Joan Geraldine Bennett is an American actress whose career began in the silent film era and continued successfully into the early 1980s. During her career, she managed to star in 78 films, as well as take part in many theatrical and television productions.
Biography
Joan Geraldine Bennett was born on February 27, 1910 in Palisades Park, New Jersey to actors Richard Bennett and Adrienne Morrison. In 1925, the parents of the future actress divorced.
Joan was the youngest of three daughters Richard and Adrienne. Her older sisters Constance Campbell Bennett and Barbara Jane Bennett also became actresses.
Richard Bennett with his daughters Photo: Central Press Company, Philadelphia (The Photo - Play Journal, January 1919) / Wikimedia Commons
Young Joan Bennett began her studies at Miss Hopkins Girls' School, which was located in Manhattan. She later attended St Margaret's Boarding School in Waterbury and later graduated from L'Hermitage in Versailles, France.
Career
Joan Bennett made her stage debut in 1928 in the theatrical production Jarnegan. The performance of the young talented actress was highly praised by critics and attracted the attention of directors. In 1929, she received an offer to take part in the filming of several films at once. Among them are the roles of Phyllis Benton in the thriller "Bulldog Drummond", Lady Clarissa Pevensie in the biographical drama "Disraeli", Lucy Blackburn in the melodrama "The Player of the Mississippi".
Joan Bennett in Disraeli (1929) Photo: Trailer screenshot / Wikimedia Commons
A successful start to her career in the late 1920s provided the actress with professional relevance for the next decade. She starred in such films as Moby Dick (1930), Cash (1931), Me and My Girl (1932), Little Women (1933), Two for Tonight (1935), "Wedding Gift" (1936) and others.
In 1938, Joan Bennett, a natural blonde, at the suggestion of director Tay Garnett played the brunette Kay Kerrigan in the film Trade in the Winds. With her raven hair, the actress managed to create the on-screen image of the glamorous femme fatale that earned her the best roles. In 1939, Joan was invited to play the lead role in The Housekeeper's Daughter. In the same year, she played Princess Maria Teresa in the adventure film The Man in the Iron Mask, and later portrayed the Grand Duchess of the Zone of Luchtenburg in Son of Monte Cristo (1940).
Joan Bennett in Son of Monte Cristo (1940) Photo: Film screenshot / Wikimedia Commons
Among other works of the actress, which received recognition from both critics and audiences are "The Macomber Case" (1947), "Woman on the Beach" (1947), "Moment of Recklessness" (1949) and others.
In the early 50s, Bennett changed her screen image, appearing before the audience in the role of an elegant woman, wife and mother. This is especially clearly seen in two comedies by Vincent Minnelli - "Father of the Bride" (1950) and "Father's Little Dividend" (1951). In both of these films, she played Ellie Banks, the wife of Spencer Tracy and the mother of Elizabeth Taylor. Her performances in these films received high marks from film critics.
However, the scandalous incident that occurred on December 13, 1951, negatively affected Bennett's future career. Suspecting an affair between Joan and Agent Jennings Lang, her husband Walter Vanger shot Lang in the groin. Lange ended up in the hospital, and Vanger was sentenced to 4 months in prison. Bennett vehemently denied the accusations in the romance, but the episode caused irreparable damage to her image. As a result, many directors refused to cooperate with the actress.
Bennett's return to the stage happened with participation in the production of "Bell, Book and Candle". She also toured a lot with theatrical works "Once again", "Susan and God", "Never too late" and others.
In 1955, one of her last films, We Are Not Angels, was released. Bennett has also worked on TV shows such as "Climax!" (1955), Playhouse 90 (1957) and Too Young to Go Steady (1958).
Between 1966 and 1971, she played the role of Elizabeth Collins Stoddard in the television soap opera House of Dark Shadows. For this work, Joan received an Emmy nomination.
In 1970, she published her autobiography Billboard Bennett, co-written with fellow American actress Louis Kibby. In 1977, Joan played Madame Blank in Dario Argento's thriller Suspiria, which won her the 1978 Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Filmmaker Dario Argento Photo: Brian Eeles / Wikimedia Commons
For her work and contribution to the development of American cinema, Joan Bennett was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Personal life
Joan Bennett got married for the first time at 16. On September 15, 1926, in London, she became the wife of John Fox. In February 1928, the couple had a daughter, Adrienne Ralston Fox. And in July of the same year, Joan filed for divorce. The reason for the separation was John Fox's alcohol addiction.
A few years later, on March 16, 1932, the actress married film producer and screenwriter Gene Markey. The wedding ceremony took place in Los Angeles. On February 27, 1934, her birthday, she gave birth to her second daughter, Melinda Marki. This marriage also did not last long. The couple divorced on June 3, 1937.
Walter Vanger became Joan Bennett's third husband. The American producer and actress were married on January 12, 1940 in Phoenix. In this marriage, Bennett gave birth to two daughters: Stephanie (born June 26, 1943) and Shelley (born July 4, 1948). In September 1965, the union broke up.
For the fourth time, Joan married film critic David Wilde. This event took place on February 14, 1978 in White Plains, New York. They were together until Bennett's death on December 7, 1990. The actress died of heart failure at her home in Scarsdale, New York. She was buried at Pleasant View Cemetery in Lyme, Connecticut.
