Davis had a successful earlier career as a screen actress (notably in the Abbott and Costello comedy Hold That Ghost), and a leading star of 1940s radio comedy.

Born in Saint Paul, Minnesota, she was the only child of LeRoy Davis and Nina Mae (née Sinks) Davis, who were married in St. Paul on November 23, 1910.[1] Davis had been a performer since childhood. She appeared with her husband Si Wills in vaudeville.[2]

Career

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Films

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Davis' first film was a short subject for Educational Pictures titled Way Up Thar (1935), featuring a then-unknown Roy Rogers.[3] Educational's distributor, Twentieth Century-Fox, signed Davis for feature films. Tall and lanky, with a comically flat speaking voice, she became known as one of the few female physical clowns of her time, and developed a reputation for flawless physical comedy.[4] She appeared steadily in Fox features for several years (with Alice Faye, Shirley Temple, Jane Withers, The Ritz Brothers, and Sonja Henie, among others), playing supporting roles in major pictures and larger, featured roles in minor ones.

By the early 1940s Fox was no longer making many comedies, and did not renew her contract. She began freelancing, first at Universal Pictures with Abbott and Costello, then Republic, then RKO with Kay Kyser and then Eddie Cantor.[5] Columbia signed her to star in a pair of musical comedies with Jane Frazee,[6] and she returned to RKO opposite Jack Haley in 1945 and Cantor in 1948.[7] Her last motion picture was the Columbia comedy feature Harem Girl (1952).

Radio

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Swan Soap ad featuring Davis' radio show, 1945

Davis entered radio with an August 28, 1941, appearance on The Rudy Vallee Show and became a regular on that show four months later. Davis then began a series of shows that established her as a top star of radio situation comedy throughout the 1940s. When Vallee left for the Coast Guard in 1943, Davis and Jack Haley became the co-hosts of the show. With a title change to The Sealtest Village Store, Davis was the owner-operator of the store from July 8, 1943, to June 28, 1945 when she left to do Joanie's Tea Room on CBS from September 3, 1945 to June 23, 1947.[8] Sponsored by Lever Brothers on behalf of Swan Soap, the premise had Davis running a tea shop in the little community of Smallville. The supporting cast featured Verna Felton. Harry von Zell was the announcer, and her head writer was Abe Burrows, formerly the head writer (and co-creator) of Duffy's Tavern and eventually a Broadway playwright.

The tea shop setting continued in Joan Davis Time, a CBS Saturday-night series from October 11, 1947, to July 3, 1948. With Lionel Stander as the tea shop manager, the cast included Hans Conried, Mary Jane Croft, Andy Russell, the Choraliers quintet, and John Rarig and his Orchestra. Leave It to Joan ran from July 4 to August 22, 1949, as a summer replacement for Lux Radio Theater and continued from September 9, 1949, to March 3, 1950. She was heard on CBS July 3 through August 28, 1950. She was a frequent and popular performer on Tallulah Bankhead's radio variety show The Big Show (1950–1952).[2] Davis was also a regular on Eddie Cantor's Time to Smile program.[9]

Television

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Davis was the star of the unsold pilot Let's Join Joanie, recorded in 1950. The proposed series was a television adaptation of Leave It to Joan. When I Love Lucy premiered in October 1951 and became a top-rated TV series, sponsors wanted more of the same.[3] I Married Joan premiered in 1952, casting Davis as the manic wife of a mild-mannered community judge (Jim Backus), who got her husband into wacky jams with or without the help of a younger sister, played by her real-life daughter Beverly Wills. Davis was also one of the show's executive producers. I Married Joan did not achieve the ratings success enjoyed by I Love Lucy, but during its first two years, it received moderately successful ratings, even cracking the top 25 for the 1953–1954 season. However, by the start of its third year, not only were the ratings beginning to slip, but Davis began experiencing heart trouble. As a result, the series was canceled in the spring of 1955.[2] I Married Joan experienced greater success in syndication; it was one of the early series to take advantage of that avenue.

After Davis's death in May 1961, I Married Joan was pulled from syndication until litigation over her estate, including her residuals from the show's syndicated reruns, could be settled in court (an issue complicated by the deaths of all of her next of kin in a house fire in 1963).[3]

In 1956, a year after I Married Joan ended its primetime run, Davis was approached by ABC to star in The Joan Davis Show. The premise of this series had Davis playing a musical-comedy entertainer who had raised a daughter on her own. Davis used her real name as the lead character. Veteran actress Hope Summers was cast as Joan's housekeeper, and Wills was signed to play Joan's daughter, also named Beverly. Ray Ferrell was cast as Joan's grandson Stevie. In the pilot, Joan was introduced to her five-year-old grandson for the first time and was trying to convince Beverly, despite her hectic show-business schedule and her somewhat zany personality, that she was a loving and responsible grandmother. The pilot did not sell as a series for ABC. It was forgotten among Davis' television work until many years later when the Museum of Television and Radio in New York discovered the program and added it to its collection.[10]

Death

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On May 23, 1961, Davis died of a heart attack at age 48 at her home in Palm Springs, California.[11][12] She was interred in the Holy Cross Cemetery mausoleum in Culver City, California.[8] On October 24, 1963, Joan Davis' mother (Nina Davis), daughter (Beverly Wills), and two grandchildren were all killed in a house fire in Palm Springs.[11]

Joan Davis has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, one for her contribution to the motion picture industry at 1501 Vine Street and one for radio in the 1700 block of Vine.[13]

Filmography

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes Ref(s)
1935 Way Up Thar Jennie Kirk Mack Sennett Short subject [3]
1935 Millions in the Air Singer [14]
1936 Bunker Bean Mabel, Bunker's Secretary Uncredited [15]
1937 The Holy Terror Lili [16]
1937 On the Avenue Miss Katz – Dibble's Secretary [17]
1937 Time Out for Romance Midge Dooley [18]
1937 The Great Hospital Mystery Flossie Duff Alternative title: Dead Yesterday [19]
1937 Angel's Holiday Strivers [20]
1937 Sing and Be Happy Myrtle [21]
1937 You Can't Have Everything
—
 Uncredited [22]
1937 Wake Up and Live Spanish Dancer [23]
1937 Thin Ice Orchestra Leader Alternative titles: Lovely to Look at
Der Komet 		[24]
1937 Life Begins in College Inez Alternative titles: Life Begins at College
The Joy Parade 		[25]
1937 Love and Hisses Joan [26]
1938 Keep Smiling Self [27]
1938 Sally, Irene and Mary Irene Keene [28]
1938 Josette May Morris [29]
1938 My Lucky Star Mary Dwight [30]
1938 Hold That Co-ed Lizzie Olsen Alternative title: Hold That Girl [4]
1938 Just Around the Corner Kitty [31]
1939 Tail Spin Babe Dugan [32]
1939 Skinny the Moocher The Maid Uncredited [8]
1939 Too Busy to Work Lolly [33]
1939 Day-Time Wife Joyce Applegate [34]
1940 Free, Blonde and 21 Nellie [35]
1940 Sailor's Lady Myrtle [36]
1940 Manhattan Heartbeat Edna Higgins [37]
1941 For Beauty's Sake Dottie Nickerson [38]
1941 Hold That Ghost Camille Brewster Alternative title: Oh, Charlie [39]
1941 Sun Valley Serenade Miss Carstairs [40]
1941 Two Latins from Manhattan Joan Daley [41]
1942 Yokel Boy Molly Malone Alternative title: Hitting the Headlines [42]
1942 Sweetheart of the Fleet Phoebe Weyms [43]
1943 He's My Guy Madge Donovan [44]
1943 Two Señoritas from Chicago Daisy Baker [45]
1943 Around the World Joan Davis [46]
1944 Beautiful But Broke Dottie Duncan [6]
1944 Show Business Joan Mason [5]
1944 Kansas City Kitty Polly Jasper [47]
1945 She Gets her Man Jane "Pilky" Pilkington [48]
1945 George White's Scandals of 1945 Joan Mason [49]
1946 She Wrote the Book Jane Featherstone [50]
1948 If You Knew Susie Susie Parker [7]
1949 Make Mine Laughs [51]
1950 The Traveling Saleswoman Mabel King Producer [52]
1950 Love That Brute Mamie Sage [53]
1950 Let's Join Joanie Unaired CBS pilot [8]
1951 The Groom Wore Spurs Alice Dean [54]
1952 Harem Girl Susie Perkins [55]
1952-1955 I Married Joan Joan Stevens 99 episodes
Producer 		[3]

Award nominations

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Year Award Category
1953 Emmy Awards Best Comedienne

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Joan was born in St. Paul, Minnesota on June 29, 1907. Joan's birth certificate is interesting in that it was altered some 32 years after it was originally filed. It has been stamped with a notation along the bottom edge, reading “Amended by State Registrar pursuant to affidavit filed on _____,” with the date 2-11-44 written by hand. Asterisks indicate three areas of the document that were amended. The birth date, originally recorded as July 4, 1912, was crossed out by hand and changed to June 29. No middle name had been recorded on the original document; “Donna” was written between the first and last names, with a caret to indicate its placement. The spelling of Joan's mother's maiden name also was corrected. The original document was filled out by Rose Labon, who delivered baby Josephine at the family's residence at 275 Bates Avenue."
    Joan Davis: America's Queen of Film, Radio and Television Comedy by David C. Tucker (Biography, pg. 3), McFarland (March 24, 2014), ASIN B00JH2B0ZG, ISBN 978-0786477845/ISBN 0786477849.
  2. ^ a b c Dunning, John (1998). On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-507678-8.
  3. ^ a b c d e Cullen, Frank; Hackman, Florence; McNeilly, Donald (2007). Vaudeville old & new: an encyclopedia of variety performances in America. Psychology Press. pp. 295–298. ISBN 978-0-415-93853-2.
  4. ^ a b "Hold That Co-ed". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  5. ^ a b "Show Business". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  6. ^ a b "Beautiful But Broke". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  7. ^ a b "If You Knew Susie". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  8. ^ a b c d Tucker, David C. (2007). The Women Who Made Television Funny: Ten Stars of 1950s Sitcoms. McFarland. pp. 30, 78–79. ISBN 978-0-7864-8732-5.
  9. ^ Terrace, Vincent (1999). Radio Programs, 1924-1984: A Catalog of More Than 1800 Shows, pg. 335. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0-7864-4513-4.
  10. ^ "Joan Davis Show, The {pilot} (TV)". The Paley Center for Media. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
  11. ^ a b Cullen, Frank; Hackman, Florence; McNeilly, Donald (2007). Vaudeville, Old & New: An Encyclopedia of Variety Performers in America. Routledge. pp. 297–298. ISBN 978-0-415-93853-2.
  12. ^ "Television Comedienne Joan Davis Dies At 53". St. Petersburg Times. UPI. May 24, 1961. Retrieved September 30, 2012.
  13. ^ "Joan Davis". Los Angeles Times Hollywood Star Walk. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
  14. ^ "Millions in the Air". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  15. ^ Tucker, David C. (2014). Joan Davis: America's Queen of Film, Radio and Television Comedy. McFarland. p. 37. ISBN 978-1-4766-1502-8.
  16. ^ "The Unholy Terror". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  17. ^ "On The Avenue". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  18. ^ "Time Out for Romance". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  19. ^ "The Great Hospital Mystery". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  20. ^ "Angel's Holiday". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  21. ^ "Sing and Be Happy". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  22. ^ Monush, Barry (2003). Screen World Presents the Encyclopedia of Hollywood Film Actors: From the silent era to 1965. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 179. ISBN 978-1-55783-551-2.
  23. ^ "Wake Up and Live". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  24. ^ "Thin Ice". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  25. ^ "Life Begins in College". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  26. ^ "Love and Hisses". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  27. ^ "Keep Smiling". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  28. ^ "Sally, Irene and Mary". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  29. ^ "Josette". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  30. ^ "My Lucky Star". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  31. ^ "Just Around the Corner". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  32. ^ "Tail Spin". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  33. ^ "Too Busy to Work". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  34. ^ "Day-Time Wife". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  35. ^ "Free, Blonde and 21". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  36. ^ "Sailor's Lady". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  37. ^ "Manhattan Heartbeat". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  38. ^ "For Beauty's Sake". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  39. ^ "Hold That Ghost". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  40. ^ "Sun Valley Serenade". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  41. ^ "Two Latins from Manhattan". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  42. ^ "Yokel Boy". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  43. ^ "Sweetheart of the Fleet". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  44. ^ "He's My Guy". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  45. ^ "Two Señoritas from Chicago". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  46. ^ "Around the World". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  47. ^ "Kansas City Kitty". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  48. ^ "She Gets her Man". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  49. ^ "George White's Scandals of 1945". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  50. ^ "She Wrote the Book". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  51. ^ "Make Mine Laughs". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  52. ^ "The Traveling Saleswoman". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  53. ^ "Love That Brute". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  54. ^ "The Groom Wore Spurs". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  55. ^ "Harem Girl". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved April 18, 2020.

Further reading

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  • Ohmart, Ben. Hold That Joan – The Life, Laughs & Films of Joan Davis. Albany: BearManor Media, 2007. ISBN 1-59393-046-1
  • Rapp, Philip. The Television Scripts of Philip Rapp. Albany: BearManor Media, 2006. ISBN 1-59393-070-4.
  • Karol, Michael. Sitcom Queens: Divas of the Small Screen. iUniverse, 2006. pp. 22–24. ISBN 0-595-40251-8.
[edit]
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