A Birthday Tribute to Joan Caulfield
Actress Joan Caulfield was born in New Jersey on June 1, 1922.
Caulfield had come to the attention of producer-director George Abbott, who cast her in his stage production of BEAT THE BAND (1942), followed by a leading role in the Broadway hit KISS AND TELL (1943).
From Broadway it was soon on to Hollywood and Paramount Pictures, where she made her debut in a small part as herself in DUFFY'S TAVERN (1945), followed by MISS SUSIE SLAGLE'S (1946) with Veronica Lake and Sonny Tufts. She's seen here with Tufts:
I found her leading lady role opposite Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire in BLUE SKIES (1946) bland...
...but she was great fun in DEAR RUTH (1947) with William Holden.
I feel Caulfield comes off to best effect in movies which make use of her comedic talents; in addition to DEAR RUTH, she's very good in films such as MONSIEUR BEAUCAIRE (1946) with Bob Hope or THE PETTY GIRL (1950) with Robert Cummings. Caufield and Cummings are seen here in the latter film:
I also enjoy her in more serious roles as the damsel in distress in the excellent crime films THE UNSUSPECTED (1947) and LARCENY (1948). She's seen here with Shelley Winters and John Payne in LARCENY:
Beginning in the early '50s most of Caufield's acting roles came on television, returning to films for the occasional Western, such as CATTLE KING (1963) opposite Robert Taylor:
Her last acting appearance came in a 1987 episode of MURDER, SHE WROTE called "Trouble in Eden."
Offscreen Joan Caulfield was married twice and had two sons, one from each marriage. She died in Los Angeles on June 18, 1991, at the age of 69. Her ashes are said to have been scattered in the Pacific Ocean.
Joan Caulfield films reviewed at Laura's Miscellaneous Musings: BLUE SKIES (1946), MONSIEUR BEAUCAIRE (1946), VARIETY GIRL (1947), DEAR RUTH (1947), THE UNSUSPECTED (1947), WELCOME STRANGER (1947), LARCENY (1948) (also here), DEAR WIFE (1949), THE PETTY GIRL (1950), CATTLE KING (1963).
posted by Laura @ 1:00 PM
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