Joanne Dru (born Joan Letitia LaCock;Known as Joan Lacock in th
1930 United States census
/ref> January 31, 1922 – September 10, 1996) was an American film and television actress, known for such films as '' Red River'', ''

She Wore a Yellow Ribbon ''She Wore a Yellow Ribbon'' is a 1949 American Technicolor Western film directed by John Ford and starring John Wayne. It is the second film in Ford's "Cavalry Trilogy", along with '' Fort Apache'' (1948) and ''Rio Grande'' (1950). With a budg ...

'', ''

All the King's Men ''All the King's Men'' is a 1946 novel by Robert Penn Warren. The novel tells the story of charismatic populist governor Willie Stark and his political machinations in the Depression-era Deep South. It was inspired by the real-life story of U.S ...

'', and ''

Wagon Master ''Wagon Master'' is a 1950 American Western film produced and directed by John Ford and starring Ben Johnson, Harry Carey Jr., Joanne Dru, and Ward Bond. The screenplay concerns a Mormon pioneer wagon train to the San Juan River in Utah. The ...

''.

Career

Born in

Logan, West Virginia Logan is a city in Logan County, West Virginia, United States, along the Guyandotte River. The population was 1,438 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Logan County. History What is now Logan was initially called "Islands of the Guyandot" ...

, Dru moved to New York City in 1940 at the age of eighteen. After finding employment as a model, she was chosen by

Al Jolson Al Jolson (born Eizer Yoelson; June 9, 1886 – October 23, 1950) was a Lithuanian-American Jews, Jewish singer, comedian, actor, and vaudevillian. He was one of the United States' most famous and highest-paid stars of the 1920s, and was self-bi ...

to appear in the cast of his

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

show '' Hold On to Your Hats''. When she moved to

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood, ...

, she found work in the

theater Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actor, actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The p ...

. Dru was spotted by a talent scout and made her first film appearance in ''

Abie's Irish Rose ''Abie's Irish Rose'' is a popular comedy by Anne Nichols, which premiered in 1922. Initially a Broadway play, it has become familiar through repeated stage productions, films and radio programs. The basic premise involves an Irish Catholic girl ...

'' (1946). Over the next decade, Dru appeared frequently in films and on television. She was often cast in

western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

films such as

Howard Hawks Howard Winchester Hawks (May 30, 1896December 26, 1977) was an American film director, producer and screenwriter of the classic Hollywood era. Critic Leonard Maltin called him "the greatest American director who is not a household name." A v ...

's '' Red River'' (1948),

John Ford John Martin Feeney (February 1, 1894 – August 31, 1973), known professionally as John Ford, was an American film director and naval officer. He is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers of his generation. He ...

's ''

'' (1949), and ''

'' (1950). She gave a well-received performance in the dramatic film ''

'' (1949), which went on to win the Academy Award for Best Picture, played a college graduate turned gangster's unhappy

moll Moll can refer to: As a name * Moll (surname) * Moll Anderson, interior designer, life stylist, author, and former national iHeart Radio host * Moll Anthony, aka Mary Lesson (1807–1878), Irish ''bean feasa'' (wise-woman) * Moll Cutpurse, a ...

opposite

Edmund O'Brien Eamon Joseph O'Brien (September 10, 1915 – May 9, 1985) was an American actor and film director. His career spanned almost 40 years, and he won one Academy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. O'Brien w ...

in the crime noir

711 Ocean Drive ''711 Ocean Drive'' is a 1950 American crime film noir directed by Joseph M. Newman and starring Edmond O'Brien, Joanne Dru and Otto Kruger. Plot Telephone technician Mal Granger, with knowledge of telephones and electronics, is hired by gangster ...

(1950), and co-starred with

Dan Dailey Daniel James Dailey Jr. (December 14, 1915 – October 16, 1978) was an American dancer and actor. He is best remembered for a series of popular musicals he made at 20th Century Fox such as ''Mother Wore Tights'' (1947). Biography Early life Da ...

in ''

The Pride of St. Louis ''The Pride of St. Louis'' is a 1952 American biographical film of the life of Major League Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Dizzy Dean. It starred Dan Dailey as Dean, Joanne Dru as his wife, and Richard Crenna as his brother Paul "Daffy" Dean, a ...

'' (1952), about major-league baseball pitcher Jerome "Dizzy" Dean. She appeared in the

James Stewart James Maitland Stewart (May 20, 1908 – July 2, 1997) was an American actor and military pilot. Known for his distinctive drawl and everyman screen persona, Stewart's film career spanned 80 films from 1935 to 1991. With the strong morality h ...

drama ''

Thunder Bay Thunder Bay is a city in and the seat of Thunder Bay District, Ontario, Canada. It is the most populous municipality in Northwestern Ontario and the second most populous (after Greater Sudbury) municipality in Northern Ontario; its population ...

'' in 1953 and then the

Martin and Lewis Martin and Lewis were an American comedy duo, comprising singer Dean Martin and comedian Jerry Lewis. They met in 1945 and debuted at Atlantic City's 500 Club on July 25, 1946; the team lasted ten years to the day. Before they teamed up, Martin w ...

comedy '' 3 Ring Circus'' (1954). Her film career petered out by the end of the 1950s, but she continued working frequently in television, most notably as Babs Hooten on the 1960–61

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

sitcom A sitcom, a portmanteau of situation comedy, or situational comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who mostly carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troupe may use ne ...

, ''

Guestward, Ho! ''Guestward, Ho!'' is an American sitcom which aired on the ABC network in the 1960-1961 television season. It was based on the 1956 comic memoir of the same title by New Mexico dude ranch operator Barbara "Babs" Hooton, written in cooperation wi ...

''. After ''Guestward, Ho!'', she appeared sporadically for the rest of the 1960s and the first half of the 1970s, with one feature film appearance, in '' Sylvia'' (1965), and eight television appearances. For her contribution to the television industry, Dru was awarded a star on the

Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Californ ...

Personal life

She was the elder sister of

Peter Marshall Peter Marshall may refer to: Entertainment * Peter Marshall (entertainer) (born 1926), American game show host of ''The Hollywood Squares'', 1966–1981 * Peter Marshall (author, born 1939) (1939–1972), British novelist whose works include ''Th ...

, an actor and singer best known as the original host of the American game show ''

Hollywood Squares ''Hollywood Squares'' (originally ''The Hollywood Squares'') is an American game show in which two contestants compete in a game of tic-tac-toe to win cash and prizes. The show piloted on NBC in 1965 and the regular series debuted in 1966 on the ...

''. Dru married popular vocalist and actor

Dick Haymes Richard Benjamin Haymes (September 13, 1918 – March 28, 1980) was an Argentinian singer and actor. He was one of the most popular male vocalists of the 1940s and early 1950s. He was the older brother of Bob Haymes, an actor, television host ...

in 1941. The couple had three children. Divorced from Haymes in 1949, Dru married ''Red River'' and ''All the King's Men'' co-star

John Ireland John Benjamin Ireland (January 30, 1914 – March 21, 1992) was a Canadian actor. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his performance in ''All the King's Men'' (1949), making him the first Vancouver-born actor to receive an Oscar nomin ...

less than a month later. The pair divorced in 1957. She had no children from her marriage to Ireland, or subsequent two marriages. She was a staunch

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

, supporting

Barry Goldwater Barry Morris Goldwater (January 2, 1909 – May 29, 1998) was an American politician and United States Air Force officer who was a five-term U.S. Senator from Arizona (1953–1965, 1969–1987) and the Republican Party nominee for presiden ...

in the

1964 United States presidential election The 1964 United States presidential election was the 45th quadrennial United States presidential election, presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 3, 1964. Incumbent Democratic Party (United States), Democratic President of the Un ...

and appeared at a 1968 GOP cocktail party fundraiser for

Richard Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a representative and senator from California and was ...

Death

Dru died in

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

on September 10, 1996, aged 74, from a respiratory ailment that developed from

lymphedema Lymphedema, also known as lymphoedema and lymphatic edema, is a condition of localized swelling caused by a compromised lymphatic system. The lymphatic system functions as a critical portion of the body's immune system and returns interstitial fl ...

, a result of chemotherapy she had received over her lifetime, according to her brother. Her ashes were scattered into the

Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...

Selected filmography

* ''

'' (1946) – Rosemary Murphy Levy * '' Red River'' (1948) – Tess Millay * ''

'' (1949) – Olivia Dandridge * ''

'' (1949) – Anne Stanton * ''

'' (1950) – Denver * ''

'' (1950) – Gail Mason * ''

Vengeance Valley ''Vengeance Valley'' is a 1951 American Technicolor Western (genre), Western film directed by Richard Thorpe and starring Burt Lancaster, with a supporting cast featuring Robert Walker (actor, born 1918), Robert Walker, Joanne Dru, Sally Forres ...

'' (1951) – Jen Strobie * '' Mr. Belvedere Rings the Bell'' (1951) – Miss Harriet Tripp * ''

Return of the Texan ''Return of the Texan'' is a 1952 American Western film directed by Delmer Daves and starring Dale Robertson and Joanne Dru.The Pride of St. Louis ''The Pride of St. Louis'' is a 1952 American biographical film of the life of Major League Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Dizzy Dean. It starred Dan Dailey as Dean, Joanne Dru as his wife, and Richard Crenna as his brother Paul "Daffy" Dean, a ...

'' (1952) – Patricia Nash Dean * ''

My Pal Gus ''My Pal Gus'' is a 1952 comedy-drama film which follows Gus ( George Winslow), the young son of divorced industrialist Dave Jennings (Richard Widmark). Unable to cope with Gus' mischievous streak, Jennings places the boy in a day-care center. Gu ...

'' (1952) – Lydia Marble * ''

'' (1953) – Stella Rigaud * ''

Hannah Lee ''Hannah Lee'' (also known as ''Outlaw Territory'' and ''Hannah Lee: An American Primitive'') is a 1953 American Western film directed by Lee Garmes and John Ireland. It was originally filmed in stereoscopic 3-D Pathécolor using the twin-Cam ...

'' (1953) – Hannah Lee (Hallie McLaird) * '' Forbidden'' (1953) – Christine Lawrence Manard * ''

Duffy of San Quentin ''Duffy of San Quentin'' is a 1954 American film noir crime film directed by Walter Doniger and written by Walter Doniger and Berman Swarttz. The film stars Louis Hayward, Joanne Dru, Paul Kelly, Maureen O'Sullivan, George Macready and Horace ...

'' (1954) – Anne Halsey * ''

Southwest Passage ''Southwest Passage'' is a 1954 American Pathécolor Western film directed by Ray Nazarro and starring Joanne Dru, Rod Cameron and John Ireland, who are determined to make a unique trek across the west, using camels as his beasts of burden. T ...

'' (1954) – Lilly * ''

Siege at Red River ''Siege at Red River'' is a 1954 American Western film directed by Rudolph Maté and written by Sydney Boehm. The film stars Van Johnson, Joanne Dru, Richard Boone, Milburn Stone, Jeff Morrow, and Craig Hill. The film was released on May 1, ...

'' (1954) – Nora Curtis * '' 3 Ring Circus'' (1954) – Jill Brent * ''

Day of Triumph ''Day of Triumph'' is a 1954 American drama film directed by Irving Pichel and John T. Coyle, from a screenplay by Arthur T. Horman. The film stars Lee J. Cobb, Robert Wilson, James Griffith, and Joanne Dru. This was the last film directed by Ir ...

'' (1954) – Mary Magdalene * ''

The Dark Avenger ''The Dark Avenger'' is a 1955 British historical action adventure film directed by Henry Levin. The screenplay was written by Daniel B. Ullman (and an uncredited Phil Park). The film stars Errol Flynn, Joanne Dru and Peter Finch. The music ...

'' (1955) – Lady Joan Holland * '' Sincerely Yours'' (1955) – Marion Moore * ''

Hell on Frisco Bay ''Hell on Frisco Bay'' is a 1956 American CinemaScope film noir crime film directed by Frank Tuttle and starring Alan Ladd, Edward G. Robinson and Joanne Dru. It was made for Ladd's own production company, Jaguar. The film featured an early ...

'' (1956) – Marcia Rollins * ''

Drango ''Drango'' is a 1957 American Western film produced by Jeff Chandler's production company Earlmar Productions, written and directed by Hall Bartlett, and released by United Artists. Starring Chandler in the title role, the film also features ...

'' (1957) – Kate Calder * ''

The Light in the Forest ''The Light in the Forest'' is a novel first published in 1953 by U.S. author Conrad Richter. Though it is a work of fiction and primarily features fictional characters, the novel incorporates historic figures and is based in historical fact rel ...

'' (1958) – Milly Elder * ''

The Wild and the Innocent ''The Wild and the Innocent'' is a 1959 American CinemaScope Western film directed by Jack Sher and starring Audie Murphy and Sandra Dee as two inexperienced young people who get into trouble when they visit a town for the very first time. The ...

'' (1959) – Marcy * ''

September Storm ''September Storm'' is a 1960 American adventure film directed by Byron Haskin and starring Joanne Dru and Mark Stevens. Filmed in 3-D and DeLuxe Color and presented in CinemaScope, it is notable as the only U.S. feature film made in 3-D betwee ...

'' (1960) – Anne Traymore * '' Sylvia'' (1965) – Jane (Bronson) Phillips * ''

Super Fuzz ''Super Fuzz'' ( it, Poliziotto superpiù), also known as ''Super Snooper'', is a 1980 superhero comedy film directed by Sergio Corbucci. The film stars Terence Hill and Ernest Borgnine. It is about Dave Speed, a bumbling Miami police officer who ...

'' (''Poliziotto superpiù'') (1980) – Rosy Labouche (final film role)

Radio appearances

References

External links

* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Dru, Joanne 1922 births 1996 deaths 20th-century American actresses Actresses from West Virginia American film actresses American television actresses California Republicans Deaths from edema Actors from Huntington, West Virginia People from Logan, West Virginia People from Los Angeles Virginia Republicans Western (genre) film actresses