Jo Anne Worley (born September 6, 1937) is an American actress, comedian, and singer. Her work covers
television
Television (TV) is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. Additionally, the term can refer to a physical television set rather than the medium of transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...
,
film
A film, also known as a movie or motion picture, is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, emotions, or atmosphere through the use of moving images that are generally, sinc ...
s,
theater
Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors to present experiences of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The performers may communi ...
,
game show
A game show (or gameshow) is a genre of broadcast viewing entertainment where contestants compete in a game for rewards. The shows are typically directed by a game show host, host, who explains the rules of the program as well as commentating a ...
s,
talk show
A talk show is a television programming, radio programming or podcast genre structured around the act of spontaneous conversation.Bernard M. Timberg, Robert J. Erler'' (2010Television Talk: A History of the TV Talk Show', pp.3-4Erler, Robert (201 ...
s,
commercial
Commercial may refer to:
* (adjective for) commerce, a system of voluntary exchange of products and services
** (adjective for) trade, the trading of something of economic value such as goods, services, information or money
* a dose of advertising ...
s, and
cartoon
A cartoon is a type of visual art that is typically drawn, frequently Animation, animated, in an realism (arts), unrealistic or semi-realistic style. The specific meaning has evolved, but the modern usage usually refers to either: an image or s ...
s. Worley is widely known for her work on the comedy-variety show ''
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
''Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In'' (often simply referred to as ''Laugh-In'') is an American sketch comedy television program that ran for six seasons from January 22, 1968, to July 23, 1973, on the NBC television network. The show, hosted by comed ...
''.
Early life and education
Worley was born on September 6, 1937, in
Lowell, Indiana
Lowell ( ) is a town in West Creek and Cedar Creek townships, Lake County, Indiana, United States. The population was 10,680 at the 2020 census.
History
Lowell was platted in 1853. It was named after Lowell, Massachusetts. On June 27, 1868, L ...
,
the third child of Rose Irene (née Gardner) and Joseph Lauraine Worley. In 1962, her parents divorced and her father remarried, having four children with his second wife, Nancy.
Always known for her loud voice, Worley once said that when she attended church as a little girl, she never sang the hymns but would only
lip sync
Lip sync or lip synch (pronounced , like the word ''sink'', despite the Hard and soft C, spelling of the participial forms ''synced'' and ''syncing''), short for lip synchronization, is a technical term for matching a Speech, speaking or singin ...
them for fear that she would drown out everyone else. Before graduating from high school, she was named school comedienne.
After graduating from high school in 1955, Worley moved to
Blauvelt, New York
Blauvelt is a Hamlet (New York), hamlet, about 20 miles northwest of New York City. It is a census-designated place, formerly known as Greenbush and then Blauveltville, in Orangetown, New York, Orangetown, Rockland County, New York, Rockland Coun ...
, where she began her professional career as a member of the Pickwick Players. This led to a drama scholarship to
Midwestern State University
Midwestern State University (MSU Texas) is a public liberal arts university in Wichita Falls, Texas. As of Fall 2024, MSU Texas enrolled 5,324 students. It is the state's only public institution focused on the liberal arts.
History
Founded in ...
in
Wichita Falls, Texas
Wichita Falls ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Wichita County, Texas, United States. It is the principal city of the Wichita Falls metropolitan area, Wichita Falls metropolitan statistical area, which encompasses all of Archer County, Tex ...
.
Career

After studying at Midwestern for two years, Worley moved to Los Angeles to study at
Los Angeles City College
Los Angeles City College (LACC) is a public community college in East Hollywood, California. A part of the Los Angeles Community College District, it is located on Vermont Avenue south of Santa Monica Boulevard on the former campus of the U ...
and the
Pasadena Playhouse
Pasadena Playhouse is a Tony Award-winning historic performing arts venue located 39 S. El Molino Avenue in Pasadena, California. The 686-seat auditorium produces a variety of cultural and artistic events, professional shows, and community engag ...
. She was soon given her first musical role in a production of ''
Wonderful Town
''Wonderful Town'' is a 1953 musical theatre, musical with book written by Joseph A. Fields and Jerome Chodorov, lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, and music by Leonard Bernstein. The musical tells the story of two sisters who aspire to be ...
''. In 1961, Worley received her first major break when she appeared in the musical revue ''
Billy Barnes People'' in Los Angeles; this production moved to
Broadway, where it ran for only six performances. However, the ''New York Times'' reviewer wrote: "Jo Anne Worley has an earthy style that suggests she could be a rowdy comedienne." In 1964, she was selected to appear as a stand-in on the original Broadway production of ''
Hello, Dolly!'' One year later, Worley created her own nightclub act in
Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village, or simply the Village, is a neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City, bounded by 14th Street (Manhattan), 14th Street to the north, Broadway (Manhattan), Broadway to the east, Houston Street to the s ...
, where she was discovered by
Merv Griffin
Mervyn Edward Griffin Jr. (July 6, 1925 – August 12, 2007) was an American television show host and media mogul. He began his career as a radio and big band singer, later appearing in film and on Broadway theatre, Broadway. From 1962 to 1986, G ...
in 1966.
Impressed by Worley's talents, Griffin engaged her to be one of his primary guest stars on his show, where she made approximately 40 appearances on ''
The Merv Griffin Show
''The Merv Griffin Show'' is an American television talk show starring Merv Griffin. The series had runs on two different networks on NBC (1962–1963) and CBS (1969–1972) but is most known for its run on first-run syndication from 1965 to 1 ...
''. In 1966, she appeared
Off-Broadway
An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...
in ''
The Mad Show'', a musical revue based on ''
Mad Magazine
''Mad'' (stylized in all caps) is an American humor magazine which was launched in 1952 and currently published by DC Comics, a unit of the DC Entertainment subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. ''Mad'' was founded by editor Harvey Kurtzman an ...
''. In 1967, Worley's stint on Griffin's show led to her discovery by
George Schlatter
George Schlatter (born December 31, 1929) is an American television producer and Television director, director, best known for ''Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In'', founder of the American Comedy Awards, and author of ''Still Laughing: A Life in Comed ...
, who soon cast her in ''
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
''Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In'' (often simply referred to as ''Laugh-In'') is an American sketch comedy television program that ran for six seasons from January 22, 1968, to July 23, 1973, on the NBC television network. The show, hosted by comed ...
''.
In 1970, Worley left ''Laugh-In'' to pursue other projects and has made guest appearances on several television series, including ''
Love, American Style
''Love, American Style'' is an American anthology comedy television series that aired on ABC from September 29, 1969, to January 11, 1974. The series was produced by Paramount Television. During the 1971–72 and 1972–73 seasons, it was a pa ...
'', ''
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' is an American television talk show broadcast by NBC. The show was the third installment of ''The Tonight Show''. Hosted by Johnny Carson, it aired from October 1, 1962 to May 22, 1992, replacing ''T ...
'', ''
The Andy Williams Show
''The Andy Williams Show'' is an American television variety show hosted by singer Andy Williams that ran on NBC (and was videotaped in color) from 1962 to 1971 (alternating during the summer of 1970 with ''Andy Williams Presents Ray Stevens'') ...
'', ''
Adam-12
''Adam-12'' is an American police procedural crime drama television series created by Robert A. Cinader and Jack Webb and produced by Mark VII Limited and Universal Television. The series follows Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers Pe ...
'', ''
Emergency!
''Emergency!'' is an American Action fiction, action-adventure medical drama television series jointly produced by Mark VII Limited and Universal Television. Debuting on NBC as a midseason replacement on January 15, 1972, replacing two situatio ...
'', ''
Murder, She Wrote
''Murder, She Wrote'' is an American crime drama television series, created by Peter S. Fischer, Richard Levinson and William Link, starring Angela Lansbury, and produced and distributed by Universal Television for the CBS network. The series f ...
'', ''
The Middle'', and different game shows such as ''
Super Password'', ''
Hollywood Squares
''Hollywood Squares'' (originally ''The Hollywood Squares'', later stylized as ''H2: 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 originally aired as a ...
'', and
the many versions of ''Pyramid''. She continued working in various movies, television series, and theatrical performances (original productions and revivals alike) over the years. Worley also became known for her work as a voice provider for several cartoons, animated movies, and video games. Her voice work includes ''
Nutcracker Fantasy'' (1979), the Disney movies ''
Beauty and the Beast
"Beauty and the Beast" is a fairy tale written by the French novelist Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve and published in 1740 in (''The Young American and Marine Tales'').
Villeneuve's lengthy version was abridged, rewritten, and publish ...
'' (1991), ''
A Goofy Movie'' (1995), ''
Beauty and the Beast: Belle's Magical World'' (1998), and the voice of the Wardrobe in the video game ''
Kingdom Hearts II
''Kingdom Hearts II'' is a 2005 action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix in collaboration with Disney Interactive Studios, Buena Vista Games for the PlayStation 2 video game console. The game is a sequel to ''Kingdom Hear ...
'' (2005). She remains involved with Disney, making cameos in several Disney Channel sitcoms such as ''
Kim Possible
''Kim Possible'' is an American animated Action comedy TV series, action comedy television series created by Bob Schooley and Mark McCorkle for Disney Channel. The Kim Possible (character), title character is a teenage girl tasked with saving ...
'' playing the role of Bonnie Rockwaller's mother, ''
Wizards of Waverly Place
''Wizards of Waverly Place'' is an American fantasy teen sitcom created by Todd J. Greenwald that aired on Disney Channel for four seasons between October 2007 and January 2012. The series centers on Alex Russo (Selena Gomez), a teenage wi ...
'', and ''
Jessie''.

Worley performed in regional theater, such as the Melody Top Theater in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where she appeared in ''
Gypsy: A Musical Fable'' as Rose (1984), ''
Annie Get Your Gun'' (1982), ''Hello Dolly!'' (1980), ''
Anything Goes'' (1978) and ''
Once Upon a Mattress
''Once Upon a Mattress'' is a musical theater, musical comedy with music by Mary Rodgers, lyrics by Marshall Barer, and book by Jay Thompson, Dean Fuller, and Marshall Barer. It opened off-Broadway in May 1959, and then moved to Broadway theat ...
'' (1974), She also appeared at the Welk Dinner Theater in San Diego, California in ''
Same Time, Next Year'' in 1985, ''
Call Me Madam'' at the California Music Theatre, Pasadena, California, in 1987, and ''
Nunsense'' at the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, La Mirada, California, in 1991.
In 1989, Worley returned to Broadway to appear in ''
Prince of Central Park'', but the show was canceled after four performances. She was cast as the
Wicked Witch of the West in a 1999
musical production of ''
The Wizard of Oz
''The Wizard of Oz'' is a 1939 American Musical film, musical fantasy film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). Based on the 1900 novel ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' by L. Frank Baum, it was primarily directed by Victor Fleming, who left pro ...
'', directed and adapted by Robert Johanson, with
Mickey Rooney
Mickey Rooney (born Ninnian Joseph Yule Jr.; other pseudonym Mickey Maguire; September 23, 1920 – April 6, 2014) was an American actor. In a career spanning nearly nine decades, he appeared in more than 300 films and was among the last survivi ...
playing the eponymous role. The production had a limited run at the
Pantages Theater, Hollywood, California, and at the Theater at the
Theater at Madison Square Garden
The Theater at Madison Square Garden is a theater located in New York City's Madison Square Garden (MSG). It seats between 2,000 and 5,600 people and is used for concerts, shows, sports, meetings, and other events. It is situated beneath the main ...
, and she also joined the limited US tour. Worley played Mrs. Tottendale in the
Broadway musical, ''
The Drowsy Chaperone
''The Drowsy Chaperone'' is a Canadian musical with music and lyrics by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison, and a book by Bob Martin and Don McKellar.
The story concerns a middle-aged, asocial musical theater fan who, feeling "blue", decides to pl ...
'' at the
Marquis Theatre
The Marquis Theatre is a Broadway theatre, Broadway theater on the third floor of the New York Marriott Marquis hotel in the Theater District, Manhattan, Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S. Opened in 1986, it ...
from July through December 2007. She then reprised the role of Mrs. Tottendale at The Cape Playhouse from June to July 2015.
From January 8 until August 24, 2008, Worley played the role of
Madame Morrible in the Los Angeles production of ''
Wicked''.
Personal life
Worley is an animal lover. For more than 40 years she has been involved with the organization Actors and Others for Animals, founded in 1971, which funds spay-and-neuter programs, and provides veterinary financial assistance to pet guardians in Southern California.
She served on a voluntary basis on the board of directors for several years before becoming vice president, and since 2007, has served as president of the organization.
Filmography
Film
Television
Stage roles
Video games
References
;Citations
Sources
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External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Worley, Joanne
1937 births
Actresses from Indiana
American film actresses
American musical theatre actresses
American television actresses
American sketch comedians
American voice actresses
American video game actresses
American women comedians
Comedians from Indiana
Comedians from New York (state)
Living people
Los Angeles City College alumni
Midwestern State University alumni
People from Lowell, Indiana
Entertainers from Greater Los Angeles
People from Blauvelt, New York
21st-century American women