Joan Evans (actress)
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Joan Evans (born Joan Eunson,) is an American film actress.


Early years

Evans's parents were
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 ...
writers Dale Eunson and Katherine Albert. Her father wrote the book ''The Day They Gave Babies Away'', which was made into the movie '' All Mine to Give'' (1957). She was named after actress
Joan Crawford Joan Crawford (born Lucille Fay LeSueur; March 23, ncertain year from 1904 to 1908was an American actress. She started her career as a dancer in traveling theatrical companies before debuting on Broadway. Crawford was signed to a motion pict ...
, her godmother. She played Gretel in a school performance of ''Hansel and Gretel''.


Acting


Sam Goldwyn

Evans appeared in three movies with actor Farley Granger. Her first film with him was as the title role in '' Roseanna McCoy'' (1949), based on the real-life romance between two members of the Hatfield-McCoy feud. She gained the role after producer
Samuel Goldwyn Samuel Goldwyn (born Szmuel Gelbfisz; yi, שמואל געלבפֿיש; August 27, 1882 (claimed) January 31, 1974), also known as Samuel Goldfish, was a Polish-born American film producer. He was best known for being the founding contributor an ...
conducted a national talent search after the original star, Cathy O'Donnell, pulled out. Evans was only 14 years old when she started work on ''Roseanna McCoy'', and her parents added two years to her age so she could claim to be 16 when the film was released. Evans' film career was launched with her three pictures opposite Granger, including a supporting role in the drama '' Our Very Own'' (1950) and a featured part in the crime story ''
Edge of Doom ''Edge of Doom'' is a 1950 black-and-white film noir directed by Mark Robson and starring Dana Andrews, Farley Granger, and Joan Evans. Plot The story concerns a young mentally disturbed man, Martin Lynn (Farley Granger), who goes on a rampage ...
'' (1950). She had top billing as a suicidal teenager in RKO's drama '' On the Loose'' (1951), then second billing to
Esther Williams Esther Jane Williams (August 8, 1921 – June 6, 2013) was an American competitive swimmer and actress. She set regional and national records in her late teens on the Los Angeles Athletic Club swim team. Unable to compete in the 1940 Summer Ol ...
in an MGM musical comedy, ''
Skirts Ahoy! ''Skirts Ahoy!'' is a 1952 MGM musical film directed by Sidney Lanfield and starring Esther Williams, Vivian Blaine and Joan Evans. It was shot in Technicolor. The film follows the adventures of several women who join the WAVES with sequences fi ...
'' (1952). Goldwyn lent her to Universal, where she was third-billed as Irene Dunne's daughter in '' It Grows on Trees'' (1952). She was
Audie Murphy Audie Leon Murphy (20 June 1925 – 28 May 1971) was an American soldier, actor and songwriter. He was one of the most decorated American combat soldiers of World War II. He received every military combat award for valor available from t ...
's leading lady in ''
Column South ''Column South'' is a 1953 American Western film directed by Frederick de Cordova and starring Audie Murphy and Joan Evans.''C ...
'' (1953).


Television

At Republic, she starred as the love interest of
John Derek John Derek (born Derek Delevan Harris; August 12, 1926 – May 22, 1998) was an American actor, director, screenwriter, producer and photographer.The Outcast'' (1954), and started appearing on TV shows, including '' General Electric Theatre'', ''
Climax! ''Climax!'' (later known as ''Climax Mystery Theater'') is an American television anthology series that aired on CBS from 1954 to 1958. The series was hosted by William Lundigan and later co-hosted by Mary Costa. It was one of the few CBS progra ...
'', '' The Millionaire'', '' Schlitz Playhouse'', '' Cavalcade of America'', ''
Lux Video Theatre ''Lux Video Theatre'' is an American television anthology series that was produced from 1950 until 1957. The series presented both comedy and drama in original teleplays, as well as abridged adaptations of films and plays. Overview The ''Lux Vid ...
'', ''Cheyenne'', ''
Wagon Train ''Wagon Train'' is an American Western series that aired 8 seasons: first on the NBC television network (1957–1962), and then on ABC (1962–1965). ''Wagon Train'' debuted on September 18, 1957, and became number one in the Nielsen ratings ...
'', ''
77 Sunset Strip ''77 Sunset Strip'' is an American television private detective drama series created by Roy Huggins and starring Efrem Zimbalist Jr., Roger Smith, Richard Long (from 1960 to 1961) and Edd Byrnes (billed as Edward Byrnes). Each episode was o ...
'', and ''
Zorro Zorro ( Spanish for 'fox') is a fictional character created in 1919 by American pulp writer Johnston McCulley, appearing in works set in the Pueblo of Los Angeles in Alta California. He is typically portrayed as a dashing masked vigilante w ...
''. She had the lead in a crime film for Republic, ''
A Strange Adventure ''A Strange Adventure'' is a 1956 American crime film directed by William Witney, written by Houston Branch and starring Joan Evans, Ben Cooper, Marla English, Jan Merlin, Nick Adams and Peter Miller. It was released on August 24, 1956 by ...
'' (1956) and was reunited with Murphy for '' No Name on the Bullet'' (1959). For
Sam Katzman Sam Katzman (July 7, 1901 – August 4, 1973) was an American film producer and director. Katzman produced low-budget genre films, including serials, which had disproportionately high returns for the studios and his financial backers. E ...
, she was one of '' The Flying Fontaines'' (1959). Her final performances were in ''
The Chevy Mystery Show ''The Chevy Mystery Show'', aka ''Sunday Mystery Hour'', is an American television anthology series featuring a different mystery each week. It was produced by the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) and Dinah Shore's production company . The p ...
'', '' The Rebel'', ''
Outlaws An outlaw is a person living outside the law. Outlaws or The Outlaws may also refer to: Film and television Film * ''The Outlaws'' (1950 film), an Italian crime film * ''Outlaws'' (1985 film), a French film * ''The Outlaws'' (2017 film), a Sou ...
'', ''
Tales of Wells Fargo ''Tales of Wells Fargo'' is an American Western television series starring Dale Robertson that ran from 1957 to 1962 on NBC. Produced by Revue Productions, the series aired in a half-hour format until its final season, when it expanded t ...
'', '' The Brothers Brannagan'', '' Ripcord'', and '' The Tall Man''. Her last feature film was ''
The Walking Target ''The Walking Target'' is a 1960 crime film directed by Edward L. Cahn and starring Joan Evans, Merry Anders, and Ronald Foster. The screenplay concerns an ex-con who, upon release from prison, sets out to retrieve the $260,000 he hid before h ...
''. Her last role was in the episode "The Killer Legend" of '' Laramie'' as Julie Wade. She retired from acting in 1961.


Journalism

In the 1950s, Evans wrote articles for ''
Photoplay ''Photoplay'' was one of the first American film (another name for ''photoplay'') fan magazines. It was founded in 1911 in Chicago, the same year that J. Stuart Blackton founded '' Motion Picture Story,'' a magazine also directed at fans. For mo ...
'' magazine. Beginning in May 1966, she was editor of ''Hollywood Studio Magazine'', using her married name, Joan Evans Weatherly.


Later years

Evans became an educator, and in the 1970s, she was the director of Carden Academy in Van Nuys, California.


Personal life

When Evans was 17 years old, she announced that she would marry a car salesman named Kirby Weatherly. Her parents asked godmother
Joan Crawford Joan Crawford (born Lucille Fay LeSueur; March 23, ncertain year from 1904 to 1908was an American actress. She started her career as a dancer in traveling theatrical companies before debuting on Broadway. Crawford was signed to a motion pict ...
to dissuade her from marrying, since she was so young, but Crawford not only gave the couple her blessing, but she also had the wedding ceremony performed right in her own house without having the parents present. Evans's marriage to Weatherly lasted, but the friendship between Evans' parents and Crawford ended. The Weatherlys had a daughter on August 16, 1955. In 1984, Joan Evans and her husband signed a tribute to Joan Crawford in ''Daily Variety''.Joan Crawford fansite
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Filmography


Film

*'' Roseanna McCoy'' (1949) – Roseanna McCoy *'' Our Very Own'' (1950) – Joan Macaulay *''
Edge of Doom ''Edge of Doom'' is a 1950 black-and-white film noir directed by Mark Robson and starring Dana Andrews, Farley Granger, and Joan Evans. Plot The story concerns a young mentally disturbed man, Martin Lynn (Farley Granger), who goes on a rampage ...
'' (1950) – Rita Conroy *'' On the Loose'' (1951) – Jill Bradley *''
Skirts Ahoy! ''Skirts Ahoy!'' is a 1952 MGM musical film directed by Sidney Lanfield and starring Esther Williams, Vivian Blaine and Joan Evans. It was shot in Technicolor. The film follows the adventures of several women who join the WAVES with sequences fi ...
'' (1952) – Mary Kate Yarbrough *'' It Grows on Trees'' (1952) – Diane Baxter *''
Column South ''Column South'' is a 1953 American Western film directed by Frederick de Cordova and starring Audie Murphy and Joan Evans.''C ...
'' (1953) – Marcy Whitlock *'' The Outcast'' (1954) – Judy Polsen *''
A Strange Adventure ''A Strange Adventure'' is a 1956 American crime film directed by William Witney, written by Houston Branch and starring Joan Evans, Ben Cooper, Marla English, Jan Merlin, Nick Adams and Peter Miller. It was released on August 24, 1956 by ...
'' (1956) – Terry Dolgin *'' No Name on the Bullet'' (1959) – Anne Benson *'' The Flying Fontaines'' (1959) – Jan Fontaine *''
The Walking Target ''The Walking Target'' is a 1960 crime film directed by Edward L. Cahn and starring Joan Evans, Merry Anders, and Ronald Foster. The screenplay concerns an ex-con who, upon release from prison, sets out to retrieve the $260,000 he hid before h ...
'' (1960) – Gail Russo


Television

*''
General Electric Theater ''General Electric Theater'' was an American anthology series hosted by Ronald Reagan that was broadcast on CBS radio and television. The series was sponsored by General Electric's Department of Public Relations. Radio After an audition show ...
'' (1954) *''
Climax! ''Climax!'' (later known as ''Climax Mystery Theater'') is an American television anthology series that aired on CBS from 1954 to 1958. The series was hosted by William Lundigan and later co-hosted by Mary Costa. It was one of the few CBS progra ...
'' (1954–1955) – Helen O'Neill, Narrator *'' The Millionaire'' (1956) – Julie *'' Schlitz Playhouse of Stars'' (1956) *'' Cavalcade of America'' (1957) *''
Lux Video Theatre ''Lux Video Theatre'' is an American television anthology series that was produced from 1950 until 1957. The series presented both comedy and drama in original teleplays, as well as abridged adaptations of films and plays. Overview The ''Lux Vid ...
'' (1956–1957) *''
Cheyenne The Cheyenne ( ) are an Indigenous people of the Great Plains. Their Cheyenne language belongs to the Algonquian language family. Today, the Cheyenne people are split into two federally recognized nations: the Southern Cheyenne, who are enr ...
'' (1958) – Lilac (Episode – "The Angry Sky") *''
77 Sunset Strip ''77 Sunset Strip'' is an American television private detective drama series created by Roy Huggins and starring Efrem Zimbalist Jr., Roger Smith, Richard Long (from 1960 to 1961) and Edd Byrnes (billed as Edward Byrnes). Each episode was o ...
'' (1958) – Diane Forsythe *''
Wagon Train ''Wagon Train'' is an American Western series that aired 8 seasons: first on the NBC television network (1957–1962), and then on ABC (1962–1965). ''Wagon Train'' debuted on September 18, 1957, and became number one in the Nielsen ratings ...
'' (1959) – Sarah *''
Zorro Zorro ( Spanish for 'fox') is a fictional character created in 1919 by American pulp writer Johnston McCulley, appearing in works set in the Pueblo of Los Angeles in Alta California. He is typically portrayed as a dashing masked vigilante w ...
'' (1959) – Leonar *''The Chevy Mystery Show'' (1960) – Blanche *'' The Rebel'' (1960) – Cassie *''
Outlaws An outlaw is a person living outside the law. Outlaws or The Outlaws may also refer to: Film and television Film * ''The Outlaws'' (1950 film), an Italian crime film * ''Outlaws'' (1985 film), a French film * ''The Outlaws'' (2017 film), a Sou ...
'' (1961) – Molly Moore *''
Tales of Wells Fargo ''Tales of Wells Fargo'' is an American Western television series starring Dale Robertson that ran from 1957 to 1962 on NBC. Produced by Revue Productions, the series aired in a half-hour format until its final season, when it expanded t ...
'' (1961) – Kathy Davidson *'' The Brothers Brannagan'' (1960–1961) – Terry, Peggy Dodd *'' Ripcord'' (1961) – Juli Warner *'' The Tall Man'' (1961) – Lou Belle Martin *'' Laramie'' 1961 – Julie Wade


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Evans, Joan Living people 20th-century American actresses Actresses from California Actresses from New York City American film actresses American television actresses American educators American magazine editors Women magazine editors 21st-century American women Year of birth missing (living people)