Actress joanne dru biography

Biography of Joanne Dru

Joanne Dru was an American film and television actress, best known for her roles as Nora Curtis in the western film "Siege at Red River" (1954) and Anne Stanton in the drama "All the King's Men" (1949). She was born as Joanne Letitia LaCock on January 31, 1922, in Logan, West Virginia. Letitia is the older sister of actor and singer Peter Marshall. After reaching adulthood, she moved to New York City.

While working as a model, Dru caught the attention of artist Al Jolson, who cast her in his Broadway show "Hold Onto Your Hats." When she moved to Hollywood, she had the opportunity to continue her theatrical career. Soon, she was noticed by a talent agent and received an invitation to appear in her first film, the comedy "Abie's Irish Rose" (1946) with Richard Norris.

Over the next decade, Dru consistently landed roles in both film and television. She frequently appeared in westerns such as "Red River" (1948) with John Wayne, "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon" (1949) again with Wayne, and "Wagon Master" (1950) with Ben Johnson. Dru received critical acclaim for her performance in the drama "All the King's Men" (1949), sharing the film's success with Broderick Crawford and John Ireland.

Alongside Dan Dailey, Dru became a star in the dramatic biopic "The Pride of St. Louis" (1952) about the life of Major League Baseball pitcher Jerome 'Dizzy' Dean. She portrayed Stella Rigaud in the adventure drama "Thunder Bay" (1953) with James Stewart and played Jill Brent in the comedy "3 Ring Circus" with Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis.

Towards the end of the 1950s, Dru's film career came to a close, but she continued her acting career on television. She was particularly remembered for her role as Babs Wooten in the ABC sitcom "Guestward, Ho!" (1960-1961). After this comedy series, Dru made occasional appearances in the 1960s and the first half of the 1970s, returning to the big screen once in 1965 for the drama film "Sylvia" directed by Gordon Douglas.

In 1980, Dru had the opportunity to star in the sci-fi action film "Super Fuzz," a joint production of the USA, Italy, and Spain. Her role as Rosy Labouche in the film marked the end of her career. Before moving to Hollywood, Dru met and married Dick Haymes. From their marriage, she had three children: Richard Ralph Haymes (1942), Helen Joanna Haymes (1944), and Barbara Nugent Haymes (1947). After divorcing Haymes in 1949, Dru married actor John Ireland, but their marriage ended in 1957. Her third husband, George Pierose, passed away in 1972, and her fourth husband, Disneyland developer Cornelius Vanderbilt Wood, passed away in 1992.

Joanne Dru passed away on September 10, 1996, at the age of 74, in Los Angeles, California, due to lymphedema. She was honored for her contributions to the television industry with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.