Did you know that Joan Blondell was a close friend of Judy Garland and that Judy would call Joan whenever the Wizard of Oz actress was having a mental breakdown? Joan Blondell was an Old Hollywood actress best known for her roles in Golden Age classics such as 1931's The Public Enemy. That film came relatively early on during the actress's career, and she continued working for five decades afterward. Some might think that the actress finding consistent work over the course of her career was a good thing, but she couldn't have quit if she wanted to!
▬Contents of this video▬ 00:00 - Intro 00:28 - Joan Blondell Was Born Into Show Business 02:04 - The Two High Points of Joan Blondell’s Career 03:36 - Joan’s Divorces Ended Up Costing Her Too Much 04:56 - Joan Was Good Friends with Judy Garland and Clark Gable 06:12 - Outro
Joan Blondell’s parents were vaudeville performers, and Joan began performing on the stage alongside them at the age of 3. At the age of 17, Joan began performing with the Ziegfeld Follies. She then appeared in a few notable Broadway productions, including Penny Arcade. Penny Arcade also starred James Cagney. When the play was adapted into a film, both Joan and James were brought out to Hollywood to become film stars. The pair performed in a number of other features after the adaptation proved successful, including the popular feature The Public Enemy.
After starring in a series of films alongside James Cagney, Joan appeared in a series of films alongside Dick Powell. Joan's work with these two actors remains the most iconic of her career, though she never stopped working until her death. Joan was in debt for the latter half of her life, and one of the reasons was because of the fact that she was divorced numerous times. One of the actress's divorces was to the previously mentioned Dick Powell, though her messiest divorce was her third and final one.
Following her final divorce in 1950, Joan Blondell remained single. She spent the last three decades of her life working as a character actress and taking essentially whatever role she could get, including in films like 1978’s Grease. Join Facts Verse as we explore the sad reason Joan Blondell was forced to work until her death.
The Sad Reason Joan Blondell Was Forced to Work Until Her Death
By: Facts Verse Title: The Sad Reason Joan Blondell Was Forced to Work Until Her Death Sourced From: www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dmwDtzF60g
