JoAnn Dean Killingsworth facts for kids

JoAnn Dean Killingsworth, also known as JoAnn Dean, was an amazing American actress, dancer, and figure skater. She made history by becoming the very first person to play Snow White at Disneyland. This happened when the famous theme park first opened its doors on July 17, 1955. Since JoAnn first appeared as Snow White, more than 100 other actresses have taken on the role at Disneyland!

Early Life and Family

JoAnn Dean was born on September 23, 1923, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She was the youngest of two children. Her older brother's name was Donovan Dean. JoAnn grew up in Joliet, Illinois.

In 1931, her family moved to Los Angeles, California. This was during a tough time called the Great Depression. JoAnn's mother, Marion, was a widow. She opened a small restaurant to help pay for their apartment. The restaurant was in Hollywood, near Beverly Boulevard.

Her mother sold a full meal for only 35 cents. It included soup, salad, a main dish, vegetables, a baked potato, bread, coffee, and dessert. JoAnn started helping out at the restaurant when she was 12 years old. She worked as a waitress, and her brother washed dishes.

The restaurant did well. This success allowed JoAnn to take dance lessons.

A Career on Ice and Screen

In 1939, when JoAnn was 15, she convinced her mom to let her try out for an ice skating show. This show was at the Long Beach ice rink. She got the part! After that show, she was hired to skate in "It Happens on Ice." This was a big ice show at the famous Coconut Grove nightclub in Los Angeles.

Soon, JoAnn was performing in "Ice Queen of Norway." This was a traveling ice show created by the famous Norwegian skater, Sonja Henie. JoAnn even performed in New York City. She was partnered with actor and dancer, Gene Nelson. He became her long-term dance partner.

After leaving Sonja Henie's show, JoAnn and Gene Nelson teamed up again. They performed in another show called "It Happens on Ice" for two years. This show was at the Center Theatre in New York City. JoAnn stopped ice skating at age 18. She wanted to focus on dancing and acting. She moved back to Los Angeles to find roles in movies.

She also worked as a model for advertisements.

JoAnn Dean Killingsworth appeared in many films. She estimated that she acted, performed, or danced in over 100 movies! Some of her films included Silver Skates (1943) and Something for the Boys (1944). She was also in State Fair (1945) and Sabrina (1954). In the 1945 musical Diamond Horseshoe, she even danced while dressed as a teacup and saucer!

You can see JoAnn Killingsworth on the movie poster for Lullaby of Broadway. She is next to the film's star, Doris Day. JoAnn also appeared in that movie.

From 1953 to 1956, she was part of the "Redettes." This was the dance group on The Red Skelton Show.

Becoming Snow White

JoAnn Dean often performed with her dance partner, Gene Nelson. Gene's wife, Miriam Nelson, was a choreographer. She was looking for performers for a TV special. This special was getting ready for the opening of Disneyland in 1955. Disneyland was going to open in Anaheim, California.

Miriam Nelson chose JoAnn to be Disneyland's first Snow White. Miriam remembered JoAnn in an interview. She said, "I thought JoAnn looked like Disney's Snow White, with her dark bangs." She also said JoAnn was "enthusiastic, bubbly, and always in good spirits." JoAnn was 5 feet 3 inches tall. She had dark hair and looked a lot like the animated Snow White.

In 1955, JoAnn was 31 years old. She got a phone call inviting her to play Snow White. This was for a 90-minute TV special on the opening day of Disneyland. At the time, JoAnn had never heard of ABC, Disneyland, or Anaheim. But she took the one-day job. She became Disneyland's very first Snow White on July 17, 1955.

About 30,000 guests came to Disneyland's opening day. This included important people and celebrities like Sammy Davis Jr., Frank Sinatra, and Debbie Reynolds. Another 90 million people watched the TV special at home. JoAnn's Snow White was the only Disney Princess to have her own float in the opening parade.

At the end of the opening ceremony, an announcer said that Disneyland's Fantasyland drawbridge would be lowered. This would open the park "in the name of the children of the world." JoAnn's Snow White and other characters, like the Seven Dwarfs, led hundreds of children across the bridge. JoAnn remembered that she and the other cast members ran across just before the children rushed in.

Her time as Disneyland's first Snow White ended on the park's first day. It was the only time she played Snow White at Disneyland. But JoAnn said it remained her most famous role.

For many years, JoAnn's role as the first Snow White was mostly forgotten. Then, in 1987, it was the 50th anniversary of the movie Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The Walt Disney Company celebrated by re-releasing the movie. They also looked for actresses who had played Snow White at Disneyland and other Disney parks.

However, the company could not find or identify Disneyland's first Snow White. This was because JoAnn had been hired by ABC, not Disney, for the TV special. JoAnn didn't know Disney was looking for her until a friend told her. She contacted the company and attended the reunion. About 50 former Snow Whites were there. JoAnn told the Associated Press, "I didn't realize Disney was looking for me." A Disney spokesperson confirmed she was the right person. The company gave her a special jewelry box to mark the anniversary.

Later Life and Hobbies

In 1958, JoAnn and her husband, Jim Killingsworth, moved from Hollywood. They moved to Balboa Island in Newport Beach, California. JoAnn did not want to travel from Balboa Island to Hollywood for work. So, this move ended her dancing career. But JoAnn said she had no regrets. She felt she had a "great life."

JoAnn and her husband started two publications about Orange County, California. In 1959, they launched a weekly newspaper called The Newporter. Their second publication was Orange County Illustrated. This was a magazine about life on the Orange Coast. The magazine stopped publishing in 1977 after the couple divorced. JoAnn then became a salesperson at Neiman Marcus.

In the 1970s, JoAnn had an unusual injury. She hurt her spine in her sleep. This limited how much she could move. To help with this, JoAnn started painting. Most of her paintings showed places she had visited. These included Spain, France, and Africa. She sold only one painting, which showed fish. She gave most of her other paintings to friends and family. Her art was shown at her retirement community in Brea.

In 2013, JoAnn moved from Balboa Island to a retirement village in Brea, California.

Death

JoAnn Dean Killingsworth passed away from cancer at her home in Brea, California, on June 20, 2015. She was 91 years old. She was survived by her stepsons, Bill and Larry, and her brother, Donovan. Her former husband, Jim Killingsworth, had passed away in 1993.

Her death happened less than a month before Disneyland's 60th anniversary. It was also almost 60 years since she first appeared as Snow White at the park's opening.