Joanne Dru facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Joanne Dru
Dru in 1953
Born	Joan Letitia LaCock (1922-01-31)January 31, 1922 Logan, West Virginia, U.S.
Died	September 10, 1996(1996-09-10) (aged 74) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1946–1980
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Dick Haymes ​ ​ (m. 1941; div. 1949)​ John Ireland ​ ​ (m. 1949; div. 1957)​ George Pierose ​ ​ (m. 1963; died 1972)​ C. V. Wood ​ ​ (m. 1972; died 1992)​
Children	3
Relatives	Peter Marshall (brother) Pete LaCock (nephew)

Joanne Dru (born Joan Letitia LaCock) was an American actress who starred in many films and TV shows. She was born on January 31, 1922, and passed away on September 10, 1996.

Joanne Dru was famous for her roles in movies like Red River, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, All the King's Men, and Wagon Master.

Becoming an Actress

Joanne Dru was born in Logan, West Virginia. When she was 18, in 1940, she moved to New York City. She started her career as a model.

A famous entertainer named Al Jolson chose her to be in his Broadway show called Hold On to Your Hats. Later, she moved to Hollywood, where she acted in plays.

First Film Roles

A talent scout noticed Joanne Dru, and she made her first movie appearance in Abie's Irish Rose in 1946. For the next ten years, she was very busy acting in both movies and on television.

She often appeared in Western films. Some of her well-known Westerns include Howard Hawks's Red River (1948), John Ford's She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949), and Wagon Master (1950).

Later Career Highlights

Joanne Dru also gave a strong performance in the drama film All the King's Men (1949). This movie even won the Academy Award for Best Picture!

She also starred in the crime film 711 Ocean Drive (1950) and with Dan Dailey in The Pride of St. Louis (1952). This last film was about a famous baseball pitcher named Dizzy Dean.

In 1953, she appeared in the James Stewart drama Thunder Bay. The next year, she was in the comedy 3 Ring Circus (1954) with Martin and Lewis.

By the end of the 1950s, her movie career slowed down. However, she continued to work a lot in television. She was especially known for playing Babs Hooten in the TV show Guestward, Ho! from 1960 to 1961.

After Guestward, Ho!, she appeared in fewer roles in the 1960s and 1970s. She had one more movie role in Sylvia (1965) and a few TV appearances.

For her important work in television, Joanne Dru received a star on the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Personal Life

Joanne Dru was the older sister of Peter Marshall. He is an actor and singer, best known as the first host of the American game show Hollywood Squares.

Joanne Dru married singer and actor Dick Haymes in 1941. They had three children together. After they divorced in 1949, Dru married John Ireland less than a month later. He was her co-star in Red River and All the King's Men. They divorced in 1957. Joanne Dru did not have any more children from her later marriages.

She was a supporter of the Republican Party. She supported Barry Goldwater in the 1964 United States presidential election. She also attended a fundraiser for Richard Nixon in 1968.

Death

Joanne Dru passed away in Los Angeles, California, on September 10, 1996. She was 74 years old. Her brother said she died from a breathing illness. Her ashes were scattered into the Pacific Ocean.

Selected Filmography

Radio Appearances

See also

In Spanish: Joanne Dru para niños