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IMDbPro

Joan Davis(1912-1961)

  • Actress
  • Producer
  • Soundtrack
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Joan Davis
I Married Joan: Prize Fighter
Play trailer1:03
The Lady and the Prizefighter (1955)
16 Videos
97 Photos
Widely popular comedienne appeared in some movies and on radio in the 40s and on early television. She starred in the popular television series, I Married Joan (1952), with Jim Backus as her husband and her real-life daughter, Beverly Wills as her sister.

Joan died of a sudden heart attack in 1961. Two years later, a fire tragically claimed the lives of her mother, daughter and two grandsons.
BornJune 29, 1912
DiedMay 22, 1961(48)
BornJune 29, 1912
DiedMay 22, 1961(48)
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
  • Nominated for 1 Primetime Emmy
    • 2 wins & 1 nomination total

Photos97

Joan Davis, Jack Haley, Fred Kohler Jr., Glenn Morris, and Doodles Weaver in Hold That Co-ed (1938)
Bud Abbott, Evelyn Ankers, Richard Carlson, Lou Costello, and Joan Davis in Hold That Ghost (1941)
Lou Costello, Joan Davis, and Harry Wilson in Hold That Ghost (1941)
Joan Davis in Hold That Ghost (1941)
Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, and Joan Davis in Hold That Ghost (1941)
Joan Davis in Hold That Ghost (1941)
Bud Abbott, Evelyn Ankers, Richard Carlson, Lou Costello, and Joan Davis in Hold That Ghost (1941)
Evelyn Ankers and Joan Davis in Hold That Ghost (1941)
Evelyn Ankers, Richard Carlson, and Joan Davis in Hold That Ghost (1941)
Joan Davis in Hold That Ghost (1941)
Bud Abbott, Evelyn Ankers, Richard Carlson, Lou Costello, and Joan Davis in Hold That Ghost (1941)
Evelyn Ankers, Richard Carlson, Lou Costello, and Joan Davis in Hold That Ghost (1941)

Known for:

Bud Abbott, Laverne Andrews, Maxene Andrews, Patty Andrews, Evelyn Ankers, Mischa Auer, Richard Carlson, Lou Costello, Joan Davis, Ted Lewis, and The Andrews Sisters in Hold That Ghost (1941)
Hold That Ghost
7.3
  • Camille Brewster
  • 1941
Joan Davis, Jack Haley, Martha Holliday, Gene Krupa, and Ethel Smith in George White's Scandals (1945)
George White's Scandals
5.7
  • Joan Mason
  • 1945
Joan Davis, Andy Devine, and Adele Jergens in The Traveling Saleswoman (1950)
The Traveling Saleswoman
6.0
  • Mabel King
  • 1950
Joan Davis and Jane Frazee in Beautiful But Broke (1944)
Beautiful But Broke
6.1
  • Dottie Duncan
  • 1944

Credits

Edit
IMDbPro

Actress

  • Joan of Arkansas
    • Joan of Arkansas
    • TV Movie
    • 1958
  • Jim Backus and Joan Davis in I Married Joan (1952)
    I Married Joan
    • Joan Stevens
    • TV Series
    • 1952–1955
  • Joan Davis in Harem Girl (1952)
    Harem Girl
    • Susie Perkins
    • 1952
  • Ginger Rogers, Jack Carson, and Joan Davis in The Groom Wore Spurs (1951)
    The Groom Wore Spurs
    • Alice Dean
    • 1951
  • Let's Join Joanie
    • Joanie Davis
    • TV Movie
    • 1950
  • Love That Brute (1950)
    Love That Brute
    • Mamie Sage
    • 1950
  • Joan Davis, Andy Devine, and Adele Jergens in The Traveling Saleswoman (1950)
    The Traveling Saleswoman
    • Mabel King
    • 1950
  • Eddie Cantor and Joan Davis in If You Knew Susie (1948)
    If You Knew Susie
    • Susie Parker
    • 1948
  • Mischa Auer, Joan Davis, and Jack Oakie in She Wrote the Book (1946)
    She Wrote the Book
    • Jane Featherstone
    • 1946
  • Joan Davis, Jack Haley, Martha Holliday, Gene Krupa, and Ethel Smith in George White's Scandals (1945)
    George White's Scandals
    • Joan Mason
    • 1945
  • Vivian Austin, Joan Davis, Leon Errol, and William Gargan in She Gets Her Man (1945)
    She Gets Her Man
    • Jane 'Pilky' Pilkington
    • 1945
  • Bob Crosby, Joan Davis, Jane Frazee, Erik Rolf, Andy Williams, The Williams Brothers, Dick Williams, Bob Williams, and Don Williams in Kansas City Kitty (1944)
    Kansas City Kitty
    • Polly Jasper
    • 1944
  • Eddie Cantor, Joan Davis, Nancy Kelly, Constance Moore, and George Murphy in Show Business (1944)
    Show Business
    • Joan Mason
    • 1944
  • Joan Davis and Jane Frazee in Beautiful But Broke (1944)
    Beautiful But Broke
    • Dottie Duncan
    • 1944
  • Mischa Auer, Georgia Carroll, Joan Davis, Kay Kyser, and Marcy McGuire in Around the World (1943)
    Around the World
    • Joan Davis
    • 1943

Producer

  • Jim Backus and Joan Davis in I Married Joan (1952)
    I Married Joan
    • executive producer
    • producer
    • TV Series
    • 1952–1955

Soundtrack

  • Joan Davis, Andy Devine, and Adele Jergens in The Traveling Saleswoman (1950)
    The Traveling Saleswoman
    • performer: "He Died With His Boots On" (uncredited)
    • 1950
  • Eddie Cantor and Joan Davis in If You Knew Susie (1948)
    If You Knew Susie
    • performer: "My, How the Time Goes By" (1948), "Sextette" (1835) (uncredited) ("What Do I Want with Money" (1948))
    • 1948
  • Joan Davis, Jack Haley, Martha Holliday, Gene Krupa, and Ethel Smith in George White's Scandals (1945)
    George White's Scandals
    • performer: "I Wake Up in the Morning", "Who Killed Vaudeville?", "She'll Be Comin' Round the Mountain When She Comes" (uncredited)
    • 1945
  • Eddie Cantor, Joan Davis, Nancy Kelly, Constance Moore, and George Murphy in Show Business (1944)
    Show Business
    • performer: "I Want a Girl (Just Like the Girl That Married Dear Old Dad)" (1911), "She'll Be Comin' Round the Mountain", "Sextette" (1935), "Alabamy Bound" (1924), "Dinah" (1925) (uncredited)
    • 1944
  • Joan Davis, Dick Foran, Irene Hervey, and Fuzzy Knight in He's My Guy (1943)
    He's My Guy
    • performer: "He's My Guy"
    • 1943
  • Bud Abbott, Laverne Andrews, Maxene Andrews, Patty Andrews, Evelyn Ankers, Mischa Auer, Richard Carlson, Lou Costello, Joan Davis, Ted Lewis, and The Andrews Sisters in Hold That Ghost (1941)
    Hold That Ghost
    • performer: "The Blue Danube Waltz" (1867) (uncredited)
    • 1941
  • Shirley Temple, Joan Davis, Amanda Duff, Charles Farrell, Bert Lahr, and Bill Robinson in Just Around the Corner (1938)
    Just Around the Corner
    • performer: "This Is a Happy Little Ditty" (1938) (uncredited)
    • 1938
  • John Barrymore, Joan Davis, Jack Haley, George Murphy, and Marjorie Weaver in Hold That Co-ed (1938)
    Hold That Co-ed
    • performer: "Limpy Dimp" (1938) (uncredited)
    • 1938
  • Richard Greene and Sonja Henie in My Lucky Star (1938)
    My Lucky Star
    • performer: "Could You Pass in Love?", "This May Be the Night", "I've Got a Date with a Dream" (uncredited)
    • 1938
  • Tyrone Power, Sonja Henie, and Arthur Treacher in Der Komet (1937)
    Der Komet
    • performer: "I'm Olga From the Volga", "My Swiss Hilly Billy"
    • 1937

Videos16

Trailer
Trailer 1:40
Trailer
Trailer
Trailer 2:10
Trailer
I Married Joan: Prize Fighter
Trailer 1:03
I Married Joan: Prize Fighter
I Married Joan: Home Movies
Trailer 1:04
I Married Joan: Home Movies
I Married Joan: Neighbors
Trailer 1:09
I Married Joan: Neighbors
I Married Joan: Alienation
Trailer 1:08
I Married Joan: Alienation
I Married Joan: Sister Pat
Trailer 1:06
I Married Joan: Sister Pat
I Married Joan: Changing Houses
Trailer 1:10
I Married Joan: Changing Houses
I Married Joan: Honeymoon
Trailer 1:24
I Married Joan: Honeymoon
I Married Joan: New House
Trailer 1:24
I Married Joan: New House
I Married Joan: Talent Scout
Trailer 1:08
I Married Joan: Talent Scout
I Married Joan: Wall Safe
Trailer 1:05
I Married Joan: Wall Safe

Personal details

Edit
  • Height
    • 5′ 5″ (1.65 m)
  • Born
    • June 29, 1912
    • St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
  • Died
    • May 22, 1961
    • Palm Springs, California, USA(heart attack)
  • Spouse
    • Si WillsAugust 13, 1931 - December 8, 1948 (divorced, 1 child)
  • Other works
    Unsold pilot: Starred in a comedy pilot entitled, "Joan of Arkansas" about a klutzy woman who was chosen by a computer to be the ideal candidate to be the first "man on the moon." The pilot co-starred John Emery, Whit Bissell, Ben Wright, Wilton Graff, Lee Patrick, Paul Frees, Robert Brubaker, Jolene Brand, and Olan Soule.
  • Publicity listings
    • 3 Print Biographies
    • 3 Articles

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    On October 24, 1963, her mother, daughter Beverly Wills and two grandsons perished in a housefire in Palm Springs, California.
  • Quotes
    I don't get it. Unless my mirror lies to me, I'm not bad looking. But let me get one look at that face on the screen and I'm sick for a week.

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