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Joan Woodbury (1915–1989)

Tall, provocative actress Joan Woodbury (aka Nana Martinez) was born Joanne Elmer Woodbury in Los Angeles, California, on December 17, 1915. Of Danish, English and Indian heritage, she was educated for seven years in a convent school. Trained in dance, she was already performing in her mid-teens by the time she graduated from Hollywood High School... See full bio »

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Known For

Forty Naughty Girls
Forty Naughty Girls Rita Marlowe
(1937)
Brenda Starr, Reporter
Brenda Starr, Reporter Brenda Starr
(1945)
Phantom Killer
Phantom Killer Barbara Mason
(1942)
The Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments Korah's Wife
(1956)
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Filmography

Hide Hide Show Show Actress (81 credits)
 1964 The Time Travelers
Gadra
 1956 The Ten Commandments
Korah's Wife
 1956 Come Next Spring
Melinda Little (uncredited)
 1948 Here Comes Trouble
Bubbles LaRue
 1947 Yankee Fakir
Mary Mason
 1947 The Arnelo Affair
Claire Lorrison
 1946 Blue Skies
Flo (uncredited)
 1945 Northwest Trail
Katherine Owens
 1945 Flame of the West
Poppy Rand
 1945 Ten Cents a Dance
Babe
 1945 Bring on the Girls
Gloria
 1945 Brenda Starr, Reporter
Brenda Starr
 1944 Bonnie Lassie (Short)
Lillith
 1944 Charlie Chan in the Chinese Cat
Leah Manning
 1944 The Whistler
Antoinette 'Toni' Vigran (uncredited)
 1943 Here Comes Kelly
Margie Burke
 1943 The Desperadoes
Sundown
 1943 You Can't Beat the Law
Amy Duncan
 1943 The Hard Way
Maria (uncredited)
 1942 The Living Ghost
Billie Hilton
 1942 Phantom Killer
Barbara Mason
 1942 Sunset Serenade
Vera Martin
 1942 A Yank in Libya
Nancy Brooks
 1942 Sweetheart of the Fleet
Kitty Leslie
 1942 Dr. Broadway
Margie Dove
 1942 Shut My Big Mouth
Maria
 1942 Man from Headquarters
Ann Weston
 1941 I Killed That Man
Geri Reynolds
 1941 Two Latins from Manhattan
Lois Morgan
 1941 I'll Sell My Life
Valencia Duncan
 1941 Paper Bullets
Rita Adams
 1941 King of the Zombies
Barbara Winslow
 1941 Ride on Vaquero
Dolores
 1941 In Old Cheyenne
Della Casey aka Dolores Casino
 1940 Go West
Melody (uncredited)
 1940 Barnyard Follies
Dolly
 1940 Sauce for the Gander
Mrs. Tupper
 1939 Chasing Danger
Hazila
 1939 Mystery of the White Room
Lila Haines
 1938 While New York Sleeps
Nora Parker
 1938 Always in Trouble
Pearl Mussendorfer
 1938 Cipher Bureau
Therese Brahm
 1938 Passport Husband
Conchita Montez
 1938 Night Spot
Marge Dexter
 1938 Algiers
Aicha
 1938 Crashing Hollywood
Barbara Lang
 1937 Luck of Roaring Camp
Elsie
 1937 Living on Love
Edith Crumwell
 1937 Charlie Chan on Broadway
Marie Collins
 1937 Forty Naughty Girls
Rita Marlowe
 1937 Super-Sleuth
Doris Duane
 1937 Lodge Night (Short)
Lola
 1937 There Goes My Girl
Margot Whitney
 1937 They Gave Him a Gun
Toto - French Girl (uncredited)
 1937 Nobody's Baby
Replacement Dancer (uncredited)
 1937 Midnight Court
Chiquita (as John Woodbury)
 1937 God's Country and the Woman
French Woman in Elevator (uncredited)
 1936 Charlie Chan at the Opera
Dancer in Opera (uncredited)
 1936 Song of the Gringo
Lolita Valle
 1936 Anthony Adverse
Half-Caste Dancing Girl (uncredited)
 1936 The Lion's Den
Ann Mervin
 1936 The Rogues' Tavern
Gloria Robloff
 1936 Here Comes Trouble
Senorita (uncredited)
 1936 Dangerous Waters
Valparaiso Bar Girl - Facing Wall (uncredited)
 1935 Bulldog Courage
Helen Brennan
 1935 The Fighting Coward
Marie Russell
 1935 Okay, José (Short)
Dancer (uncredited)
 1935 The Eagle's Brood
Dolores (as Nana Martinez)
 1935 Charlie Chan in Shanghai
Dancer in Versailles Cafe (uncredited)
 1935 Harmony Lane
French Singer - 'Oh Susannah' (uncredited)
 1935 Call of the Wild
Show Girl (uncredited)
 1935 The Bride of Frankenstein
Queen (uncredited)
 1935 Without Children
Secretary (uncredited)
 1935 Folies Bergère de Paris
Girl in Bar (uncredited)
 1934 Lost in the Stratosphere
Catherine O'Toole (uncredited)
 1934 The Count of Monte Cristo
Dancing Girl (uncredited)
 1934 8 Girls in a Boat
School Girl (uncredited)
 1922 The Half Breed
Minor role (uncredited)
Show Show Music department (1 credit)
Show Show Soundtrack (7 credits)
Show Show Self (2 credits)
Show Show Archive footage (1 credit)
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Personal Details

Publicity Listings:

1 Pictorial | See more »

Alternate Names:

Nana Martinez | John Woodbury

Spouse:

Ray Mitchell  (her death) | See more »

Parents:

Elmer Franklin Woodbury | Joan Meta (Hadenfeldt) Woodbury
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Did You Know?

Personal Quote:

I don't blame the studios [for typecasting me]. I certainly didn't look much like the girl next door. A cameraman once told me I had the longest face in the picture business. See more »

Trivia:

Father Elmer owned a hotel; mother Joan Hedenfeldt, a one-time vaudevillian, was a Pasadena Tournament of Roses Queen of 1907. Her parents divorced when Joan was 10. Following this Joan's mother entered her daughter into a convent and pursued a European operatic career for several years before returning. See more »

Nickname:

Queen of the B's
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