Joan O'Brien

Last updated
Joan O'Brien
Joan O'Brien in It Happened at the World's Fair.jpg
O'Brien in a 1962 publicity photo
Born
Joan Marie O'Brien

(1936-02-14) February 14, 1936 (age 88)
Occupation(s)Actress, singer
Years active1958–1965
Spouses
(m. 1954;div. 1956)
John F. Meyers
(m. 1957;div. 1960)
Harvey Allen Godorov
(m. 1963;div. 1964)
Dino Kotopoulis
(m. 1966;div. 1967)
Lt. Col. Malcolm Bernard Campbell
(m. 1979;died 2004)
Children2

Joan Marie O'Brien (born February 14, 1936) is an American actress and singer. She made a name for herself acting in television shows in the 1950s and 1960s and as a film co-star with Cary Grant, Elvis Presley, John Wayne, and Jerry Lewis.

Contents

Early life

Joan O'Brien was born to David and Rita O'Brien on Valentine's Day 1936, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The family moved to California when O'Brien was a child and enrolled her in dance classes when she was eight years old. O'Brien graduated from Chaffey Union High School in Ontario, California. [1]

Career

O'Brien's singing abilities came to the attention of entertainer and Country Music Hall of Fame member Cliffie Stone, who hired her as a regular performer on his television show Hometown Jamboree before her high school graduation. In 1954, she became a regular on The Bob Crosby Show and stayed until shortly before the show's cancellation in 1958. [1] She co-starred with Cary Grant and Tony Curtis in the 1959 film Operation Petticoat . [1]

Lawrence Welk hired O'Brien as a one-week replacement for his champagne lady Alice Lon in July 1959. O'Brien had come to Welk's attention years earlier as a singer on Bob Crosby's show but, at that time, Welk had decided not to hire her because she was still a teenager. [2]

With Raymond Burr in Perry Mason, 1960 Raymond Burr Perry Mason 1960.jpg
With Raymond Burr in Perry Mason, 1960

O’Brien performed in several episodes on the TV western Bat Masterson . The episode S2E01 "To the Manner Born" (1959) had her singing as up-and-coming opera soprano Dora Miller.

O'Brien was cast as survivor Susanna Dickinson in John Wayne's 1960 epic feature film retelling of battle of The Alamo . [3] [4] That same year, O'Brien performed as a soloist for composer Buddy Bregman at the Moulin Rouge night club in Los Angeles. [5] In 1961 O'Brien again co-starred with John Wayne as his love interest in The Comancheros . [6]

Along with Sheree North, Sabrina, and Sue Carson, O'Brien appeared in Playgirls in 1961 at the Riverside Hotel in Reno, Nevada. [1]

O'Brien played Elvis Presley's girlfriend in the 1963 film It Happened at the World's Fair . [7]

Her most frequent acting performances were in television during the 1960s. She made two guest appearances on Perry Mason : in 1960 she played Betty Roberts in "The Case of the Singing Skirt", and in 1965 she played Jill Fenwick in "The Case of the Lover's Gamble". In 1964 O'Brien guest starred in an episode of The Man from UNCLE . Series star Robert Vaughn subsequently cast her as Ophelia in Hamlet at the Pasadena Playhouse. [8]

After her acting career ended, O'Brien sang with the Harry James band in 1968. [9]

Television

Television
YearTitleRoleNotes
1949 Hometown Jamboree Herselfas Joanie O'Brien
1954 The Bob Crosby Show HerselfRegular performer
1955 The Easter Seal Teleparade of Stars Herselfas Joanie O'Brien, singer
1957 Shower of Stars Herselfas Joanie O'Brien
1958 M Squad Marla RossThe Take Over
1959 Riverboat Sonja TorginThe Fight Back
1959 Markham Julia ConradWe Are All Suspect
1959 Man Without a Gun Ellen DuncanFace of the Moon
1959 Bat Masterson Dolores ClarkOne Bullet from Broken Bow
1959Bat MastersonDora MillerShakedown at St. Joe
1960Bat MastersonEileen McDermottHigh Card Loses
1960 Wagon Train Candy O'HaraThe Candy O'Hara Story
1960 Cheyenne Selma DawsonIncident at Dawson Flats
1960Wagon TrainVictoriaThe Luke Grant Story
1960 The Westerner LibbyThe Courting of Libby
1960 The Islanders Ann BrennerThe Terrified Blonde
1960 Lock-Up Claudia ScottFlying High
1960 The Deputy Emily PriceMeet Sergeant Tasker
1960The Chevy Mystery ShowSusan HudsonEnough Rope
1960 Bronco Judith CastleLa Rubia
1960 The Alaskans Fay CampbellKangaroo Court
1960 Perry Mason Betty RobertsThe Case of the Singing Skirt
1960 Bachelor Father Janice McCleeryKelly, the Matchmaker
1960Bachelor FatherJanice McCleeryDear Bentley
1961Bachelor FatherJanice McCleeryKelly's Graduation
1961 Surfside 6 Linda FarisJonathan Wembley Is Missing
1961 The Roaring 20's Mona FentonNo Exit
1961 Whispering Smith Marilyn ManningThe Idol
1961 Adventures in Paradise Lila SimmonsWild Mangoes
1961 Bringing Up Buddy Ruth GraysonThe Singer
1961 G.E. True MeryleTippy-Top
1962 Rawhide Melinda StimsonThe Pitchwagon
1962 Bus Stop JulieThe Ordeal of Kevin Brooke
1962 Follow the Sun Nita ParkerAnnie Beeler's Place
1962 The Tall Man MarileeThe Impatient Brides
1962 Outlaws LaurieA Bit of Glory
1963 The Dick Van Dyke Show Jane LeightonThe Foul Weather Girl
1964 The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Chris BrinelThe Green Opal Affair
1964 The Virginian JoanThe Dark Challenge
1964 The Lieutenant RuthMan with an Edge
1965Perry MasonJill FenwickThe Case of the Lover's Gamble

Films

Films
YearTitleRoleNotes
1958 Handle with Care Mary Judson
1959 Operation Petticoat Lt. Dolores Crandall RN
1960 The Alamo Susanna Dickinson
1961 The Comancheros Melinda Marshall
1962 Six Black Horses Kelly
1962 Samar Cecile Salazar
1962 It's Only Money Wanda Paxton
1962 We Joined the Navy Lt. Carol Blair
1963 It Happened at the World's Fair Diane Warren
1964 Get Yourself a College Girl Marge Endicott

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Lisanti, Tom (2001). Fantasy Femmes of 60's Cinema: Interviews with 20 Actresses from Biker, Beach, and Elvis Movies. McFarland & Company. pp. 27–39. ISBN   978-0-7864-0868-9.
  2. "Joan O'Brien Hired by Welk". The Milwaukee Journal. 19 July 1959.
  3. "Wayne's Alamo in Town on Nov 10". The Montreal Gazette. 29 October 1960. p. 42. Retrieved 30 June 2011.
  4. "On the Set of The Alamo". Texas Archive of the Moving Image. Archived from the original on 17 July 2019. Retrieved 4 August 2011.
  5. "Newcomer Joan O'Brien Wants Twin Success – Acting, Singing". The Milwaukee Sentinel. 30 October 1960. p. 39. Retrieved 30 June 2011.
  6. "Paramount to Open The Comancheros Friday". Youngstown Vindicator. 10 December 1961. p. 24. Retrieved 30 June 2011.
  7. "On the Esquire Screen". The Southeast Missourian. 26 April 1963. p. 7. Retrieved 30 June 2011.
  8. Vaughn, Robert (2008). A Fortunate Life . Thomas Dunne Books. pp.  122–128. ISBN   978-0-312-37112-8.
  9. "Joan O'Brien to Sing with the James Band". St. Joseph Press-News. 12 June 1968. p. 12. Retrieved 30 June 2011.