Joan Blondell

Also known as Rose Joan Blondell, Rose Joan Bluestein, Joan Bluestein, Rosebud Blondell

American actress (1906–1979)

Film & TV

New York City, New York, USA

Rose Joan Blondell (August 30, 1906 – December 25, 1979) was an American actress. After winning a beauty pageant, Blondell embarked upon a film career. Establishing herself as a sexy wisecracking blonde, she was a pre-Code staple of Warner Brothers and appeared in more than 100 movies and television productions. She was most active in films during the 1930s, and during this time she co-starred…

Known for

Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1930s: Dancing Away the Great Depression — Self (archive footage)2009
Public Enemies: The Golden Age of the Gangster Film — Self (archive footage)2008
You Must Remember This: The Warner Bros. Story — Self2008
Gold Diggers: FDR'S New Deal... Broadway Bound — Self (archive footage)2006
Complicated Women — Self (archive footage)2003
Barbara Stanwyck: Fire and Desire — Self (archive footage)1991
Steve McQueen: Man on the Edge — Self (archive footage)1990
Going Hollywood: The '30s — (archive footage)1984
The Woman Inside — Aunt Coll1981
The Glove — Mrs. Fitzgerald1979

via TMDB

Key facts

Born: Rose Joan Blondell , ( 1906-08-30 ) August 30, 1906, New York City, U.S.
Died: December 25, 1979 (1979-12-25) (aged 73), Santa Monica, California , U.S.
Resting place: Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale
Occupation: Actress
Years active: 1927–1979
Spouses: George Barnes ( married"}]]}'>m. 1933 ; divorced"}]]}'>div. 1936 ) Dick Powell ( married"}]]}'>m. 1936 ; divorced"}]]}'>div. 1944 ) Mike Todd ( married"}]]}'>m. 1947 ; divorced"}]]}'>div. 1950 )
Children: 2, including Norman Powell
Relatives: Gloria Blondell (sister)

via Wikipedia infobox

Wikidata facts

Instance of: human
Given name: Joan
Gender: female
Citizenship: United States
Place of birth: Manhattan
Place of death: Santa Monica
Spouse: Mike Todd
Sibling: Gloria Blondell
Occupation: film actor
Employer: Warner Bros. Entertainment
Languages spoken: English language
Native language: English language
Award: star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
Image: Joan Blondell - 1936.jpg

Show 12 more facts

cause of death: leukemia
place of burial: Forest Lawn Memorial Park
Commons category: Joan Blondell
date of birth: 1906-08-30
nominated for: Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
date of death: 1979-12-25
manner of death: natural causes
Commons gallery: Joan Blondell
start of work period: 1927-00-00
end of work period: 1979-00-00
writing language: English language
name in native language: Joan Blondell

Sources (8)

via Wikidata · CC0

~12 min read

Encyclopedic overview

Rose Joan Blondell (August 30, 1906 – December 25, 1979) was an American actress who performed in film and television for 50 years.

Blondell began her career in vaudeville. After winning a beauty pageant, she embarked on a film career, establishing herself as a Pre-Code staple of Warner Bros. Pictures in wisecracking, sexy roles, appearing in more than 100 films and television productions. She was described as a "brassy blonde with a heart of gold." Blondell was most active in film during the 1930s and early 1940s, and during that time co-starred with Glenda Farrell, a colleague and close friend, in nine films. Blondell continued acting on film and television for the rest of her life, often in small, supporting roles. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in The Blue Veil (1951). In 1958, she was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her performance as Mrs. Farrow in The Rope Dancers.

Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Joan Blondell” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.