Joanna Moore facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Joanna Moore
Moore in 1964
Born	Dorothy Joanne Cook (1934-11-10)November 10, 1934 Parrott, Georgia, U.S.
Died	November 22, 1997(1997-11-22) (aged 63) Indian Wells, California, U.S.
Resting place	Oak Grove Cemetery, Americus, Georgia
Other names	Joanna Cook Moore
Alma mater	Agnes Scott College
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1957–1986
Spouse(s)	Willis Moore (m. 1951; div. 195?) Don Oreck ​ ​ (m. 1956; div. 1957)​ Ryan O'Neal ​ ​ (m. 1963; div. 1967)​ Gary L. Reeves ​ ​ (m. 1975; div. 1977)​
Children	Tatum O'Neal Griffin O'Neal

Joanna Moore (born Dorothy Joanne Cook, November 10, 1934 – November 22, 1997) was an American actress who starred in movies and TV shows. From 1956 to 1976, she appeared in 17 films and was a guest star in almost 100 television episodes. Later in her career, she took on fewer roles.

From 1963 to 1967, she was married to actor Ryan O'Neal. They had two children together, Griffin O'Neal and Tatum O'Neal.

Joanna Moore was most famous in the 1960s. During this time, she appeared on many popular TV shows. These included Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Perry Mason, The Fugitive, Bewitched, and The Real McCoys. She also had a special role as Peggy "Peg" McMillan, a love interest for Sheriff Andy Taylor, in four episodes of The Andy Griffith Show from 1962 to 1963. Moore also appeared in many TV Westerns like The Rifleman, Wagon Train, Gunsmoke, and The Virginian.

By the 1970s, she started appearing in fewer roles. Her last appearance on screen was in 1986. Joanna Moore passed away in 1997 from lung cancer.

Early Life and Acting Start

Joanna Moore was born Dorothy Joanne Cook in Americus, Georgia. She was the older of two daughters. When Joanna was a child in 1941, a very sad car accident happened, and she lost her parents and younger sister. After this, she was adopted by a kind local family and changed her name from Dorothy to Joanna.

After high school, she went to Agnes Scott College in Decatur, Georgia. While in college, she won a beauty contest. This win helped her get noticed and brought her to Hollywood. Her acting career began when a producer from Universal Studios saw her at a party.

A Look at Her Career

Acting in the 1950s

Joanna Moore made her first TV appearance on November 8, 1956, in an episode of Lux Video Theatre. The next year, she made her movie debut in the crime drama Appointment with a Shadow. She also appeared in TV shows like Goodyear Theatre and Harbormaster, and another film called Slim Carter.

In 1958, she had a small part in the classic film Touch of Evil, which starred famous actors like Orson Welles and Charlton Heston. She then had bigger roles in the horror film Monster on the Campus and the Western Ride a Crooked Trail.

From 1958 to 1959, Moore was a guest star on many TV shows. These included Westinghouse Studio One, The Real McCoys, Maverick, and The Rifleman. She also appeared on Perry Mason in 1958, playing the main character in the episode "The Case of the Terrified Typist".

Acting in the 1960s

During the 1960s, Joanna Moore continued to be a popular guest star on many TV shows, alongside her movie roles. From 1960 to 1961, she appeared on shows like The Rebel, The Untouchables, and 77 Sunset Strip.

In 1962, Moore played Miss Precious in the movie Walk on the Wild Side, which also starred Jane Fonda. She then appeared in the musical film Follow That Dream with Elvis Presley. That same year, Moore was in four episodes of The Andy Griffith Show as Peggy "Peg" McMillan, who was Sheriff Taylor's girlfriend. In 1963, she co-starred in Son of Flubber. She also made a second guest appearance on Perry Mason. In 1964, she was a guest star on Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre.

From 1965 to 1967, Moore appeared on shows like The Man from U.N.C.L.E., My Three Sons, and Peyton Place. Her husband at the time, Ryan O'Neal, also starred in Peyton Place. In 1967, Moore played Daphne Harper in an episode of Bewitched. She also had an uncredited role in the movie Nevada Smith, starring Steve McQueen.

Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Moore also made several appearances on The Millionaire, Route 66, Wagon Train, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Gunsmoke, and The Fugitive.

Acting in the 1970s and 1980s

In the 1970s, Moore continued to have guest roles on shows like Nanny and the Professor and McCloud. In 1973, she appeared in a TV movie based on the 1954 film Three Coins in the Fountain. In 1974, she was on The Waltons in an episode called "The Departure". In 1975, she co-starred in the movie The Hindenburg. The next year, she was a guest star on Petrocelli and The Blue Knight.

By the late 1970s, Moore's acting career began to slow down. Her only two on-screen appearances after 1976 were in a supporting role in the 1980 TV movie Scout's Honor, which starred Gary Coleman, and a small part in the 1986 Australian film Run Chrissie Run!. This was her final film role.

Personal Life

Hearing Loss

In the early 1960s, Joanna Moore experienced otosclerosis, a condition that caused her to lose her hearing. Her doctor explained that it was due to calcium building up in her middle ear. Moore said she had to read lips to understand what people were saying. Luckily, an operation in 1962 helped her get her hearing back.

Marriages and Children

On April 3, 1963, Joanna Moore married actor Ryan O'Neal. They had two children, Tatum O'Neal and Griffin O'Neal. The couple separated in early 1966, and their divorce was finalized in February 1967.

In February 1975, she married Gary L. Reeves, who worked in roofing. They divorced in 1977.

Death

Joanna Moore was a smoker for many years. In 1996, she was diagnosed with lung cancer. She passed away from the disease on November 22, 1997, just twelve days after her 63rd birthday. Her daughter Tatum was with her when she died. Joanna Moore was first buried in Redlands, California, but her family later moved her to Oak Grove Cemetery in her hometown of Americus, Georgia.

Selected Filmography