Joan Prather

Last updated
Joan Prather
OccupationActress
Years active1972–1989
Known for
SpouseJames Fiducia

Joan Prather is an American actress. She is perhaps best known for her role as Janet McArthur Bradford (wife of David) in Eight Is Enough . [1]

Contents

Early years

Prather's hometown is Dallas. [2] Her father worked in real estate, and she said that her grandfather was the builder of the first shopping center in the world. Her parents divorced when she was 3 years old, and by 1979 he had had four wives and her mother had had three husbands. She lived with her mother until she entered high school, when she began living with her father and his wife. [3]

Career

Prather debuted in a Dallas production of Under Milkwood and made commercials for products, including Adidas, Coca-Cola, Folgers, and Ivory Soap She rejected the role of the title character's wife on Welcome Back, Kotter because she considered it too dull and turned down portraying Allison MacKenzie on Return to Peyton Place because she "would go crazy" in that part. [2] Overall, she felt that television had "no creative license" and an actor "can get stuck into one cliched role". [2]

Film and television credits

Her film credits include The Single Girls (1974), Big Bad Mama (1974), The Devil's Rain (1975), Smile (1975), Rabbit Test (1978) and Take This Job and Shove It (1981).

She appeared in TV series such as Executive Suite , Eight Is Enough , CHiPs , Fantasy Island , and the 1980 edition of Battle of the Network Stars .

During her teen years, Joan was a featured "go-go" dancer on a local Dallas teen dance TV show Sump'n Else . The show ran from 1965 to 1968 and it was roughly modeled after "American Bandstand" and often featured national and local bands.[ citation needed ]

Scientology

While on the set of The Devil's Rain, Prather told an "extremely unhappy" John Travolta that Scientology had helped her, inspiring him to get involved with the religion upon his later return to Los Angeles. [4] [5]

Personal life

Prather married James Fiducia, a Scientology minister. [3]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1972 The Thing with Two Heads Nurse (uncredited)
1973 The Single Girls Lola
1974 Big Bad Mama Jane Kingston
1975 Smile Robin - Young American Miss Comedy film
The Devil's Rain Julie Preston Horror film
1978 Rabbit Test Segoynia Savaka Comedy film
1981 Take This Job and Shove It Madelyn

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1973 Sanford and Son Tour GuideEpisode: "A Visit from Lena Horne"
1973 Chase DianeEpisode: "Six for Five"
1975 Happy Days RuthEpisode: "Open House"
Lucas Tanner Connie TracyEpisode: "One to One"
1973-1975 Insight Jean
Tina Forest		Episode: "Celebrate in Fresh Powder"
Episode: "Hunger Knows My Name"
1976 Dawn: Portrait of a Teenage Runaway SusieTV film
The Quest Jenny CaldwellEpisode: "Dynasty of Evil"
1976-1977 Executive Suite Glory Dalessio17 episodes
1977 The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries AdrianeEpisode: "The Mystery of the Ghostwriters' Cruise"
1978The DeerslayerJudith HunterTV film
1979 Hollywood Squares Herself - Panelist5 episodes
Make Me Laugh HerselfEpisode: "Biff Maynard, Murray Langston and Bill Kirchenbauer"
1980 Battle of the Network Stars VIIIHerself - ABC Team
Whew! Herself - Celebrity Partner10 episodes
1979-1980 Eight Is Enough Janet McArthur / Janet McArthur Bradford19 episodes
1981 The Love Boat JillEpisode: "Sally's Paradise / I Love You, Too, Smith / Mama and Me"
CHiPs Felicia ChadwayEpisode: "Concours d'Elegance"
1979-1983 Fantasy Island Julie Brett
Delia Latham
Lauren Fandell
Melanie Jones		Episode: "The Mermaid / The Victim"
Episode: "Also Rans / Portrait of Solange"
Episode: "Druids / A Night in a Harem"
Episode: "Edward / Extraordinary Miss Jones"
1984His MistressLaurenTV film
1985Sins of the FatherMeganTV film
Finder of Lost Loves Robin SloanEpisode: "Broken Promises"
1987 LBJ: The Early Years TV film
Eight Is Enough: A Family ReunionJanetTV film
1989Protect and SurfMary Jo BalleriniTV film
Eight Is Enough WeddingJanetTV film
2000 E! True Hollywood Story HerselfEpisode: "Eight Is Enough"

References

  1. ↑ "Actress Joan Prather Arrested For Dragging Cop (Photos)". The Hollywood Gossip. 12 February 2015. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 "Joan Prather Says She Doesn't Want To Get Stuck In One Position". The Tampa Tribune-Times. June 6, 1976. p. 29. Retrieved June 29, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
  3. 1 2 Kleiner, Dick (November 4, 1979). "Joan Prather Hesitated Before Joining 'Eight'". The Herald-Sun. North Carolina, Durham. p. 98. Retrieved June 30, 2025.
  4. ↑ Wright, Lawrence (January 9, 2013). "Scientology Book Excerpt: 'The Church Had John Travolta Trapped'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  5. ↑ John Travolta, Bob McCabe, Parragon, 1996, page 19


This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.