Joan Blondell

Joan Blondell

Rose Joan Blondell (August 30, 1906 – December 25, 1979) was an American actress who performed in movies and on television for half a century. She began her career in vaudeville. After winning a beauty pageant, Blondell embarked upon a film career. She established herself as a pre-Code staple of Warner Bros. pictures in roles as a sexy, wisecracking blonde, and appeared in more than 100 movies and television productions. She was most active in films during the 1930s, and during that time she co-starred with Glenda Farrell in nine films, in which the duo portrayed gold-diggers. Blondell continued acting on screen for the rest of her life, often in small character roles or supporting television roles. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her work in The Blue Veil (1951). Near the end of her life, Blondell was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in John Cassavetes's Opening Night (1977). She featured in two more films — Grease (1978), and The Champ (1979), which was released shortly before her death from leukemia.

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