Joanne Dru (born Joan Letitia LaCock;Known as Joan Lacock in th
1930 United States census
/ref> January 31, 1922 – September 10, 1996) was an American film and television actress, known for such films as '' Red River'', ''

She Wore a Yellow Ribbon ''She Wore a Yellow Ribbon'' is a 1949 American Technicolor Western film directed by John Ford and starring John Wayne. It is the second film in Ford's "Cavalry Trilogy", along with '' Fort Apache'' (1948) and '' Rio Grande'' (1950). With a b ...

'', ''

All the King's Men ''All the King's Men'' is a 1946 novel by Robert Penn Warren. The novel tells the story of charismatic populist governor Willie Stark and his political machinations in the Depression-era Deep South. It was inspired by the real-life story of U ...

'', and '' Wagon Master''.

Career

Born in Logan, West Virginia, Dru moved to New York City in 1940 at the age of eighteen. After finding employment as a model, she was chosen by

Al Jolson Al Jolson (born Eizer Yoelson; June 9, 1886 – October 23, 1950) was a Lithuanian-American Jewish singer, comedian, actor, and vaudevillian. He was one of the United States' most famous and highest-paid stars of the 1920s, and was self-billed ...

to appear in the cast of his

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

show ''

Hold On to Your Hats ''Hold On To Your Hats'' is a musical comedy in two acts by Guy Bolton, Matt Brooks, and Eddie Davis, with lyrics by E. Y. Harburg and music by Burton Lane. The show was lavishly Mantle, Burns, Editor, "The Best Plays of 1940-1941", Dodd, Me ...

''. When she moved to

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywoo ...

, she found work in the

theater Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The perfor ...

. Dru was spotted by a talent scout and made her first film appearance in ''

Abie's Irish Rose ''Abie's Irish Rose'' is a popular comedy by Anne Nichols, which premiered in 1922. Initially a Broadway play, it has become familiar through repeated stage productions, films and radio programs. The basic premise involves an Irish Catholic g ...

'' (1946). Over the next decade, Dru appeared frequently in films and on television. She was often cast in

western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

films such as

Howard Hawks Howard Winchester Hawks (May 30, 1896December 26, 1977) was an American film director, producer and screenwriter of the classic Hollywood era. Critic Leonard Maltin called him "the greatest American director who is not a household name." A ...

's '' Red River'' (1948),

John Ford John Martin Feeney (February 1, 1894 – August 31, 1973), known professionally as John Ford, was an American film director and naval officer. He is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers of his generation. He ...

's ''

'' (1949), and '' Wagon Master'' (1950). She gave a well-received performance in the dramatic film ''

'' (1949), which went on to win the Academy Award for Best Picture, played a college graduate turned gangster's unhappy moll opposite Edmund O'Brien in the crime noir 711 Ocean Drive (1950), and co-starred with

Dan Dailey Daniel James Dailey Jr. (December 14, 1915 – October 16, 1978) was an American dancer and actor. He is best remembered for a series of popular musicals he made at 20th Century Fox such as '' Mother Wore Tights'' (1947). Biography Early life D ...

in ''

The Pride of St. Louis ''The Pride of St. Louis'' is a 1952 American biographical film of the life of Major League Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Dizzy Dean. It starred Dan Dailey as Dean, Joanne Dru as his wife, and Richard Crenna as his brother Paul "Daffy" Dean, als ...

'' (1952), about major-league baseball pitcher Jerome "Dizzy" Dean. She appeared in the

James Stewart James Maitland Stewart (May 20, 1908 – July 2, 1997) was an American actor and military pilot. Known for his distinctive drawl and everyman screen persona, Stewart's film career spanned 80 films from 1935 to 1991. With the strong morality ...

drama ''

Thunder Bay Thunder Bay is a city in and the seat of Thunder Bay District, Ontario, Canada. It is the most populous municipality in Northwestern Ontario and the second most populous (after Greater Sudbury) municipality in Northern Ontario; its populati ...

'' in 1953 and then the

Martin and Lewis Martin and Lewis were an American comedy duo, comprising singer Dean Martin and comedian Jerry Lewis. They met in 1945 and debuted at Atlantic City's 500 Club on July 25, 1946; the team lasted ten years to the day. Before they teamed up, Martin w ...

comedy '' 3 Ring Circus'' (1954). Her film career petered out by the end of the 1950s, but she continued working frequently in television, most notably as Babs Hooten on the 1960–61 ABC

sitcom A sitcom, a portmanteau of situation comedy, or situational comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who mostly carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troupe may use ...

, '' Guestward, Ho!''. After ''Guestward, Ho!'', she appeared sporadically for the rest of the 1960s and the first half of the 1970s, with one feature film appearance, in '' Sylvia'' (1965), and eight television appearances. For her contribution to the television industry, Dru was awarded a star on the

Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Calif ...

Personal life

She was the elder sister of

Peter Marshall Peter Marshall may refer to: Entertainment * Peter Marshall (entertainer) (born 1926), American game show host of ''The Hollywood Squares'', 1966–1981 * Peter Marshall (author, born 1939) (1939–1972), British novelist whose works include ''T ...

, an actor and singer best known as the original host of the American game show ''

Hollywood Squares ''Hollywood Squares'' (originally ''The Hollywood Squares'') is an American game show in which two contestants compete in a game of tic-tac-toe to win cash and prizes. The show Television pilot, piloted on NBC in 1965 and the regular series debut ...

''. Dru married popular vocalist and actor

Dick Haymes Richard Benjamin Haymes (September 13, 1918 – March 28, 1980) was an Argentinian singer and actor. He was one of the most popular male vocalists of the 1940s and early 1950s. He was the older brother of Bob Haymes, an actor, television host, ...

in 1941. The couple had three children. Divorced from Haymes in 1949, Dru married ''Red River'' and ''All the King's Men'' co-star

John Ireland John Benjamin Ireland (January 30, 1914 – March 21, 1992) was a Canadian actor. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his performance in ''All the King's Men'' (1949), making him the first Vancouver-born actor to receive an Oscar nomin ...

less than a month later. The pair divorced in 1957. She had no children from her marriage to Ireland, or subsequent two marriages. She was a staunch Republican, supporting

Barry Goldwater Barry Morris Goldwater (January 2, 1909 – May 29, 1998) was an American politician and United States Air Force officer who was a five-term U.S. Senator from Arizona (1953–1965, 1969–1987) and the Republican Party nominee for president ...

in the

1964 United States presidential election The 1964 United States presidential election was the 45th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 3, 1964. Incumbent Democratic United States President Lyndon B. Johnson defeated Barry Goldwater, the Republican nomi ...

and appeared at a 1968 GOP cocktail party fundraiser for

Richard Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a representative and senator from California and was ...

Death

Dru died in

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...

on September 10, 1996, aged 74, from a respiratory ailment that developed from lymphedema, a result of chemotherapy she had received over her lifetime, according to her brother. Her ashes were scattered into the

Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the conti ...

Selected filmography

* ''

'' (1946) – Rosemary Murphy Levy * '' Red River'' (1948) – Tess Millay * ''

'' (1949) – Olivia Dandridge * ''

'' (1949) – Anne Stanton * '' Wagon Master'' (1950) – Denver * '' 711 Ocean Drive'' (1950) – Gail Mason * ''

Vengeance Valley ''Vengeance Valley'' is a 1951 American Technicolor Western film directed by Richard Thorpe and starring Burt Lancaster, with a supporting cast featuring Robert Walker, Joanne Dru, Sally Forrest, John Ireland and Ray Collins. It is based on ...

'' (1951) – Jen Strobie * ''

Mr. Belvedere Rings the Bell ''Mr. Belvedere Rings the Bell'' is a 1951 American comedy film, the third and final one starring Clifton Webb as Lynn Belvedere. It follows on from '' Sitting Pretty'' (1948) and ''Mr. Belvedere Goes to College'' (1949). Plot Mr. Belvedere i ...

'' (1951) – Miss Harriet Tripp * ''

Return of the Texan ''Return of the Texan'' is a 1952 American Western film directed by Delmer Daves and starring Dale Robertson and Joanne Dru.The Pride of St. Louis ''The Pride of St. Louis'' is a 1952 American biographical film of the life of Major League Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Dizzy Dean. It starred Dan Dailey as Dean, Joanne Dru as his wife, and Richard Crenna as his brother Paul "Daffy" Dean, als ...

'' (1952) – Patricia Nash Dean * ''

My Pal Gus ''My Pal Gus'' is a 1952 comedy-drama film which follows Gus ( George Winslow), the young son of divorced industrialist Dave Jennings (Richard Widmark). Unable to cope with Gus' mischievous streak, Jennings places the boy in a day-care center. Gu ...

'' (1952) – Lydia Marble * ''

'' (1953) – Stella Rigaud * '' Hannah Lee'' (1953) – Hannah Lee (Hallie McLaird) * '' Forbidden'' (1953) – Christine Lawrence Manard * ''

Duffy of San Quentin ''Duffy of San Quentin'' is a 1954 American film noir crime film directed by Walter Doniger and written by Walter Doniger and Berman Swarttz. The film stars Louis Hayward, Joanne Dru, Paul Kelly, Maureen O'Sullivan, George Macready and Horace M ...

'' (1954) – Anne Halsey * ''

Southwest Passage ''Southwest Passage'' is a 1954 American Pathécolor Western film directed by Ray Nazarro and starring Joanne Dru, Rod Cameron and John Ireland, who are determined to make a unique trek across the west, using camels as his beasts of burden. ...

'' (1954) – Lilly * ''

Siege at Red River ''Siege at Red River'' is a 1954 American Western film directed by Rudolph Maté and written by Sydney Boehm. The film stars Van Johnson, Joanne Dru, Richard Boone, Milburn Stone, Jeff Morrow, and Craig Hill. The film was released on May 1, 19 ...

'' (1954) – Nora Curtis * '' 3 Ring Circus'' (1954) – Jill Brent * ''

Day of Triumph ''Day of Triumph'' is a 1954 American drama film directed by Irving Pichel and John T. Coyle, from a screenplay by Arthur T. Horman. The film stars Lee J. Cobb, Robert Wilson, James Griffith, and Joanne Dru. This was the last film directed by I ...

'' (1954) – Mary Magdalene * '' The Dark Avenger'' (1955) – Lady Joan Holland * ''

Sincerely Yours Sincerely Yours may refer to: Film * Sincerely Yours (film), ''Sincerely Yours'' (film), a 1955 American romantic music comedy featuring Liberace * ''Sincerely Yours...'', a 1985 Soviet comedy Music * Sincerely Yours (record label), a Swedish rec ...

'' (1955) – Marion Moore * '' Hell on Frisco Bay'' (1956) – Marcia Rollins * ''

Drango ''Drango'' is a 1957 American Western film produced by Jeff Chandler's production company Earlmar Productions, written and directed by Hall Bartlett, and released by United Artists. Starring Chandler in the title role, the film also features ...

'' (1957) – Kate Calder * '' The Light in the Forest'' (1958) – Milly Elder * ''

The Wild and the Innocent ''The Wild and the Innocent'' is a 1959 American CinemaScope Western film directed by Jack Sher and starring Audie Murphy and Sandra Dee as two inexperienced young people who get into trouble when they visit a town for the very first time. Th ...

'' (1959) – Marcy * ''

September Storm ''September Storm'' is a 1960 American adventure film directed by Byron Haskin and starring Joanne Dru and Mark Stevens. Filmed in 3-D and DeLuxe Color and presented in CinemaScope, it is notable as the only U.S. feature film made in 3-D between ...

'' (1960) – Anne Traymore * '' Sylvia'' (1965) – Jane (Bronson) Phillips * ''

Super Fuzz ''Super Fuzz'' ( it, Poliziotto superpiù), also known as ''Super Snooper'', is a 1980 superhero comedy film directed by Sergio Corbucci. The film stars Terence Hill and Ernest Borgnine. It is about Dave Speed, a bumbling Miami police officer w ...

'' (''Poliziotto superpiù'') (1980) – Rosy Labouche (final film role)

Radio appearances

References

External links

* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Dru, Joanne 1922 births 1996 deaths 20th-century American actresses Actresses from West Virginia American film actresses American television actresses California Republicans Deaths from edema Actors from Huntington, West Virginia People from Logan, West Virginia People from Los Angeles Virginia Republicans Western (genre) film actresses