Joan Caulfield

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Joan Caulfield
Born
Beatrice Joan Caulfield

(1922-06-01)June 1, 1922
West Orange, New Jersey, U.S.
DiedJune 18, 1991(1991-06-18) (aged 69)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation(s)Actress, model
Years active1941–1987
Spouses
​
​
(m. 1950; div. 1960)​
Robert Peterson
​
​
(m. 1960; div. 1966)​
Children2
RelativesGenevieve Caulfield (aunt)

Beatrice Joan Caulfield (June 1, 1922 – June 18, 1991) was an American actress and model. After being discovered by Broadway producers, she began a stage career in 1943 that eventually led to signing as an actress with Paramount Pictures.

Early life and education[edit]

Beatrice Joan Caulfield was born on June 1, 1922, in West Orange, New Jersey.[1][2] She attended Miss Beard's School in Orange, New Jersey.[3] Caulfield was the niece of Genevieve Caulfield, who received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1963 for her work with blind children.[4] During her teenage years, the family moved to New York City, where she attended Columbia University. While at Columbia, Caulfield acted in many plays presented by the university's drama group. She also was a model with the Harry Conover Agency and "became a favorite with top-drawer fashion magazines", with her pictures appearing in many national magazines,[5] including being on the cover of Life magazine's May 11, 1942, issue.[6]

Career[edit]

Stage[edit]

Caulfield appeared on Broadway in Beat the Band in 1942. It ran for 67 performances.[7]

She acted as Corliss Archer in the 1943 comedy Kiss and Tell. It was a huge success, running for 956 performances until 1945. After a year in the role, Caulfield left to pursue offers from Hollywood and she was replaced by her sister Betty Caulfield.[citation needed]

Film[edit]

In July 1944, Paramount put Caulfield in a lead role in her first film: Miss Susie Slagle's (1946).[8] Made after but released earlier was Duffy's Tavern (1945), in which Caulfield had a cameo along with most of Paramount's talent roster.[citation needed]

Caulfield acted in Monsieur Beaucaire (1946), Blue Skies (1946),[9][10][11] Dear Ruth (1947), Welcome Stranger (1947), and had a cameo in Variety Girl (1947).[10] Caulfield acted in The Unsuspected (1947),[12] The Sainted Sisters (1948), Larceny (1948), and Dear Wife (1948).

Caulfield went to Columbia to make a musical with Robert Cummings, The Petty Girl (1950).[13] She did a film for her husband's company, The Lady Says No (1951), releasing through United Artists.[14]

Television[edit]

In the early 1950s, Caulfield guest starred on television shows such as Robert Montgomery Presents, Lux Video Theatre, The Ford Television Theatre, Schlitz Playhouse and Hollywood Opening Night.[15]

In 1953, she signed a contract with CBS. In the 1953 and 1954 seasons,[5] she co-starred in the television version of My Favorite Husband.[16][17]

She had a supporting role in The Rains of Ranchipur (1955). In August 1955, she left her CBS contract to pursue feature work.[18]

She starred in Celebrity Playhouse, Schlitz Playhouse again, Screen Directors Playhouse, and The Ford Television Theatre again.

She was the subject of an episode of This Is Your Life in 1957.[16]

During the 1957–1958 season, Caulfield starred in Sally.[19]

When the series ended, Caulfield guest-starred on shows like Pursuit, General Electric Theater, Hong Kong, Cheyenne, Burke's Law, and My Three Sons. She did stage shows like I Am a Camera and had the occasional role in a feature, such as Cattle King (1963), Red Tomahawk (1967) and Buckskin (1967).[20]

In 1967, she starred in the TV series The High Chaparral.

Later years[edit]

In the 1960s and 1970s, Caulfield was active in touring companies of plays, summer stock theater and dinner theater across the country.[5] She guest starred in a 1966 episode of My Three Sons. She starred in the pilot for The Magician (1973), The Daring Dobermans (1973), The Hatfields and the McCoys (1975), The Space-Watch Murders (1975), Pony Express Rider (1976), and episodes of Baretta and Murder, She Wrote.

Personal life[edit]

In 1950, Caulfield married film producer Frank Ross, with whom she had a son, Caulfield Kevin Ross (born 1959). Ross produced and directed her 1951 film The Lady Says No, with David Niven taking second billing as her romantic interest[clarification needed].[21] She separated from Ross, blaming the stress of working on Sally, then found out she was pregnant. Ross and Caulfield divorced in 1960.[22][23][24][25]

In 1960, Caulfield married dentist Robert Peterson, with whom she had her second son, John Caulfield Peterson (born 1962). In 1966, they divorced.[26][27]

Caulfield was a Republican who campaigned for Dwight Eisenhower during the 1952 presidential election.[28]

Caulfield died from cancer, aged 69, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.[2] A.C. Lyles gave the eulogy.[29]

Legacy[edit]

Caulfield has a star in the Hollywood Walk of Fame.[30]

Radio appearances[edit]

Year Program Episode/source
1946 Lux Radio Theatre Miss Susie Slagle's[31]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Katz, Ephraim (1979). The Film Encyclopedia: The Most Comprehensive Encyclopedia of World Cinema in a Single Volume. Perigee. p. 218. ISBN 0399506012.
  2. ^ a b Glenn Fowler (20 June 1991). "Joan Caulfield, A Film Actress, Is Dead at 69". New York Times. Retrieved October 23, 2007.
  3. ^ "Joan Caulfield, Actress". Obituaries Today. Retrieved October 23, 2007. At Miss Beard's, a local private school, Joan made her stage debut in A Kiss for Cinderella
  4. ^ Moss, Ruth (20 October 1963). "She Proves the Blind Can Lead the Blind!". Chicago Tribune. pp. 5–2. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
  5. ^ a b c "Joan Caulfield To Shine At Hayloft". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. 23 July 1972. p. 80. Retrieved September 30, 2015 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  6. ^ "Model Becomes Broadway Actress". Life. April 12, 1943. p. 46. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
  7. ^ "Joan Caulfield". Playbill Vault. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
  8. ^ "Picture Plans". The Christian Science Monitor. 3 July 1944. p. 4.
  9. ^ "60 Top Grossers of 1946". Variety. 8 January 1947. p. 8,46.
  10. ^ a b Hedda Hopper (20 October 1946). "Joan Caulfield Keeps Cool: Neither Failure Nor Success Fazes Her". Los Angeles Times. p. B1.
  11. ^ "Joan Caulfield". Chicago Daily Tribune. May 2, 1948. p. f2.
  12. ^ Thomas F. Brady (Jan 4, 1947). "Kanin to Produce 'Art of Murder': First Independent Films Will Be Released by U-l -- Curtiz Borrows Joan Caulfield". New York Times. p. 11.
  13. ^ John L Scott (18 Sep 1949). "Sweet Little Joan Caulfield Now Playing Sophisticated 'Petty Girl'". Los Angeles Times. p. D1.
  14. ^ E J Strong (24 September 1950). "Sweet Joan Caulfield Heeds Call to Try Talent as Comedienne: Joan Caulfield Trading Sweet Roles for Comedy". Los Angeles Times. p. D1.
  15. ^ Walter Ames (26 December 1952). "Joan Caulfield Is Real TV Convert; Benny Opposes Any Format for Air Show". Los Angeles Times. p. 18.
  16. ^ a b "A Style Show With Joan Caulfield". The Times. 6 July 1957. p. 11. Retrieved September 30, 2015 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  17. ^ "Joan Caulfield Gets Wish". The Washington Post. 8 Nov 1953. p. L4.
  18. ^ "Joan Caulfield Quits TV for Theater Films". Los Angeles Times. 12 August 1955. p. B5.
  19. ^ Oscar Godbout (25 August 1957). "Frank – A Family Affair: Movie Man and Wife Joan Caulfield, Turn To TV With 'Sally' Separate Drawbacks". New York Times. p. 123.
  20. ^ Folkart, Burt A. (19 June 1991). "Joan Caulfield; Actress in TV and Movies". Los Angeles Times (Home ed.). p. 20.
  21. ^ "Joan Caulfield to Wed". The Washington Post. Feb 28, 1950. p. 6.
  22. ^ Vernon Scott (6 December 1959). "Joan Caulfield, Real Life Soap Opera Heroine". Chicago Tribune. p. 3D. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
  23. ^ "Joan Caulfield Seeking Divorce". New York Times. 17 Mar 1959. p. 40.
  24. ^ Vernon, Scott (Dec 6, 1959). "Joan Caulfield, Real Life Soap Opera Heroine". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. nD.
  25. ^ "Joan Caulfield Divorces Film Producer Ross". Los Angeles Times. 10 April 1959. p. 2.
  26. ^ "Joan Caulfield Rewed". New York Times. 25 November 1960. p. 30.
  27. ^ "Joan Caulfield Given Divorce". New York Times. May 20, 1966. p. 38.
  28. ^ Motion Picture and Television Magazine. Ideal Publishers. November 1952. p. 34. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  29. ^ "Memorial Rite for Joan Caulfield Slated Sunday". Los Angeles Times. 21 June 1991. p. OCA28.
  30. ^ "Joan Caulfield". Hollywood Walk of Fame. Retrieved 1 October 2015.
  31. ^ "Lux Star". Harrisburg Telegraph. October 19, 1946. p. 17. Retrieved September 29, 2015 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon

External links[edit]

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