Joi Lansing (born Joy Rae Brown, April 6, 1929 – August 7, 1972) was an American model, film and television actress, and nightclub singer. She was noted for her

pin-up A pin-up model (known as a pin-up girl for a female and less commonly male pin-up for a male) is a model whose mass-produced pictures see widespread appeal as part of popular culture. Pin-up models were variously glamour models, fashion models ...

photos and roles in

B-movie A B movie or B film is a low-budget commercial motion picture. In its original usage, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the term more precisely identified films intended for distribution as the less-publicized bottom half of a double featur ...

s, as well as a prominent role in the famous opening "tracking shot" in

Orson Welles George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, known for his innovative work in film, radio and theatre. He is considered to be among the greatest and most influential f ...

' 1958 crime drama '' Touch of Evil''. Lansing was often cast in roles similar to those played by her contemporaries Jayne Mansfield and

Mamie Van Doren Mamie Van Doren (born Joan Lucille Olander; February 6, 1931) is an American actress, singer, and sex symbol. She is perhaps best known for the rock 'n' roll, juvenile delinquency exploitation film ''Untamed Youth'' (1957). Early life Van Do ...

. She frequently was clad in skimpy costumes and bikinis that accentuated her figure (34D bust), but she never posed nude. Publicity reports claimed that Lansing practiced

yoga Yoga (; sa, योग, lit=yoke' or 'union ) is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines which originated in ancient India and aim to control (yoke) and still the mind, recognizing a detached witness-consciou ...

for relaxation and was a devout

Mormon Mormons are a religious and cultural group related to Mormonism, the principal branch of the Latter Day Saint movement started by Joseph Smith in upstate New York during the 1820s. After Smith's death in 1844, the movement split into several ...

Early life

Lansing was born at

Salt Lake Regional Medical Center The Salt Lake Regional Medical Center is a 158-bed hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah. Salt Lake Regional Medical Center was formerly known as Holy Cross Hospital, which was one of the few Catholic hospitals in Utah for over a century. The hospital ...

in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1929 to Jack Glen Brown (also known as Glen Jack Brown and Glenn Jack Brown), a shoe salesman and orchestra musician, and Virginia Grace (née Shupe) Brown, a housewife. Other birth years given include 1928 (held by the Utah Historical Society records, per Dougherty, 2004), 1933, 1934, 1935, and 1936. She was later known by her stepfathers' surnames, i.e. Wassmansdorff and Loveland. In 1940, her family moved to Los Angeles, where her half-brother, Larry Vernon Loveland, stepsister Tammera Loveland, and stepbrother Kim Loveland were born. She began modeling at the age of 14 and was signed to an

MGM Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded on April 17, 1924 a ...

contract; she completed high school on the studio lot.

Career

Films

Lansing's film career began in 1948, and in 1952 she played an uncredited role in MGM's ''

Singin' in the Rain ''Singin' in the Rain'' is a 1952 American musical romantic comedy film directed and choreographed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, starring Kelly, Donald O'Connor, and Debbie Reynolds and featuring Jean Hagen, Millard Mitchell and Cyd Charis ...

''. She received top billing in ''

Hot Cars ''Hot Cars'' is a 1956 American film noir crime film directed by Don McDougall and written by Don Martin and Richard H. Landau. The film stars John Bromfield, Carol Shannon, Joi Lansing, Ralph Clanton, Mark Dana, Charles Keane and George Sawa ...

'' (1956), a crime drama involving a stolen-car racket. In the famous opening sequence of

's '' Touch of Evil'' (1958), she appeared as Zita, the dancer who dies in a car explosion at the end of the extended tracking shot after exclaiming to a border guard "I keep hearing this ticking noise inside my head!" She had a brief role as an astronaut's girlfriend in sci-fi parody '' Queen of Outer Space'' (1958) and had fourth billing in the science fiction feature '' The Atomic Submarine'' (1959). During the 1960s, she starred in short musical films for the Scopitone video-jukebox system. Her songs included "The Web of Love" and "The Silencer". In 1964, producer Stanley Todd discussed a film project with Lansing, tentatively titled ''Project 22'', with location shooting planned in Yugoslavia, and with George Hamilton and Geraldine Chaplin named to the cast. The film never was made. Lansing played "Lola" in the romantic comedy ''

Marriage on the Rocks ''Marriage on the Rocks'' is a 1965 comedy film starring Frank Sinatra, Deborah Kerr, and Dean Martin about a businessman's wife who ends up divorced by mistake and then married to his best friend by an even bigger mistake. The film was written by ...

'' (1965), with a cast that included

Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular ...

Deborah Kerr Deborah Jane Trimmer CBE (30 September 192116 October 2007), known professionally as Deborah Kerr (), was a British actress. She was nominated six times for the Academy Award for Best Actress. During her international film career, Kerr won a G ...

, and

Dean Martin Dean Martin (born Dino Paul Crocetti; June 7, 1917 – December 25, 1995) was an American singer, actor and comedian. One of the most popular and enduring American entertainers of the mid-20th century, Martin was nicknamed "The King of Cool". M ...

. Lansing previously had appeared in Sinatra's drama ''

A Hole in the Head ''A Hole in the Head'' (1959) is a DeLuxe Color comedy film, shown in CinemaScope, directed by Frank Capra, featuring Frank Sinatra, Edward G. Robinson, Eleanor Parker, Keenan Wynn, Carolyn Jones, Thelma Ritter, Dub Taylor, Ruby Dandridge, ...

'' (1959) and in Martin's comedy ''

Who Was That Lady? ''Who Was That Lady?'' is a 1960 black and white American comedy film directed by George Sidney and starring Tony Curtis, Dean Martin, and Janet Leigh. The movie was made by Ansark-Sidney, distributed by Columbia Pictures and produced by Norman ...

'' (1960). She turned down the chance to replace Jayne Mansfield in '' The Ice House'' (a 1969 horror film), and instead appeared opposite

Basil Rathbone Philip St. John Basil Rathbone MC (13 June 1892 – 21 July 1967) was a South African-born English actor. He rose to prominence in the United Kingdom as a Shakespearean stage actor and went on to appear in more than 70 films, primarily costume ...

(in his last film appearance) and John Carradine in ''

Hillbillys in a Haunted House ''Hillbillys in a Haunted House'' is a 1967 American musical horror comedy film starring Ferlin Husky and Joi Lansing, and directed by Jean Yarbrough. The film is a sequel to '' The Las Vegas Hillbillys'' (1966), with Joi Lansing replacing Mamie ...

'' (1967), as Mamie Van Doren's replacement. Her last film was ''

Bigfoot Bigfoot, also commonly referred to as Sasquatch, is a purported ape-like creature said to inhabit the forest of North America. Many dubious articles have been offered in attempts to prove the existence of Bigfoot, including anecdotal claims o ...

'' (1970).

Recordings

Lansing started singing in nightclubs in the early 1960s, and her performances are documented in several trade magazines. She performed with the Xavier Cugat orchestra and briefly toured with

Les Paul Lester William Polsfuss (June 9, 1915 – August 12, 2009), known as Les Paul, was an American jazz, country, and blues guitarist, songwriter, luthier, and inventor. He was one of the pioneers of the solid-body electric guitar, and his prototype ...

, but little is known about the songs she actually recorded. Apparently, while starring on '' Love That Bob'', she recorded a 45 r.p.m. single on the small REO record label in 1957: "Love Me/What's It Gonna Be" (REO #1007). In 1962, she recorded six to eight sides at Que Recorders in Los Angeles. These turned up at auction and were acetates of four songs each (with two songs duplicated on the second acetate). It is unknown whether these tracks were released on an album. Both acetates list the same identifying number of #4-8351. The songs recorded on February 23, 1962, were "Masquerade Is Over", "All of You" (Cole Porter), "The One I Love" (which was most likely "

The One I Love (Belongs to Somebody Else) "The One I Love (Belongs to Somebody Else)" is a popular song composed by Isham Jones with lyrics by Gus Kahn. The song was recorded by Isham Jones' Orchestra on December 21, 1923, at Brunswick Studios in New York City, and published on January ...

", and "Who Cares?" (George and Ira Gershwin). On April 30, 1962, the songs recorded were "Feel So Young" (which was probably "

You Make Me Feel So Young "You Make Me Feel So Young" is a 1946 popular music, popular song composed by Josef Myrow, with lyrics written by Mack Gordon. It was introduced in the 1946 musical film ''Three Little Girls in Blue'', where it was sung by the characters performed ...

"), " Dream (1944 song)", "Masquerade", and "All Of You". It was reported in ''Cashbox'' magazine on April 17, 1965, that Lansing was recording an album for RCA records with

Jimmie Haskell Jimmie Haskell (born Sheridan Pearlman, November 7, 1926 – February 4, 2016) was an American composer and arranger for motion pictures and a wide variety of popular artists, including Elvis Presley, Neil Diamond, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Steely Da ...

(and suggested that it should be titled ''Joi to the World of Jazz''), but nothing further is known about this project.

Television

Lansing appeared in '' The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok'', '' The Jack Benny Program'', '' It's a Great Life'', ''

I Love Lucy ''I Love Lucy'' is an American television sitcom that originally aired on CBS from October 15, 1951, to May 6, 1957, with a total of 180 half-hour episodes, spanning six seasons. The show starred Lucille Ball, her husband, Desi Arnaz, along with ...

'', '' Bat Masterson'', '' Where's Raymond?'', ''

State Trooper State police, provincial police or regional police are a type of sub-national territorial police force found in nations organized as federations, typically in North America, South Asia, and Oceania. These forces typically have jurisdiction ...

'', '' The People's Choice'', '' Richard Diamond, Private Detective'', ''

The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

'', '' Sugarfoot'', ''

This Man Dawson ''This Man Dawson'' is a syndicated drama television series that was broadcast during 1959-60, starring Keith Andes as a former United States Marine Corps colonel hired to clean up police corruption in an undisclosed American city. The series wa ...

'', ''

Maverick Maverick, Maveric or Maverik may refer to: History * Maverick (animal), an unbranded range animal, derived from U.S. cattleman Samuel Maverick Aviation * AEA Maverick, an Australian single-seat sportsplane design * General Aviation Design Bureau ...

'', '' Perry Mason'', '' The Joey Bishop Show'', '' Petticoat Junction'', ''

The Mothers-in-Law ''The Mothers-in-Law'' is an American situation comedy featuring Eve Arden and Kaye Ballard as two women who were friends and next-door neighbors until their children's elopement made them in-laws. The show aired on NBC television from September ...

'', and ''

The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet ''The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet'' is an American television sitcom that aired on ABC from October 3, 1952, to April 23, 1966, and starred the real-life Nelson family. After a long run on radio, the show was brought to television, where it ...

'', and had a recurring role in '' The Beverly Hillbillies''. She named

Ozzie Nelson Oswald George Nelson (March 20, 1906 – June 3, 1975) was an American actor, director, producer, screenwriter, musician, composer, conductor and bandleader. He originated and starred in ''The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet'', a radio and tel ...

as possessing the greatest sex appeal of any actor with whom she worked. The two played a love scene in a 1956 '' Fireside Theater'' drama titled ''Shoot the Moon''. Lansing had a recurring role as Shirley Swanson in '' The Bob Cummings Show'' or '' Love That Bob'' (1956–59). She appeared in several episodes as a busty model who was the foil for photographer Bob Collins, Cummings' series name. The series ran for 173 episodes. Lansing appeared as herself in a 1956 ''

'' season 6 episode, "Desert Island". In 1957, she played Vera Payson in the '' Perry Mason'' episode "The Case of the Crimson Kiss". She achieved some distinction for beating out Lois Lane ( Noel Neill) to marry Superman ( George Reeves) as the title character in "Superman's Wife", a 1958 episode of '' The Adventures of Superman''. What was possibly Lansing's best television role may have been her least-seen as the leading lady in ''

The Fountain of Youth The Fountain of Youth is a mythical spring which allegedly restores the youth of anyone who drinks or bathes in its waters. Tales of such a fountain have been recounted around the world for thousands of years, appearing in the writings of Herod ...

'', a

Peabody Award The George Foster Peabody Awards (or simply Peabody Awards or the Peabodys) program, named for the American businessman and philanthropist George Peabody, honor the most powerful, enlightening, and invigorating stories in television, radio, and ...

-winning unsold television pilot directed by Orson Welles for

Desilu Desilu Productions () was an American television production company founded and co-owned by husband and wife Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball. The company is best known for shows such as ''I Love Lucy'', ''The Lucy Show'', ''Mannix'', ''The Untouchabl ...

in 1956 and broadcast on the '' Colgate Theatre'' two years later. The half-hour film remains available for public viewing at the

Paley Center for Media The Paley Center for Media, formerly the Museum of Television & Radio (MT&R) and the Museum of Broadcasting, founded in 1975 by William S. Paley, is an American cultural institution in New York City, New York with a branch office in Los Angeles, ...

in New York City and Los Angeles. She appeared in a 1960 episode of “The Untouchables” entitled “The Noise of Death,” playing a character named Georgina Jones. In the 1960–61 season of '' Klondike'', Lansing appeared as Goldie with

Ralph Taeger Ralph Taeger (July 30, 1936 – March 11, 2015) was an American actor who starred in three short-lived television series during the 1960s: '' Klondike'' (1960–61), '' Acapulco'' (1961) and ''Hondo'' (1967–68). Biography Ralph Taeger was bor ...

James Coburn James Harrison Coburn III (August 31, 1928 – November 18, 2002) was an American film and television actor who was featured in more than 70 films, largely action roles, and made 100 television appearances during a 45-year career.AllmoviBi ...

, and

Mari Blanchard Mari Blanchard (born Mary E. Blanchard, April 13, 1923 – May 10, 1970) was an American film and television actress, known foremost for her roles as a B movie femme fatale in American productions of the 1950s and early 1960s. Early life and c ...

. In 1960, she appeared as Evelyn in the "Election Bet" episode of the ''Mr. Lucky'' TV series (season 1, episode 34). In May 1963, Lansing appeared in ''Falcon Frolics '63''. The broadcast honored the men stationed at the Vandenberg Air Force Base. She appeared in six episodes of '' The Beverly Hillbillies'' in the role of Gladys Flatt, the glamorous wife of bluegrass musician

Lester Flatt Lester Raymond Flatt (June 19, 1914 – May 11, 1979) was an American bluegrass guitarist and mandolinist, best known for his collaboration with banjo picker Earl Scruggs in the duo Flatt and Scruggs. Flatt's career spanned multiple decades, ...

. Lansing has 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 ...

in Los Angeles for her contributions to television.

Personal life

Lansing married Jerome "Jerry" Safron in 1950; the marriage was annulled. She married Lance Fuller in 1951; the couple were divorced in 1953. In 1960 she married Stan Todd. Lansing died from breast cancer on August 7, 1972, at St. John's Hospital, Santa Monica, California. She had been treated surgically for the disease two years earlier. She also suffered from severe

anemia Anemia or anaemia (British English) is a blood disorder in which the blood has a reduced ability to carry oxygen due to a lower than normal number of red blood cells, or a reduction in the amount of hemoglobin. When anemia comes on slowly, th ...

. While some press accounts gave her age as 37, she was actually 43 years old. ''Joi Lansing: A Body to Die For'', a 2015 memoir about Lansing's last three years, was written by her companion Alexis Hunter.

In popular culture

A highly fictionalized version of Lansing appears in James Ellroy's 2021 novel ''Widespread Panic''.

Filmography

Features

* ''

When a Girl's Beautiful ''When a Girl's Beautiful'' is a 1947 musical comedy directed by Frank McDonald from a script by Brenda Weisberg. Actress Joi Lansing made her film debut on this film. Plot An advertising man begins a search for the "perfect woman" for a new ...

'' (1947) - Model (uncredited) * '' Linda, Be Good'' (1947) - Cameo Girl (uncredited) * '' The Counterfeiters'' (1948) - Caroline - Art Model * '' Easter Parade'' (1948) - Hat Model / Showgirl (uncredited) * ''

Julia Misbehaves ''Julia Misbehaves'' is a 1948 American romantic comedy film starring Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon as a married couple who are separated by the man's snobbish family. They meet again many years later, when the daughter whom the man has raised ...

'' (1948) - Mannequin (uncredited) * ''

Blondie's Secret ''Blondie's Secret'' is a 1948 American comedy film directed by Edward Bernds and starring Penny Singleton, Arthur Lake, Larry Simms, and Marjorie Ann Mutchie. It is the twenty-fourth of the 28 Blondie films. Plot Cast * Penny Singleton as Bl ...

'' (1948) - Bathing Girl in Dream (uncredited) * '' Take Me Out to the Ball Game'' (1949) - Girl on Train (uncredited) * '' Neptune's Daughter'' (1949) - Linda (uncredited) * ''

The Girl from Jones Beach ''The Girl from Jones Beach'' is a 1949 American comedy film directed by Peter Godfrey (director), Peter Godfrey and written by I. A. L. Diamond. The film stars Ronald Reagan, Virginia Mayo, Eddie Bracken, Dona Drake, Henry Travers and Lois Wilso ...

'' (1949) - Model (uncredited) * ''

In the Good Old Summertime ''In the Good Old Summertime'' is a 1949 American Technicolor musical film directed by Robert Z. Leonard. It stars Judy Garland, Van Johnson, S.Z. Sakall, Spring Byington, Clinton Sundberg, and Buster Keaton in his first featured film role at M ...

'' (1949) - Pretty Girl (uncredited) * '' Key to the City'' (1950) - Miss Garbage Truck (uncredited) * ''

Pier 23 ''Pier 23'' is a 1951 American noir crime film directed by William Berke and starring Hugh Beaumont, Ann Savage and Edward Brophy. It was distributed by the independent Lippert Pictures as a second feature. It was intended for television as well ...

'' (1951) - The Cocktail Waitress * ''

On the Riviera ''On the Riviera'' is a 1951 Technicolor musical comedy film made by 20th Century Fox. Directed by Walter Lang and produced by Sol C. Siegel from a screenplay by Valentine Davies and Phoebe and Henry Ephron, it is the studio's fourth film base ...

'' (1951) - Marilyn Turner (uncredited) * ''

FBI Girl ''FBI Girl'' is a 1951 American film noir crime film about a female FBI employee who becomes involved in government plot involving corruption and murder. The film was directed by William A. Berke, and stars Cesar Romero, George Brent and Audrey T ...

'' (1951) - Susan * ''

Two Tickets to Broadway ''Two Tickets to Broadway'' is a 1951 American musical film directed by James V. Kern and filmed on the RKO Forty Acres backlot. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Sound Recording ( John O. Aalberg). The film was choreographed by ...

'' (1951) - Showgirl (uncredited) * ''

'' (1952) - Chorus Girl (uncredited) * '' Glory Alley'' (1952) - Chorus Girl (uncredited) * ''

The Merry Widow ''The Merry Widow'' (german: Die lustige Witwe, links=no ) is an operetta by the Austro-Hungarian composer Franz Lehár. The librettists, Viktor Léon and Leo Stein, based the story – concerning a rich widow, and her countrymen's attempt t ...

'' (1952) - Girl at Maxim's (uncredited) * '' The French Line'' (1953) - Model (uncredited) * ''

Son of Sinbad ''Son of Sinbad'' is a 1955 American adventure film directed by Ted Tetzlaff. It takes place in the Middle East and consists of a wide variety of characters, including over 127 women. The film was shot in 1953 and planned to be released in 3D ...

'' (1955) - Harem Girl (uncredited) * ''

Finger Man ''Finger Man'' is a 1955 American crime film noir directed by Harold D. Schuster starring Frank Lovejoy, Forrest Tucker and Peggie Castle .. Plot Ex-convict Casey Martin (Lovejoy) is caught heisting a truck shipment. After he discovers the de ...

'' (1955) - Blonde in Bar (uncredited) * ''

Terror at Midnight ''Terror at Midnight'' is a 1956 film noir crime film directed by Franklin Adreon and starring Scott Brady, Joan Vohs and Frank Faylen.Koper p.157 The film's sets were designed by art director Walter E. Keller. Plot Rick Rickards, a cop, le ...

'' (1956) - Hazel (uncredited) * '' The Brave One'' (1956) - Marion Randall * ''

'' (1956) - Karen Winter * '' Hot Shots'' (1956) - Connie Forbes * '' Touch of Evil'' (1958) - Zita * '' Queen of Outer Space'' (1958) - Larry's Girl (uncredited) * ''

'' (1959) - Dorine * '' It Started with a Kiss'' (1959) - Checkroom Girl (uncredited) * '' But Not for Me'' (1959) - Blonde Bathing Beauty (uncredited) * '' The Atomic Submarine'' (1959) - Julie * ''

'' (1960) - Florence Coogle * ''

'' (1965) - Lola * ''

'' (1967) - Boots Malone * ''

'' (1970) - Joi Landis

Short subjects

* ''Super Cue Men'' (1937) * '' The House of Tomorrow'' (1949), created by

Tex Avery Frederick Bean "Tex" Avery (February 26, 1908 – August 26, 1980) was an American animator, cartoonist, animation director, director, and voice actor. He was known for directing and producing animated cartoons during the golden age of American a ...

- "The Girl" on television (uncredited) * '' Joe McDoakes'' **"So You Want to Go to a Nightclub" (1954) - Lorna Lamour (uncredited) **"So You're Taking in a Roomer" (1954) - Blonde Roomer (uncredited) **"So You Want to Be a V.P." (1955) - Miss Poindexter - Secretary (uncredited) **"So You Want to Be a Policeman" (1955) - Blonde Getting Ticket (uncredited) **"So You Think the Grass Is Greener" (1956) - Geraldine Backspace (uncredited) * ''

'' (1956), scripted & directed by

- Carolyn Coates * ''The Starmaker'' (1957), starring

Bette Davis Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (; April 5, 1908 – October 6, 1989) was an American actress with a career spanning more than 50 years and 100 acting credits. She was noted for playing unsympathetic, sardonic characters, and was famous for her pe ...

, on television - Mrs. Barclay Alexander

References

External links

* * *
Joi Lansing timeline

Joy Lansing on the cover of ''Life'' magazine
March 28, 1949
Joi Lansing at Glamour Girls of the Silver Screen

''The Fountain of Youth''
on YouTube {{DEFAULTSORT:Lansing, Joi 1929 births 1972 deaths 20th-century American actresses 20th-century American singers Age controversies American film actresses Latter Day Saints from California American television actresses Deaths from breast cancer Actresses from Los Angeles Actresses from Salt Lake City Deaths from cancer in California Nightclub performers 20th-century American women singers Latter Day Saints from Utah