Joan Weldon (born Joan Louise Welton;[3] August 5, 1930 – February 11, 2021) was an American actress and singer in film, television, and theatre.
Joan Weldon | |
|---|---|
 Weldon in 1955 | |
| Born | Joan Louise Welton August 5, 1930 |
| Died | February 11, 2021 (aged 90)[1] Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, film and television actress |
| Years active | 1953–1958 (film and television) 1953–1980 (singer) |
| Spouse | Dr. David Podell (1966–2021, her death) |
| Children | 1[2] |
Early years
editWeldon was born in San Francisco, California, in 1930. Her grandmother, Olio Cornell, raised her there after she "was left motherless at five."[4] Weldon's great-grandfather was an actor on stage and in vaudeville. She attended Galileo High School, and was inducted into its Hall of Merit in 2019.[2]
Stage
edit
Weldon began her career singing in the San Francisco Grand Opera Company chorus. She also sang with the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera.[5] On Broadway, she appeared in Kean.[6] She sang at the opening of the New York State Theater at Lincoln Center in 1964.[7]
After working in film and television, she resumed her career as a singer in road company productions including The Music Man[8] and Oklahoma! Weldon retired in 1980.
Radio
editIn 1953, Weldon appeared as the soprano soloist on a broadcast of The Standard Hour on NBC radio.[9]
Film
editWeldon's film debut came in the 1953 film The System.[4] Although her background was singing in operas, The System and her next two films, So This Is Love and Rear Guard, all had her in non-singing roles.[10]
She became a contract actress with Warner Bros. where she remained until her contract ended in 1954. Her most prominent film was the cult thriller Them!
Television
editWeldon had a brief television career in the 1950s. Her first appearance in 1955 was in an episode of The Millionaire, starring Marvin Miller. She made three appearances on Lux Video Theater in various roles. She also played Marian Keats in the title role of the Perry Mason episode, "The Case of the Angry Mourner" in 1957 (Season 1, episode 7). In 1958, she portrayed Grace Wheeler in an episode of Maverick titled "Plunder of Paradise" starring Jack Kelly, Leo Gordon and Ruta Lee. She appeared in "Cheyenne" as a professional singer, and performed a duet with Clint Walker. She appeared in the Have Gun-Will Travel episode “The Singer”. Her final television appearance was in 1958 on Shirley Temple Theater.
In 1955, Weldon was one of the regular singers on the syndicated program This Is Your Music.[11]
Filmography
edit- The System (1953)[12][13] as Felice Stuart
- So This Is Love (1953)[12][13] as Ruth Obre
- The Stranger Wore a Gun (1953)[12][13] as Shelby Conroy
- The Command (1954)[12][13] as Martha Cutting
- The Boy from Oklahoma (1954)[13] as Maybelle - Saloon Girl on Porch (uncredited)
- Riding Shotgun (1954)[12][13] as Orissa Flynn
- Them! (1954)[12][13] as Dr. Patricia Medford
- Deep in My Heart (1954)[13][14] as Performer in 'New Moon'
- Lux Video Theatre (1954–1956, TV Series) as Anne / Patricia Dean
- The Millionaire (1955, TV Series) as Star Conway
- Gunsight Ridge (1957)[12][13] as Molly Jones
- Cheyenne (1957, TV Series)[12][15] as Nellie Merritt
- Perry Mason (1957, TV Series)[12][15] as Marion Keats
- Day of the Badman (1958)[12][13] as Myra Owens
- Have Gun - Will Travel (1958, TV Series)[12][15] as Faye Hollister
- Colt .45 (1958, TV Series) as Edith Murrow
- Maverick (1958, TV Series)[15] as Grace Wheeler
- Shirley Temple's Storybook (1958, TV Series) as Amelia
- Home Before Dark (1958)[12][13] as Frances Barrett (final film role)
References
edit- ^ "Joan Podell Obituary". legacy.com. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
- ^ a b "Joan Weldon - The Private Life and Times of Joan Weldon. Joan Weldon Pictures". Glamourgirlsofthesilverscreen.com. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
- ^ Peterson, Jackie (August 14, 1960). "She Couldn't Carry a Tune But Won Lead in Musical". San Francisco Examiner. p. C2. Retrieved August 16, 2024. "After two years of lessons and long hours of practice, the tutor sent Joan to audition for the San Francisco Opera chorus. Then known as Joan Louise Welton (later, Warner Bros. whimsically changed the 't' to a 'd'), the yet unpolished hopeful auditioned for chorus master Kurt Herbert Adler."
- ^ a b Cook, Ben (January 12, 1953). "Thumbnail Sketch". The Terre Haute Tribune. Indiana, Terre Haute. The Terre Haute Tribune. p. 4. Retrieved March 9, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Hopper, Hedda (November 20, 1952). "In Hollywood". Valley Morning Star. Texas, Harlingen. Valley Morning Star. p. 7. Retrieved March 9, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "We found 30 results for "Joan Weldon"". Playbill. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
- ^ Esterow, Milton (1964-04-24). "STATE'S THEATER OPENS AT CENTER". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2016-05-30.
- ^ "Opera star heads 'Desert Song' cast". The Gridley Herald. July 8, 1977. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
- ^ Buren, Maxine (September 6, 1953). "Vienna Philharmonic to Be Heard, NBC Features Newer Names on Air". Statesman Journal. Oregon, Salem. The Oregon Statesman. p. 12. Retrieved March 9, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Hopper, Hedda (August 11, 1953). "Hedda Hoppers Hollywood". Tucson Daily Citizen. Arizona, Tucson. Tucson Daily Citizen. p. 13. Retrieved March 9, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Terrace, Vincent (2011). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0-7864-6477-7. P. 1074.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Joan Weldon". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Joan Weldon". American Film Institute. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
- ^ "Joan Weldon". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on May 18, 2017. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
- ^ a b c d "Joan Weldon List of Movies and TV Shows". TV Guide. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
