Joan Blondell was one of Hollywood’s brightest stars during the Golden Age of cinema. With her wide, engaging smile and quick wit, Blondell captivated audiences in a career that spanned over five decades.
As Blondell herself once mused, “I don’t know what the secret to longevity as an actress is… maybe it’s the audience seeing itself in you.”
Her glittering career was a result of immense hard work and dedication, as she effortlessly transitioned from comedic roles to dramatic performances. Her presence on screen brought a unique blend of warmth and vivacity that made her unforgettable.
Joan Blondell starred in over fifty films during the 1930s
Joan stepped into the spotlight at a very young age. She began performing with her comedic parents on vaudeville stages when she was 3 and continued to do so until she was seventeen. While studying at the Professional Children’s School, she gained valuable experience that led her to the Ziegfeld Follies and eventually to Broadway.
In the 1930s, Blondell appeared in over fifty films, thanks largely to her contract with Warner Brothers. This busy schedule kept her working constantly, which was a big advantage in those times.
She enjoyed working with her Warner Brothers colleagues and had a great time on set. However, despite her high demand and steady work, she often found herself typecast and never quite reached the top tier of film stardom.
Blondell thought of her job as a job
While many of her peers were skilled at causing a stir and navigating Hollywood’s politics, Joan Blondell took a more straightforward approach to her career.
To her, acting was just a job, and she performed it with dedication, clocking in and out without getting caught up in the ambitious games often played in the industry.
In the 1940s and 1950s, Blondell’s work slowed down and the demands eased, but this period allowed her to take on more substantial roles. She starred as Gail Richards in “Topper Returns” (1941), Aunt Sissy in A Tree Grows In Brooklyn (1945), Zeena Krumbein in “Nightmare Alley” (1947), and Annie Rawlins in “The Blue Veil” (1951) which earned her an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
Joan Blondell was eager to make her mark in the 1950s – the rise of television. She landed plenty of roles, which kept her busy, but she found herself working harder rather than smarter, struggling to secure top billing.
The 1960s and 1970s brought new opportunities and memorable performances. Joan dazzled audiences as Jenny in “Support Your Local Gunfighter” (1971), Lady Fingers in “The Cincinnati Kid” (1965), Sarah Goode in “Opening Night” (1977) and Dolly in “The Champ” (1979).
She worked hard until the day she died
Joan Blondell continued to work tirelessly until her final days, even while fighting leukemia, which eventually led to her passing in 1979. Her last role was as Aunt Coll in “The Woman Inside” (1981), a film released after her death. Over her career, she amassed 160 acting credits and published her well-received autobiography, “Center Door Fancy,” in 1972. Despite her health challenges, Joan’s dedication to her craft never wavered.