Joan Woodbury

About Joan Woodbury

Who is it?: Actress, Soundtrack, Music Department
Birth Day: December 17, 1915
Birth Place:  Los Angeles, California, United States
Other names: Nana Martínez
Years active: 1934–1964
Spouse(s): Henry Wilcoxon (1938–69; divorced); 3 children Ray Mitchell (1971–1989; her death)
Children: Wendy, Heather and Cecilia

Joan Woodbury

Joan Woodbury was born on December 17, 1915 in  Los Angeles, California, United States, is Actress, Soundtrack, Music Department. Tall, provocative actress Joan Woodbury (aka Nana Martinez) was born Joanne Elma Woodbury in Los Angeles on December 17, 1915. Of Danish, English and Indian heritage, she was educated for seven years in a convent. Trained in dance, she was already performing in her mid-teens by the time she graduated from Hollywood High School. A solo dancer at one point with the Agua Caliente dance company, she broke into films at age 19, her exotic beauty being her "in" to the picture business.For many years Joan was relegated to atmospheric bit parts as assorted dancing girls, barmaids, secretaries and the like. Once she progressed to co-starring roles, her characters often provided a foreign allure (Hispanic, French, Asian) playing femmes with such desirous names as Lolita, Dolores and Toto. She managed to churn out a feisty score of ladies and girlfriends for about a decade and a half (1934-1949).Joan was featured in a number of "Charlie Chan" entries of the 1930s, particularly Charlie Chan on Broadway (1937) wherein she turned heads performing a very sultry dance routine. A resilient western player as well, she appeared opposite a number of cowboy heroes including William Boyd when she played her memorable role as Dolores in the second Hopalong Cassidy film, The Eagle's Brood. Joan also played opposite Roy Rogers and Johnny Mack Brown among others. Her her first co-starring role, in fact, came opposite sagebrush star Tim McCoy (in a dual role) in Bulldog Courage (1935). One of her finest moments in the limelight has to be her titular role in the Columbia serial Brenda Starr, Reporter (1945), in which she gave a fine, spirited performance as the intrepid heroine.After retiring from films in the 1960s, she became a stage producer and director of grand and light operas for the Redlands (California) Bowl. Married twice -- to actor/producer Henry Wilcoxon and then actor Ray Mitchell -- Joan and her second husband subsequently co-founded the Palm Springs-based Valley Players Guild, staging plays that featured other veteran performers. She died of a respiratory ailment in 1989 and was survived by three children from her first marriage to Wilcoxon.
Joan Woodbury is a member of Actress

Does Joan Woodbury Dead or Alive?

As per our current Database, Joan Woodbury has been died on February 22, 1989(1989-02-22) (aged 73)\nDesert Hot Springs, California, U.S..

🎂 Joan Woodbury - Age, Bio, Faces and Birthday

When Joan Woodbury die, Joan Woodbury was 73 years old.

Popular As Joan Woodbury
Occupation Actress
Age 73 years old
Zodiac Sign Capricorn
Born December 17, 1915 ( Los Angeles, California, United States)
Birthday December 17
Town/City  Los Angeles, California, United States
Nationality United States

🌙 Zodiac

Joan Woodbury’s zodiac sign is Capricorn. According to astrologers, Capricorn is a sign that represents time and responsibility, and its representatives are traditional and often very serious by nature. These individuals possess an inner state of independence that enables significant progress both in their personal and professional lives. They are masters of self-control and have the ability to lead the way, make solid and realistic plans, and manage many people who work for them at any time. They will learn from their mistakes and get to the top based solely on their experience and expertise.

🌙 Chinese Zodiac Signs

Joan Woodbury was born in the Year of the Rabbit. Those born under the Chinese Zodiac sign of the Rabbit enjoy being surrounded by family and friends. They’re popular, compassionate, sincere, and they like to avoid conflict and are sometimes seen as pushovers. Rabbits enjoy home and entertaining at home. Compatible with Goat or Pig.

Some Joan Woodbury images

Biography/Timeline

1922

When she was four years old Joan had an 18 year old live-in governess, Marie Sandow. In 1922, when she was six years old, she was selected for the leading role in a series of children's fairy story films: an article about this in the San Francisco Chronicle commented "Joan Woodbury has been known for some time as America's 100 Per Cent Child, and has been photographed, sketched and painted by many artists." She first studied for seven years in a convent, later trained in dance, and eventually graduated from Hollywood High School. Woodbury began dancing for the Agua Caliente dance company, and at 19 decided to attempt a career in acting.

1934

She moved to Hollywood and that same year received her first acting role in the 1934 film Eight Girls in a Boat, which was uncredited. Another uncredited role followed, with her first credited role being in the 1934 film One Exciting Adventure, which starred Binnie Barnes. Her first major role, billed as Nana Martinez, was in a Hopalong Cassidy movie The Eagle's Brood. Woodbury appeared in fifteen films from 1934 through 1935, of which ten were uncredited.

1936

In 1936, her career began to become more successful, with appearances in eight films that year, of which five were uncredited. However, of the three roles that were credited, Woodbury made an impact, and caught the attention of studios. Her mixture of Danish, British and Native American heritage gave her an exotic appearance, and allowed her to be cast in many different ethnicities, from Hispanic to French and Asian. By 1937 her career had taken off, mostly in B-movies such as Living on Love and Bulldog Courage, but also with her receiving many credited roles.

1937

In 1937, Woodbury starred in her first of several credited Charlie Chan films, titled Charlie Chan on Broadway. She also began appearing in numerous westerns, portraying the heroine opposite some of the 1930s biggest Cowboy actors, to include William Boyd of Hopalong Cassidy fame, Roy Rogers, and Johnny Mack Brown. Woodbury would appear in fifty films from 1937 to 1945, almost all of which were credited. Her most memorable of that period was her lead role in the serial Brenda Starr, Reporter, in 1945.

1938

On December 17, 1938, Woodbury married actor and Producer Henry Wilcoxon, with whom she had three daughters: Wendy Joan Robert (born 1939), Heather Ann (born 1947, named after Heather Angel) and Cecilia Dawn "CiCi" (1950, named after Cecil B. DeMille). They divorced in 1969. After the marriage, according to film critic Don Daynard, she "continued her career but never graduated from the minors", featuring in such films as Barnyard Follies, In Old Cheyenne and Brenda Starr, Reporter.

1946

In addition to managing their company, she continued to act on occasion, with her biggest role after 1946 being a minor credited part in the 1956 epic The Ten Commandments, starring Charlton Heston, Yul Brynner and Anne Baxter. Her last film appearance was a supporting role in the movie The Time Travelers (1964).

1963

When Woodbury retired she had appeared in 81 films, though a newspaper article published in 1963 reported that she had appeared in more than 300 films. Woodbury eventually settled in Desert Hot Springs, California, where she was residing at the time of her death at the age of 73.

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