Jo Van Fleet facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jo Van Fleet
Van Fleet, c. 1955
Born	Catherine Josephine Van Fleet (1915-12-29)December 29, 1915 Oakland, California, U.S.
Died	June 10, 1996(1996-06-10) (aged 80) Jamaica, New York, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1944–1986
Spouse(s)	William G. Bales ​ ​ (m. 1946; his death 1990)​
Children	1

Catherine Josephine Van Fleet (born December 29, 1915 – died June 10, 1996) was an American actress. She performed on stage, in movies, and on television. Her career lasted over 40 years. Jo Van Fleet often played characters who were much older than her real age.

She won a Tony Award in 1954 for her role in the play The Trip to Bountiful. The next year, she won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her part in the movie East of Eden.

Early Life and Acting Training

Josephine Van Fleet was born in 1915 in Oakland, California. She was the younger of two daughters. Her parents were Roy H. Van Fleet and Elizabeth Catherine Gardner. Her father passed away when she was young.

By age five, Josephine lived in Oakland with her mother and older sister. Her mother worked as a saleslady to support the family.

Jo was interested in acting from a young age. She graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1936. After college, she worked as a high school teacher for several years. She then continued her acting studies at the College of the Pacific in Stockton, California. Later, she moved to New York City. There, she trained with famous acting teachers like Sanford Meisner at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre.

A Career on Stage and Screen

Jo Van Fleet started her professional acting career on stage in 1944. She quickly became known for her talent. In 1946, she performed on Broadway in Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale. In 1950, she appeared in King Lear.

In 1954, she won a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play. This was for her role as Jessie Mae Watts in The Trip to Bountiful. She acted alongside Lillian Gish and Eva Marie Saint in this play.

East of Eden (1955)

Even with her early success, Van Fleet kept improving her skills. She studied with well-known directors like Elia Kazan and Lee Strasberg at the Actors Studio in New York. Kazan directed her in plays like Flight to Egypt and Camino Real.

In 1954, Elia Kazan encouraged her to act in movies in Hollywood. He cast her in his film East of Eden (1955). This was her first movie role. She played Cathy Ames, the mother of James Dean's character. Critics praised her performance, and she won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

After East of Eden, she appeared in many films until 1960. These included The Rose Tattoo (1955), I'll Cry Tomorrow (1955), and Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957).

Van Fleet and Perkins in Look Homeward, Angel (1957)

In 1958, Van Fleet was nominated for another Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play. This was for her role in Look Homeward, Angel. She played the mother of Anthony Perkins' character.

Her later films included Wild River (1960). In this movie, she played an 89-year-old woman named Ella. Jo Van Fleet was only 44 at the time! She spent five hours every morning getting her makeup done to look so old.

Other notable roles include the Wicked Stepmother in Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella (1965). She also played Paul Newman's mother in Cool Hand Luke (1967).

Television Appearances

Jo Van Fleet also acted in many television shows. Some of these were Naked City, Thriller, and Bonanza. She gave a powerful performance as Mrs. Shrike in the 1956 episode "Shopping for Death" on Alfred Hitchcock Presents.

Her last performance was in the 1986 TV movie Seize the Day. A critic from The Washington Post praised her small but memorable role.

Personal Life and Legacy

In 1946, Jo Van Fleet married choreographer William G. Bales. They were married until his death in 1990. They had one son, Michael.

In February 1960, Jo Van Fleet received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It is located at 7010 Hollywood Boulevard. This honored her work in movies, on stage, and on television.

Jo Van Fleet passed away at age 80 in New York City in 1996.

Filmography